Wall-e

I am a big fan of GU while I am on rides. One problem, I am not sure what to do with the packaging after I have one. I have been sticking them in my jersey pocket, but the problem is they are sticky. The next time I grab one the old wrapper sticks to it. It creates a mess. My other pockets are full of other items. Anyone have any ideas on what to do with the packaging?

Thanks.

shiz702

Just use a flask and buy the big bottles of GU.

silentben

I put my empty packets up my pant leg, usually on the outside of my left thigh just an inch past the elastic grippy thing on my shorts. This confines the mess to a small area and doesn't contaminate anything else. I'm going to be washing the shorts and leg after the ride anyway so it doesn't matter of those get a little sticky.

rydaddy

Flask, ftw.

powpow

I like the Clif Shot Bloks. No mess.

VaultGuru

Pack a half-size ziplock bag. Throw your used GU containers in it and keep the others in your jersey. You can throw your PowerBar/Cliff wrappers it it too. Has worked for me for years.

Diegomayra

I took a couple of Hammer gel packets and dumped one on the side of the road, I was kicking myself the entire trip. I will definitely pack a ziplock back. Hopefully it is still in the same vicinity when I return and pick up my mess.


.... ..... feeling guilty.

UmneyDurak

Yes, please don't dump them on the side of the road. It's specially saddening to see all the litter on the side of the road after a race or some other event. Doesn't make us popular with locals either.

bigbossman 

This.

msincredible

Yup, I'm always seeing and trying to pick up litter left by campers and bicyclists around here but I can't keep up with it.

Wall-e

Thanks for the good advice on the ziplock bag. I thought of it, but I have a hard enough time trying to get the GU packet open while riding let alone opening a ziplock back and putting my garbage in it, but it is worth a shot.

Thanks

pelikan

Jug + Flask is the way to go but we get such a good team deal on GU I have the same problem. Packages + FLask is just too much trouble.

If you spend a little time rolling it up from the bottom while you consume there will be less stickiness to spill out. Also, before you put them back in your jersey, roll them down from the top. It won't stay compressed but it'll move the leftover toward the bottom and at least make it have to go back past the folds before bleeding back out.

The real pro trick is to not rip off the top tab....just leave it enough to hang on. The one thing I really like about Cliff Shots is the built in support for this.

fred2000

After I am done with a packaged I fold it up, folding the opening up so it is internal to the roll. This keeps any remain gu folded inside and make for a nice small package in my jersey pocket.

Trying to think of a better way to describe - fold the open end about a third back so it covers the GU logo, then just fold up the rest, ensuring the opening is behind a few folds of package.

Ygduf

These. I prefer them to gel in every sense, except price.

ericm979

Folding up the wrapper like fred2000 describes works ok.

You can also put it in your bar wrapper.

cccorlew

I bought a flask, but before that I stuffed them under/into my saddle. I never lost one.

mtnwalker

Same here. I would drain that GU package and stuff it in my saddle bag. I like the idea of the small plastic bag. I wouldn't have to worry about getting the stuff in my bag sticky.

cthenn

Fold em. Don't be offended, but why are so many people seemingly incapable of neatly intaking these gels? I hear this complaint a lot. To me, it's pretty easy not to make a mess. Squeeze out all you can, then use your teeth to squeeze out the last of it, ala a tube of toothpaste against the sink edge. Then fold the opening first and then 3 or 4 times again, then crimp it in half. The roll will then not reopen, and voila, no mess garbage in my jersey pocket. I rarely will get some on the tips of my fingers, so when I'm swigging my water to get the gel down, I'll spit some on my fingers and wipe it off.

I don't know...it's not too hard for me...

caloso

I do like cthenn. Whatever gets in the pocket washes out fine.

silentben

fwiw I put full clif shot packets in my shorts too. It's especially nice in winter with the chocolate flavored ones since it keeps them warm and at a lower viscosity. Am I really the only one who uses cycling shorts for storage? I swear i've seen taxi777 put his digicam up there ...

Diegomayra

Hammer gel espresso.... Im craving one right now, yummmmm. Maybe I'm weird because many people don't like hot malto-paste.

bigbossman 

I do the same. It's a good place to keep a que sheet handy - I fold it in quarters and periodically flip it so the proper quadrant is face up as I ride. If you insert it upside-down on the front of your quad, you can pull it down and glance at/refer to it while coasting.

UmneyDurak

I do the same thing. Used to carry a gel pack there also, until I stopped using them.

bigbossman 

BTW - Pho makes a great recovery meal.

Had a big bowl for lunch today, after 10,000' of climbing yesterday.

Pizza Man

I usually start rides/races with 2 gu packs under the elastic on each leg, then put the empties in an empty jersey pocket.

Then at the end of the ride or race when I'm totally bonking I pull them back out from my jersey pocket and try & suck a few extra calories out of them.