Road Bike Racing - Forget Gels

Gels are disgusting. The ease of transport and eating is completly outweighted by the terrible consistency and irresistable tendency to end up all over the back of my jersey.

Clif blocks and Sport Beans are better, but still have the biggest problem: they are way too expensive to actualy eat on a regular basis.

Solution?

Fruit Snacks.

Cheap, tasty, easy to eat. They have all the key carbs and some vitamin C (a nice, mostly irrelevant bonus). They lack the eletrolytes and the caffeine some people need. But hey, some fruits snacks and a little salt in the water bottle can keep me going forever.

Thanks.

Lucky you're here.

Gels are disgusting. The ease of transport and eating is completly outweighted by the terrible consistency and irresistable tendency to end up all over the back of my jersey.

Clif blocks and Sport Beans are better, but still have the biggest problem: they are way too expensive to actualy eat on a regular basis.

Solution?

Fruit Snacks.

Cheap, tasty, easy to eat. They have all the key carbs and some vitamin C (a nice, mostly irrelevant bonus). They lack the eletrolytes and the caffeine some people need. But hey, some fruits snacks and a little salt in the water bottle can keep me going forever.

This sounds like a personal problem.

Salt in your water bottle?

I personally love Chocolate Outrage from GU. Then I tried the lemon/lime stuff from them, and thought it was amazingly disguisting. Perhaps you need to try different flavors.

the double expresso from GU is tasty. like a condensed coffee ice cream in a foil pouch. yummy.

the double expresso from GU is tasty. like a condensed coffee ice cream in a foil pouch. yummy.
Hmm I may have to try that. Ever had chocolate covered espresso beans? Taste like those?

I like the Vanilla Bean GU...tastes like pudding. :D

Go with what works for you.

For me, that's Beans.

mmm.. strawberry banana powergel. just like yogurt. only thing I use anymore.

banana hammer gel

Vanilla Hammer Gel.

Powerbar PowerGel Strawberry Banana works just fine for me thank you very much.

As does Hammer energy gel....

This sounds like a personal problem.

Salt in your water bottle?
On hot days I put 1/4 tsp of salt in my bottles.

Esspresso Love GU.

On hot days I put 1/4 tsp of salt in my bottles.
+1

On hot days I put 1/4 tsp of salt in my bottles.

Sodium chloride? It won't do much for you, you need potassium.

I was a gootheist, but now I believe in the power of the goo.

Homemade Oatmeal raisin cookies. :)

Dried fruit & trail mix ain't bad either.

Sodium chloride? It won't do much for you, you need potassium.

The ratio of sodium : potassium in sweat is about 10 times greater than Boonen's power output to mine in a sprint. The need to replace any electrolytes besides sodium and cholride during excersice isn't significant short of racing RAAM.

Sodium chloride? It won't do much for you, you need potassium.

I was a gootheist, but now I believe in the power of the goo.

I didn't mention it but I also add 1/4 cup OJ. Plenty of K ;)

I can't do fruit snacks --too much sugar make my tummy go yuck. I'm a Strawberry-Banana PowerGel kinda guy. I can go all day on those and a powerbar here and there, and Gu2O in the waterbottles....

fruit snacks have too much sugar and powergels don't??

fruit snacks have too much sugar and powergels don't??

too much simple sugar, I should say.

Fruit snacks, ~14g sugar per serving
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/item/89874.html

PowerGel, 6g
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/item/81957.html

Gels are disgusting. The ease of transport and eating is completly outweighted by the terrible consistency and irresistable tendency to end up all over the back of my jersey.

Clif blocks and Sport Beans are better, but still have the biggest problem: they are way too expensive to actualy eat on a regular basis.

Solution?

Fruit Snacks.

Cheap, tasty, easy to eat. They have all the key carbs and some vitamin C (a nice, mostly irrelevant bonus). They lack the eletrolytes and the caffeine some people need. But hey, some fruits snacks and a little salt in the water bottle can keep me going forever.

You might not like them....but I and many other love them...better than a sticky bar.....but were are not opposed the them...keep an open mind.

You might not like them....but I and many other love them...better than a sticky bar.....but were are not opposed the them...keep an open mind.

I was about to post the same thing - you beat me too it.:D

IMNSHO - nicest tasting is Tri-Berry (Gu); worst is Vanilla (Hammer) - bleuucccgggghhh!

- Wil

oh chill, people defending gels.

Just trying to present an alternate idea in a slightly more amusing form. It's not like hating gels is the start of a slippery slope towards hating all things OCP :eek:

Nutrition is being OCP?

For many, gels offer a fast and easy solution for on-bike fueling, particularly during a race. Plus, they are easy to carry when on longer rides/centuries.

It's really a win-win situation. Wasn't quite aware that using them was "OCP'ish".

Apple Cinnamon Hammer Gel tastes like Apple Pie...oh so good...

http://drool.popey.com/drool.png

Pie...

I need to condense the power and magnificence of pie into bar form...if I didn't get rich, I'd at least get fat and happy.

Only a dirty communist would resort to scarfing gummie bunnies.

Only a capitalist pig would resort to supporting the GU-Powerbar industrial complex. So ha!

For a snack maybe a pork chop sauteed in bacon fat with a side of sour cream mash potatoes.

Vanilla Hammer Gel.I find a bad after taste from GU...but not with the hammer gel.

For a snack maybe a pork chop sauteed in bacon fat with a side of sour cream mash potatoes.

So you take after Der Kaiser?

So you take after Der Kaiser?

No, he just eats puppies. They fit in a jersey pocket and have much less aftertaste. :D

What kind of girly men are you? Ohh gels are too sticky and messy! For gods sake, we sweat and spit and belch and fart all over the place not mention blowing snot rocket out our noses. But gels are too sticky ooooow how yucky. Pa-leeeezeeeeee.

No, he just eats puppies. They fit in a jersey pocket and have much less aftertaste. :D

LOL, post of the day RIGHT THERE!!:D :D

Banana Honey Stinger!

Apple Cinnamon Hammer Gel tastes like Apple Pie...oh so good...

http://drool.popey.com/drool.png

Pie...

I need to condense the power and magnificence of pie into bar form...if I didn't get rich, I'd at least get fat and happy.

Apple Cinnamon? I must find this flavor... mmmmmm pie.... :D

Perfect water bottle contents == Margherita

Is there a tequila-flavored gel? I'd buy it.

Perfect water bottle contents == Margherita

Is there a tequila-flavored gel? I'd buy it.


Any one use those new Jelly belly beans? or the cliff blocks? I think they would get too sticky on hot days.

FWIW: Hammer Rasberry Gel!

Any one use those new Jelly belly beans? or the cliff blocks? I think they would get too sticky on hot days.

FWIW: Hammer Rasberry Gel!

They can get kind of mushy, but not too bad. An interesting flavor is Hammergel Banana washed
down with fruit punch accelerade. lol.