Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Gel flavors

I tried my first gels this morning on my ride, the flavors were marked Mango and Strawberry..I think Rectum and Bile might be more accurate.

Try the Strawberry/Banana....it's not too bad, or the chocolate, or the Unflavored.

I like the GU orange burst god flavor and little after taste

What brands do you guys like? The ones I got were by Clif.

Hammer Gel apple-cinnamon or raspberry. The vanilla isn't bad either. I haven't really liked any of the GU flavors that I have tried.

I too find most gels absolutely vile. The ones I can get down without gagging are Accel Gel chocolate, and Hammer's chocolate, espresso, and rasberry.

Cliff also makes these gummy/fruit snack like things called Cliff Bloks that are pretty easy to eat.

Scott

accelgel - key lime pie.

I really like the mango ones from Cliff.

DO NOT try the banana ones from Hammer. They taste like over-ripe, almost rotten bananas... and with the texture of a gel, it dang near made me barf.

The Power-Bar brand strawberry/banana ones aren't horrible. The Clif Shots mango flavour are pretty good, for what they are.

None of them are great, but some are more tolerable than others.

Ironically, if I really, really, really, really need a gel, it tastes like Nirvana. If not it tastes like already processed and excreted stuff ;)

Yeah gels are good if you need one... my personal favorite is GU Vanilla Bean. Smoother and creamier than the fruit flavors. Regardless it all gets alot of water to wash it down!

I really like the mango ones from Cliff.

I have one left...want it?

I am with Pam on the GU. The Vanilla Bean is pretty good. The other flavors suck. My favorite are the CARB-BOOM Gels. The Strawberry-Kiwi is pretty good, and the Apple Cinnamon is fantastic. As a matter of fact, I suck down an Apple Cinnamon just for the hell of it now and then. All that is missing is a cracker or piece of toast.

I agree with most regarding the remainder of the flavors...... URRRP:(

Jay

You know, this is one of the reason I have not really used the gels. I heard too many people complain about the taste. It's to bad you can't get little tubes to test the flavors. I'd hate to get to a point of needing one and end up gagging or barfing.

They weren't so bad that I'd barf...just not something I'd go out of my way for.

In favor of gels... there is nothing better than when you are tired, the legs are rubber, the head's pounding and you are on a verge of bonking and a large hills looms... squish a gel in and withn seconds, you feel the energy return. Problem is like any sugar/caffeine product, there is also a big crashy down so then you need to keep popping gels to stay up. For me anymore I use gels on century rides starting around mile 80.

What exactly is a gel? It sounds like it might be a tube of flavored and gelantinized sugar and caffeine. Does it contain high fructose corn syrup? Can someone post the calories, serving size, and nutrition information from one and list the top 5 ingredients?

Generally gelatinized sugars, like Maltodextrin and Galactose, some sucrose. Some have caffeine in them.

Serving size is one packet, calories average 180.

The Clif gels have 100 cal, considering the number burned avg. 16mph over 40mi I was willing to take on the risk. it paid off, I weighed in at 218 this morning...according the the BMI charts I'm no longer obese I'm just overweight...small victories.

sports beans is where its at!
the ratio is a little bit off what gels are but they do the same purpose. not as effective but way better taste.... if im going for a long ride ill carry a back up gel just in case but for the most part sports beans are all i need

http://sportbeans.com/

sorry if i came off as an ad

Naw, that wasn't an ad, it was a testimonial ;)
sports beans is where its at!
the ratio is a little bit off what gels are but they do the same purpose. not as effective but way better taste.... if im going for a long ride ill carry a back up gel just in case but for the most part sports beans are all i need

http://sportbeans.com/

sorry if i came off as an ad

You know, this is one of the reason I have not really used the gels. I heard too many people complain about the taste. It's to bad you can't get little tubes to test the flavors. I'd hate to get to a point of needing one and end up gagging or barfing.

Hammer Nutrition has a sampler pack of all their flavors so you can try them, I've got a box in the mail as we speak actually.

Thanks Halthane

Funny Thread! I've tried a few. I am just not sure they really help me.

On the taste front, I've not found any I can't stomach, but I used to live on Military MRE's so I can digest just about anything!

Chris

MRE...Meals Rejected by Ethiopians.

Chocolate Gu, the only flavor I'll bother with.

As others have said...they're not a snack. They're for when your body needs fuel, now. I have been carrying packets of chocolate gu for years when whitewater kayaking or hiking, not to mention biking. They're handy for biking and allow you to travel light, but in the backcountry they make even more sense, giving you an important safety margin. Several times I've given a gu to someone who was starting to slow down and not make good decisions, and it was enough to get them back into the game so they could get to the takeout or trailhead.

Almost universally, I like the vanilla gels. Despite being a chocoholic, chocolate gels are disgusting. The coffee/espresso ones are good when you need a little bump, and the various berry/citrus flavors work too. The only brand I can't tolerate is Clif. Prefer GU & Hammer stuff, and Powerbar gels for the heavy electrolyte load when it's hot out.

I like the Clif Raspberry and also Mocha. Carb Boom chololate cherry is pretty good too. There is no doubt about the boost they give, quick acting, but not long lasting, at least for me.

I like the Gu orange and tri berry gels. Wash them down with a good drink of water.

I like the Clif Raspberry and also Mocha. Carb Boom chololate cherry is pretty good too. There is no doubt about the boost they give, quick acting, but not long lasting, at least for me.

I think the key is, to follow that gel with something else, that takes longer to get going, but lasts longer, too.

It's like building a camp fire, you start with some crumpled up paper, then add some small slivers of wood, and some bigger sticks (kindling), and finally some larger logs. The paper light easily, but burns very quickly, this is your gel. Then you have, you slivers of wood, they take longer, but burn longer as well, kind of like your powerbar and clif bar type items. Next you have your kindling, which is that big bag of gorp, and your larger logs are real meals. If your fire dies down (bonk) then you add some more paper, but you need to also add the other stuff too, to keep it going.

I think the key is, to follow that gel with something else, that takes longer to get going, but lasts longer, too.

It's like building a camp fire, you start with some crumpled up paper, then add some small slivers of wood, and some bigger sticks (kindling), and finally some larger logs. The paper light easily, but burns very quickly, this is your gel. Then you have, you slivers of wood, they take longer, but burn longer as well, kind of like your powerbar and clif bar type items. Next you have your kindling, which is that big bag of gorp, and your larger logs are real meals. If your fire dies down (bonk) then you add some more paper, but you need to also add the other stuff too, to keep it going.

Good analogy

[QUOTE=CastIron;5369786]Almost universally, I like the vanilla gels. Despite being a chocoholic, chocolate gels are disgusting. QUOTE]

Isn't that funny? I don't really like Chocolate and usually prefer anything else.

But the only gel I actually think is delicious is (Gu's?) "Chocolate Outrage".

I really don't like strong flavored anything when on a long ride. Hammer 'Plain' is my favorite.

Jim

I'm a fan of the Power Gels. The double espresso. vanilla. plain and strawberry banana are good.
i'm not a big fan of chocolate gels from anyone. to me they have the consistancy of brownie batter.

Meh, I make my own at a cost of about $4 for "15" shots.

1 jar of lundbergs organic rice syrup.
1 teaspoon of sea salt.
vanilla extract to taste.
Dispense via gel flask.

It compares almost identically to the ingredients in Cliff's Shots vanilla gels.

Meh, I make my own at a cost of about $4 for "15" shots.

1 jar of lundbergs organic rice syrup.
1 teaspoon of sea salt.
vanilla extract to taste.
Dispense via gel flask.

It compares almost identically to the ingredients in Cliff's Shots vanilla gels.

I'll have to give this a try! What is this gel-flask thing, and approximately how much of this constitutes "one serving"?

I'll have to give this a try! What is this gel-flask thing, and approximately how much of this constitutes "one serving"?

This is a gel flask:

http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/500/NA-GF-NCL-FRONT.jpg

You can order them here:

Nashbar (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=15166&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Show%20All%20Products)

About 1oz per "serving" -- the flask holds 5oz. I typically just squeeze a little as needed, so I'm not actually measuring it all out at once.

BTW, it's a good idea to heat up the rice syrup for mixing purposes. I heat it in the microwave (metal jar off), then mix it in a tupperware bowl.

Tried GU Vanilla Bean today, not bad at all.

Clif Shots for me....Chocolate....I really like the fact that no matter how hot they get the consistency doesn't change much....

I don't like most of the others because they get thin when they get hot....my girlfriend does not like them for that reason....so to each there own....you just have to keep trying till you find one that works for you...