[S13SFC]

I’ve a couple of tough climbs (for me) to tackle at the weekend. I was wondering how far in advance of them I should suck down a gel to give me that boost going up them?!

The plan is to stop for scoff at the top as we’d have done around 60km of 170km but want to ensure that I can get to that point.

Ta.

Topic

[S13SFC]

jeffersaurus wrote:Cycling

jeffersaurus wrote:

Cycling nutrition, and nutrition in general is very complex, so there isn’t a straight answer. It depends on the energy mix of the gel and what you have eaten / ridden before.

The energy mix is not just what it says on the nutritional information in terms of carbs, and sugars. For example SiS gels say they have virtually no sugar in them, and a lot of carbs, but what they have is maltodextrin which metabolises very very fast, in fact its GI (glycemic index) is double that of honey and significantly higher than fructose (both of which would show up as sugars in nutritional information). What that means is you will get the energy hit much faster with a high maltodextrin gel than gels than a ‘natural’ product using honey, or a gel with a mix fructose/glucose. A glucose only gel would be just as fast.

http://www.sugar-and-sweetener-guide.com/glycemic-index-for-sweeteners.html

I use SiS gels about 10 minutes before an effort (really only crits and climbing over 200m gain). For short, high intensity efforts, say box hill or less, you can probably get by with general nutrition on the ride (honey sandwiches, dried bananas, energy bars). On rides less than a couple of hours, I have porridge and honey before I leave and don’t bother at all with food when I am out (much rather have real food than gels!).

That’s interesting. Thanks.

[JohnnyRemo]

S13SFC wrote:JohnnyRemo

S13SFC wrote:

JohnnyRemo wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

Regarding the gels/hills.This is specific to this ride. We are stopping just after a double climb that I’ve not previously done and want a fast carb intake, on top of what I will already consume, just ahead of it. ‘.

What’s a “fast carb intake?”

Something quickly absorbed.

Sugar then?

[Nick T]

Why not whack some “slow
Why not whack some “slow carbs” in 20 minutes before, instead of “fast carbs” 10 minutes before?

[jeffersaurus]

Cycling nutrition, and
Cycling nutrition, and nutrition in general is very complex, so there isn’t a straight answer. It depends on the energy mix of the gel and what you have eaten / ridden before.

The energy mix is not just what it says on the nutritional information in terms of carbs, and sugars. For example SiS gels say they have virtually no sugar in them, and a lot of carbs, but what they have is maltodextrin which metabolises very very fast, in fact its GI (glycemic index) is double that of honey and significantly higher than fructose (both of which would show up as sugars in nutritional information). What that means is you will get the energy hit much faster with a high maltodextrin gel than gels than a ‘natural’ product using honey, or a gel with a mix fructose/glucose. A glucose only gel would be just as fast.

http://www.sugar-and-sweetener-guide.com/glycemic-index-for-sweeteners.html

I use SiS gels about 10 minutes before an effort (really only crits and climbing over 200m gain). For short, high intensity efforts, say box hill or less, you can probably get by with general nutrition on the ride (honey sandwiches, dried bananas, energy bars). On rides less than a couple of hours, I have porridge and honey before I leave and don’t bother at all with food when I am out (much rather have real food than gels!).

[S13SFC]

JohnnyRemo wrote:S13SFC

JohnnyRemo wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

Regarding the gels/hills.This is specific to this ride. We are stopping just after a double climb that I’ve not previously done and want a fast carb intake, on top of what I will already consume, just ahead of it. ‘.

What’s a “fast carb intake?”

Something quickly absorbed.

[Simon E]

There is less than 30g of
There is less than 30g of carbohydrates in a Torq gel, 23g in High5.

If you are consuming carb sources like an energy drink and jelly babies I doubt that downing a gel will make much difference.

[JohnnyRemo]

S13SFC wrote:
Regarding the

S13SFC wrote:

Regarding the gels/hills.This is specific to this ride. We are stopping just after a double climb that I’ve not previously done and want a fast carb intake, on top of what I will already consume, just ahead of it. ‘.

What’s a “fast carb intake?”

[Nick T]

Personally, I’d only eat
Personally, I’d only eat before a climb that’s going to be longer (like 2 hours of up) than I would want to wait before I get to the top where eating is going to be easier. I wouldn’t expect banging a gel in my mouth to make the effort any less painful.

[S13SFC]

Nick T wrote:Surely you’ve

Nick T wrote:

Surely you’ve taken a gel before to know how your own body reacts to them during one of your 170km rides? And if not, why do you suddenly feel like it’s going to magically give you some sort of competitive edge you’ve been missing?

I’ve never taken them in the scenario that I’ve set out, hence me asking. If I use them it’s with other foods when I stop to refuel.

[Nick T]

Surely you’ve taken a gel
Surely you’ve taken a gel before to know how your own body reacts to them during one of your 170km rides? And if not, why do you suddenly feel like it’s going to magically give you some sort of competitive edge you’ve been missing?

[S13SFC]

Thanks for the advice,
Thanks for the advice, however, I’m more than comfortable with my eating routine which serves me well on 170+km rides. Carb drinks/jelly babies when I’m moving and decent high carb solids when we stop.

Regarding the gels/hills.This is specific to this ride. We are stopping just after a double climb that I’ve not previously done and want a fast carb intake, on top of what I will already consume, just ahead of it.

It’s a just in case, not a habit or the norm’.

[Yorkshie Whippet]

JohnnyRemo wrote:S13SFC

JohnnyRemo wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

”I’ve a couple of tough climbs (for me) to tackle at the weekend. I was wondering how far in advance of them I should suck down a gel to give me that boost going up them?!”

What is “that boost” you get from the gel? Caffeine?

+1, what is this boost? If the gel is giving you a boost then you haven’t eaten enough beforehand and “you are already on your knees” so to speak. I use to rely on gels but but found I was going through peaks and sudden crashes. Ended using a combination of bar and gels. Gels mainly when I don’t fancy chewing half a bar late on the ride. If you have enough sugar/food in your system a gel wouldn’t make much of a difference. Now a gel at the top of the climb to aid recovery that could be different matter.

[mooleur]

Worth bearing in mind that
Worth bearing in mind that most gels only have about 60g of carbs in them.

[JohnnyRemo]

S13SFC wrote:”I’ve a couple

S13SFC wrote:

”I’ve a couple of tough climbs (for me) to tackle at the weekend. I was wondering how far in advance of them I should suck down a gel to give me that boost going up them?!”

What is “that boost” you get from the gel? Caffeine?

[gdmor10]

when I was a boy in a club in
when I was a boy in a club in Glasgow in the 80s we would go off on 60-70 mile runs with nothing but 50p and a can of soup in our pockets, stop half way, light a fire, eat the soup and spend the 50p on irn bru and crisps.

All seems a bit more high tech nowadays 😕

[Author]

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