I'm planning on riding 65 miles tomorrow, my longest ride so far. I've bought one gel and one gu20. The gel says to take it 15 minutes before hand then every 45 minutes, but if I eat breakfast and have the gu20 is it really necessary to have that first one?

I take on for every 100Km ride and will consume is at about the half way point. Unless I feel I need 2 or, feel I need a kick in the pants.

I always eat a bagel with peanut butter before I head out, and then I'll eat a Cliff bar somewhere along the way, a GU pack, and probably down a Gator aid while at a stop. That's my general routine, however everyone is different.

1. Open packet

2. Squeeze into mouth

3. Swallow

Repeat as necessary

I use them the same way I use Clif Shots.

I don't. They don't work for me. They just give me a sugar spike, which causes me to bonk harder than if I took nothing.

I use them for big climbs on long rides. I try to consume them 5-10 minutes before the climb followed by a big shot of propel/powerade. I eat a cliff bar every hour on long rides as well.

I love Gu. I even wrote it a love song.
Yeah, I'm pathetic...

Anyway, IGNORE the directions.

When you need a kick in the pants, have some Gu.

I save it for the last hour or two when I am losing steam.

Gu20 is pleasant, I usually carry a single serving packet of Cytomax for emergencies. But what I typically do is get a Powerade at a store we are passing.
Nothing special, but at least it's cold.

skip the first then one every hour for me.

Doing one 15 minutes before I ride (or other exercise) seems to really help me.

I use them all the time. They don't cause a sugar spike because they are mainly complex carbs (maltodextrin). If you've had a good breakfast, you don't need one to start. I use one every hour or so on a long ride, then wash it down with water. Works wonders.
I bought a couple of these bottles and load them up with 4 gu's and top it off with water, so it comes out easier. I don't do long rides without them. I usually don't use them on anything less than 40 miles.

Hammer Nutrition has some good information in their booklets. It is probably available on their website but I am not certain so I cannot direct you.

Generally, unless you can eat breakfast at least 3 hours before a ride, you should limit your caloric intake to 200 to 300 calories. Otherwise, you will use up your normal 2-hour energy store in much less time.

Eat a 250-300 calorie Hammer/Clif Bar, etc bar that contains complex carbohydrates and protein when you get up and then a gel right at the start. Then take in 200-300 calories per hour and 20-30 ounces of fluids per hour. These amounts are all your body can process and absorb during hard exercise. The rest will just make you nauseous and/or give you gas. Generally eat solid foods at the beginning of the ride and then switch to gels/liquids.

I have been eating fruit before my evening rides and eat dinner afterward. It has helped tremendously. My neighbor got a new bike and wanted to take a ride late this afternoon. I had not eaten anything since lunch and just drank a small glass of lemonade before going out for a ride. At the end of 23 miles my energy level was starting to fall. I don't have to wonder anymore if the fruit snacks are helping. They are!

BTW, if you are not aware milk is a great recovery drink. Whole choloate milk is the best, then whole, 2%, skim in that order.

Gu gives me a headache. Besides, it's like trying to swallow a mixture of salad dressing and maple syrup. Nasty.

> will just make you nauseous

You mean "nauseated". If you are nauseous that means you make others nauseated.

Whole milk has way too much fat (40% ?). I drink 1%.

It is my understanding that the only difference between whole, 2%, 1%, and skim milk is the amount of fat. Fat does not help ones recovery. So stick with the lowest fat milk you can stand. I prefer 1%.

If you use GU, put the empty packet back in your jersey or saddle bag. There's nothing worse that seeing empty GU/Gel packets along the road.

Good point! P1sses me off too. Your gonna have to wash the jersey anyway - stick it in a pocket.

That's what I like about Clifshot litter leashes. I domn't have to hold the ripped off piece, it's still attached to the packet. I hate seeing dumped gel packs, tubes, and waterbottles. Why doesn't everyone pick up after themselves already. Your jersey has 3 pockets, right?

recently i got some hammergel and the little flask. today i did 55 miles and hit the gel flask about every 30 minutes. i felt so good at the end, like i could just keep going. i was also very well hydrated today. keeping fuel and fluids going in is critical on longer rides.
drink up the water tonight, and in the morning down a water bottle right when you get up. eat a good but not huge breakfast and take along something else (real food, like a piece of fruit or a couple fig newtons or something)

like others mentioned, if you're going to drink chocolate milk after a ride, drink the 1% or nothing at all. i personally don't drink chocolate milk anymore though, because i'm trying to cut back my on sugar intake...

and +1 on the fig newtons, fat free if possible...

That always breaks on me so I usually spit out the top and stuff the packet in my back pocket.

take one 1.5 hours in if you need one (or as necessary)
no need to foll0w the marketing advice on the package...

Buy the little gu container or the one from hammer gel to avoid trash. I eat about every 30 minutes, and drink a bit of water with it. After several hours I am also taking electrolyte pills and heed from hammer as to sustain myself. After 2 hours your body starts to burn protein, so you have to eat. Have a cliff bar in your back pocket and munch on a little bit of that around that time. Avoid doing it before huge climbs.

The gels are meant to sustain you, not give you a big boost. You take them before you are tired, as they won't help you get back up from bonking.

Also never drink gatorade as it has a lot of simple sugar... an endurance athletes worst enemy.

I'm sure the g2o is fine, as it is designed for endurance athletes and not football players who do short bursts of working out, rather than a sustained long workout.

Rules to cycle by:
1. Eat before you're hungry.
2. Drink before you're thirsty.
3. Rest (briefly) before you're tired.

Sorry, but I disagree...

"Buy the little gu container or the one from hammer gel to avoid trash."

<>I bring along a ziplock sandwich baggie and put them in that. GU doesn't sell larger than single serving packets anymore. There is also always some unused in the bottom of the flask. AND.. I wish I liked Hammer gel, in bulk it is so much cheaper, but I don't. <>

"I eat about every 30 minutes, and drink a bit of water with it"

<> I assume you are using Hammer gel. That much GU would reanimate the dead. <>

"After several hours I am also taking electrolyte pills and heed from hammer as to sustain myself."

<> Yes, you need to do something to replace elctrolytes. GU has some, but not enough for really long rides <>

"After 2 hours your body starts to burn protein, so you have to eat. Have a cliff bar in your back pocket and munch on a little bit of that around that time. Avoid doing it before huge climbs."

<> One of my little 'secrets' is Promax bars. But it seems everyone has their own
favorite snack. <>



"The gels are meant to sustain you, not give you a big boost."

<> I take the opposite view. We usually ride for 2 or 3 hours, have lunch and then ride for another 2 or 3 hours. I never touch the stuff until the middle of the afternoon when I start to feel wiped out <>

"You take them before you are tired, as they won't help you get back up from bonking"

<> You have obviously never taken two GU at once. WOO HOO! <>

"Also never drink gatorade as it has a lot of simple sugar... an endurance athletes worst enemy."

<> I wouldn't go that far, but it is pretty bad. <>

"I'm sure the g2o is fine, as it is designed for endurance athletes and not football players who do short bursts of working out, rather than a sustained long workout."

<> GU20 has a nice taste, has simple sugars and some electrolytes. Something
I would like to know is which of the various sports drinks are actually the best.
<>

By storing the flask upside down in my pocket, I've never had a problem getting the last little bit out. Also, if you are having trouble getting the dregs out, a few drops of water from your bottle will let you get every last speck. I only use a flask on long rides (6+ hours) with limited stops... but for those occasions, I love using them.

From Merriam-Webster. usage: Those who insist that nauseous can properly be used only in sense 1 and that in sense 2 it is an error for nauseated are mistaken.