To be honest I have no clue if the 5 hour energy drinks work. Never tried them. As far as the FRS products they seem to work and Lance Armstrong is promoting the product. I have tried Cliff shots and eat cliff bars while I ride and they seems to give me a bit of energy boost after about the one hour mark. The Hammer Gels have replaced the Cliff shots when I ride now.
from what I understand we need to fuel and hydrate on any longer ride. Water works fine I am sure as do whole foods. But a gel pack is somewhat smaller than a banana. But water doesn't have all teh electrolite replacement that poweraid and gatoraid do so people who sweat a lot seem to prefer that as hydration. We have been told that the advantage of the gels and chews is they get in the system quicker and work while exercising. The normal digestion process tends to slow down during extream exercising so that maximum blood flow can move to the mussels. The gels don't need the same amount of digestion. Now this is what I have been told and what I have read. It could be all advertising and people like Lance may be just trying to make a buck. But it has me buying the product.