bwunger

Actually, the latest newsletter they sent out had an article where someone was responding to some questions they had received about which supplements they took for an ultra distance race. The author then proceeded to list about 4 or 5 different supplements they would take, not counting fluid or calorie replacements. It looked to be like 10 or more pills an hour before, during an dafter the race. They had a different group of supplements for each portion of the race as well. I was amazed how complicated it was and how much it must cost.

No thanks...

Metzinger

Why do you hate capitalism?

will dehne

I would like your comments on what I do please.
I do on a regular basis 100 miles/day in on a long trail with limestone surface and return the next day again 100 miles. The limestone requires a Cross bike with 32 mm tires and a relatively heavy bike. I like to travel light and stay in a motel. Water is available but no good food restaurants or shops. My average speed is as fast as I can sustain and there are some long hills.
In prior tours I used Cliff Bars, and Nature Valley bars. I did not bonk but did not feel good either.
This time I tried Hammer and GU Gel. Every hour 2. In addition (2) 250 calorie Hammer energy bars for lunch.
It seemed to work OK as compared to just energy bars but perhaps I am just kidding myselves?
BTW, I have no trouble with the taste. It is just energy for me. Do not expect much taste.

Richard Cranium

asks Will.

Will, the "science" behind using sports nutrition products comes into play whenever an athlete's digestion or hydration capabilities are compromised due to intense exercise. There's no way to tell from your comments if you are riding at exercise intensities that could specifically benefit from particular sports products.




As some of the previous comments have stated - sports product consumption can be the result of personal taste, situational convenience, or in the case of intense training and competition, necessity. Clear enough?

will dehne

As to intensity: I did 2 CC tours fast across America at 120 miles/day for 25 days with a group of fast bikers. My bike is a Trek Madone. No luggage except saddle bag. Tour is fully supported.
I experienced some difficulties because of my ignorance regarding sports nutrition. I am a recreational Cyclist who goes pretty fast but not your speed. I can do 20 MPH average over 100 miles on the flats with a round trip to neutralize wind (Illinois and Florida).
I was with a group of professionals who had all kinds of sports drinks and powders and pills.
This conversation is an attempt to prepare me better for the next tour.

Sea Green Sky

If a ride is 2 hours or more I drink HEED (melon) for the first 2 hours and then Perpetuem (orange-vanilla). I put 3-4 caps worth of Endurolytes in the Perpetuem mix when it's above 85F, less as it becomes cooler. I also use Hammer Gel (tropical or raspberry) for shorter rides and to supplement longer rides if I'm sleep deprived (which is usually).

I really believe that you should use whatever works for you and the Hammer products work very very well for me. They have also demonstrated that they are a high integrity company interested in their clients success, not just in taking their money.

Hammer aside, you may want to reconsider using anything based on simple sugars or containing any amount of corn syrup (corn syrup being one of the worst dietary poisons ever foisted on the public).

MrCrassic 

People that train very seriously do intake a lot of supplements to stay at peak performance, along with following those guidelines. Seems to work well for them.

The only "supplement" that I use, if you want to call it that, are their gels. They taste really good, and provide a good amount of short-term energy when the rides get long and the resources become scarce.

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Johnny Colnago

Counter example: Marmalade sandwiches and a washing machine for a bike. It's all about the rider and his genetics, no potion or powder will give it you. You ether have it or you don't. (I don't btw)

Richard Cranium

Yes but don't confuse the cause and successful effects of taking your "training seriously."

In the case of the above comments requesting specific advice about "their own" training or riding effort one has to consider the fable regarding the "training chicken" and his "sports eggs."

In other words, the posts would have you believe that if "will" uses sports products during his 20mph cross country rides he will feel better. In other words the "training chicken" thinks the only way to be comfortable 20mph+ is to take the "sports eggs."

But wait grasshopper - this is only true IF the causes of will's current discomfort is improper or indigestible food intake. It could be, that Will simply has not trained or conditioned his digestive organs to an extent that ANY fuel ingestion will work.

What am I getting at? Its very difficult to be sure that sports products will rectify or otherwise solve someone's fueling problems during tough rides. You have to remember, these products only help in the case that normal blood flow and health is already present during ingestion. And sometimes only "slowing down" will give an athlete an opportunity to refuel. Hence some of the reasoning behind the "feed zones" in pro racing.

So for sports products to be effective, an athlete will still need to understand the limitations of fueling in high intensity situations and plan the timing and quantities of sports products used in accordance with the same seriousness and attention they give their training.

This all pretty neatly tracks back to the original post - "Hammer products - Are you serious?
You'd better be - if you want them to work.......

Beaker

Interesting thread. I use HEED as my normal sports drink/energy source and will use perpetuem for rides ~3ish hours or more. I've found that the endurolyte capsules are pretty effective at dealing with cramps. So, yes, I use their stuff quite a bit - it doesn't cause me GI discomfort and it seems to work, and yes, I do ride in their bibs or jersey from time to time.

Having said that, I do find a lot of their other supplements leave me shaking my head, in one of their recent mailshots they were pushing tablets claimed to improve prostate health. That seems a little far removed from what I'm looking for from a sports drink provider. Having said that, most of the manufacturers of powders/pills/gels etc seem prone to similar amounts of hyperbole.

fritter

Back in the day (mid 70s) we would just carry a banana or a little can of tomato juice for a 50 miler at 20-22 mph on 22.5 lb bikes.

Now I see guys showing up on an 18 mile evening ride at 17-20 mph with two full bottle of sports drink mounted to their 16 pound carbon bikes.

I wonder how much is hype and how much of a difference these drinks make.

Fritter

2Quest

I use only Heed and/or Perpetuem and endurolytes with a few gels mixed in for variety. I've gone over 15hrs with the only solid (semi) food being a banana along the way. Never felt hungry or fatigued. The body processes liquid nutrition much faster than solid foods. All the rest? Well, I guess I don't know what I'm missing.

UmneyDurak

For that? 99% hype, and 1% placebo.

UD

2005trek1200

i havent seen alot of people reviewing the Race Caps Supreme...anyone take them. i understand what they SAY it does, but does it really work and is this stuff really legal or temporary legal untill it gets banned?

2005trek1200

bump for any answer/experience about Race Caps Supreme

ericgu

Well, it's pretty simple for me. I know that I'm hyponatremic because I get I feel sick and can't put out any power. I also know because I can drink a lot of water and not excrete any and gain (water) weight. For me it's generally when I get beyond 6 hours or so on hot days. I don't use endurolytes because they don't have enough salt to be useful.

All the research says that a recovery meal can be as good as a recovery drink, but my experience is very much the contrary. I used to just eat regulary food after long/hard rides, but ended up feeling like I was missing something and overeating. I don't get that with a recovery drink (endurox for me...)

aeiadart

Like any big buisness, they want you to spend as much money on their products as you can, As for their products, Heed has worked for me and i didnt think it tasted that bad.

slim_77

re the "audience": billions of dollars are spent on pets each year. Billions. There is always an audience. Half the country is obese/overweight, the other half is obsessed with their health.

bobfromwaco

I like Five hour energy. Ginseng Also. But only occasionally.

aeiadart

I tried a packet of Subtle Citrus Hammer Recoverite i have had laying around for about a month now. The stuff tastes awesome. As for what its doing for my body...i have no clue lol

MrCrassic 

+1 I love that stuff!

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MrCrassic 

A LOT. I was at the gym yesterday, and I saw a guy that had sports drink while doing his lifting routine. I always thought that water was good enough for even strenuous exercise.

In fact, while I was riding last year, I realized exactly how little difference sports drinks make for me. I was doing the usual century I do every year, but rode it with the faster guys. In the middle of the ride, my legs started cramping really badly. I later found out that I didn't take in any electrolytes during the ride, which tends to cause that. Eating a banana fixed it for the most part. Every time I've used sports drinks, they've just made me drink more with no real added benefits.

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Carbonfiberboy 

That depends on what you're drinking. Sports drink should do three things:

1) Cause you to drink more, because it tastes better than plain water over the long haul and hydration is a good thing.
2) Provide calories. Shooting for 250/hr. Water doesn't have 'em, and many folks find liquid calories easier to consume when going hard than solid ones.
3) Provide electrolytes. Water doesn't have 'em, and solid food usually doesn't have a full spectrum.

A cyclist can choose to get all three things from one drink, or to have several liquids/solids/pills to choose from to support various nutritional goals. The further and the harder you ride, the more interesting it becomes.

However that may be, Gatorade and Powerade don't make the list of recommended drinks. And you don't even need water for an 18 mile ride.