[Leviathan]

So last year I tacked some long events for the first time, 50m and 100miles and learned that keeping yourself fuelled is essential. I can go out for a training ride for a couple of hours but you don’t notice of you are loosing energy, you are just comparing to last time. But on a sportive I quickly started to go backwards. Some late stops for free gels on the London 100 gave me a real boost; and although I won’t be ditching real food I plan to include a few in my back pocket.

So here is the thing; they are quite expensive individually at Sainsburys chemist counter. I know I can probably buy in bulk from one of the usual websites but I would like some recommendations first. Who makes the best gels? Energy wise or flavour wise. Where can I find the most economic (not just the cheapest but good brands at a good unit price.)

Cola/Watermelon/Mojito, any you love, or spit out?

Topic

[stuartp]

I am sure working class
I am sure working class people bake as well, so you might be OK 8>

As stated, bought flapjack can be full of fat, if you make your own at least you know what has gone into it. You can add or subtract ingredients to suit your own taste, I add a lot more fruit than the original recipe but its a good place to start.
Once you have the ingredients you just make them when you have a spare 15 minutes or so.
I am not a cook by any stretch of the imagination, but even I can make this stuff.

[TheHound]

A lot of people suggesting
A lot of people suggesting flapjacks from supermarkets which are packed full of fat.

[Leviathan]

Miles253 wrote:I thought they

Miles253 wrote:

I thought they looked tasty too, but I’m too lazy, anyone know which supermarkets sell packets of flapjack for reasonable outlay? Sis gels do nothing for me, I always pick up high 5, 2 4 1 at Chain Reaction I saw yesterday

My recommendation again is Sainsburys Granola squares, lots for fruits and seeds in them.
http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/sainsburys-granola-slices–taste-the-difference-x4

Unfortunately home baking is a very middle class preoccupation. If you look at the list of ingredients in that vid there is a commission on each item and lots left over each time [I once baked a cake, it cost £12 and was okay, I could have bought the same for £1.50.] There is no way it is more economic to make your own at home. If you have the time and money go for it, but for a lot of people the cost and chance of burning the lot isn’t worth it (lazyness no excuse though.)

[Miles253]

stuartp wrote:Those who
[quote=stuartp]Those who prefer flapjack should try the GCN Power Bar recipe.
I made some just to try and love them, so handed them round to running/cycling friends and they were blown away by the taste too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJEIiWV3VQ%5B/quote%5D
I thought they looked tasty too, but I’m too lazy, anyone know which supermarkets sell packets of flapjack for reasonable outlay? Sis gels do nothing for me, I always pick up high 5, 2 4 1 at Chain Reaction I saw yesterday

[stuartp]

Those who prefer flapjack
Those who prefer flapjack should try the GCN Power Bar recipe.
I made some just to try and love them, so handed them round to running/cycling friends and they were blown away by the taste too.

[cavasta]

I prefer Zipvit gels. I love
I prefer Zipvit gels. I love the blackcurrent flavour and get on well with the consistency, which some may describe as gooey. And at 51g of carbs per gel, you get a significant and relatively long lasting boost. During long rides, I will use a combination of water, High 5 Energy Source 4:1 drink, real food (fig rolls, bananas, etc) and gel(s). I find a gel really comes into its own when taken about one hour before I’m due to finish a long ride, giving me a noticeable boost for that last stretch.

[Simon E]

S13SFC wrote:If price wasn’t

S13SFC wrote:

If price wasn’t an issue then everyone would be riding £8k bikes & be clad in Assos or Rapha. Simply put some of us may have champagne tastes but only beer money.

I wouldn’t spend beer money on energy gels. But if gels tasted like champagne… nah, I’d still prefer beer.

SPAM Naval wrote:

As I am diabetic I find that energy gels (and bars) at least give me a very measured consumption of carbs/sugars that I probably wouldn’t be able to quntify so easily from homemade equivalents.

I don’t think a diabetic needs energy gels more than anyone else. All foods have nutritional info on the packet, whether it’s JBs, Mars bars or energy bars. A gel is really only semi-liquid sugar; sweets do the same job.

None of us wants to think they’ve been seduced by marketing, we describe it as “needs” or “requirements”. With gels you’re just paying a hefty premium for convenience, so why not admit it?

[SPAM Naval]

As I am diabetic I find that
As I am diabetic I find that energy gels (and bars) at least give me a very measured consumption of carbs/sugars that I probably wouldn’t be able to quntify so easily from homemade equivalents.
Saying that I supplement my Torq gels (rhubarb and custard beat any other makes for taste!) with Jelly Babies and those little caramel shortbread squares

[Chuck]

Torq are OK taste-wise, I
Torq are OK taste-wise, I usually use the High 5 caffeine + ones though as that’s what’s easily available when I’m in town on my lunch break and they seem to work for me.

Performance-wise far too many variables for me to be able to say I’ve definitively found one type to be better than the other. I suspect a lot of it is all in the head. I rarely use them at all actually, only on sportives etc. as a sort of special go-juice to perk me up a bit near the end, and then I’ll rarely have more than one unless I really start to flag badly. I’ve usually got one in my saddle pack though.

[S13SFC]

Simon E wrote:S13SFC

Simon E wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

Torq are excellent & actually taste as OK. However, price wise, they are too expensive for me considering they do the same job as High5.

Ha ha, Iove it! It’s like saying you prefer a nice glass of wine, but when you go out you just neck a few pints of Wife Beater as it still gets you p!ssed.
😉

+1 to Paul J. A friend races long TTs on jelly babies and she ain’t slow.

But JBs, Obree’s jam sandwich or whatever is too cheap and ordinary, they don’t work for real athletes. These people need gels.

If price wasn’t an issue then everyone would be riding £8k bikes & be clad in Assos or Rapha. Simply put some of us may have champagne tastes but only beer money.

Personally I take hot cross buns with jam on them at this time of year, a couple of bananas and jelly babies but I always have gels with me as a “just in case” and will take them if I feel I need to

[dafyddp]

If you use two drink bottles
If you use two drink bottles on longer rides, consider using an energy drink in one and electrolyte in the other. Start switching to more of the energy option from about half way – IMO, a regular intake of energy this way is more effective than gels. For me, half a malt load, a couple of Nature Valley cereal bars, and this drink combo is if good for 100ish mile rides.

[Simon E]

S13SFC wrote:Torq are

S13SFC wrote:

Torq are excellent & actually taste as OK. However, price wise, they are too expensive for me considering they do the same job as High5.

Ha ha, Iove it! It’s like saying you prefer a nice glass of wine, but when you go out you just neck a few pints of Wife Beater as it still gets you p!ssed.
😉

+1 to Paul J. A friend races long TTs on jelly babies and she ain’t slow.

But JBs, Obree’s jam sandwich or whatever is too cheap and ordinary, they don’t work for real athletes. These people need gels.

[FatAndFurious]

The jelly gum route works for
The jelly gum route works for me too – Haribo cola bottles a particular favourite.

However, it’s all gelatin and I have since discovered how that’s made on an industrial scale. Revolting – not even been tempted since.

I hope I never learn how sausages are made.

[Bagpuss]

Gels are a very personal
Gels are a very personal thing and they do vary. Slightly.

Hi5 – 38g of gel, 23g carbohydrate, 93 kcal per gel (not got one here so got that from amazon)

These figures from the packets:

Torq Banoffe – 45g gel, 28g carbohydrate, 112 kcal.

SIS blackcurrant 60 ml gel, 22g carbohydrate, 87 kcal.
SIS Lemon & lime 60 ml gel, 19g carbohydrate, 76 kcal.
SIS orange 60 ml gel, 22g carbohydrate, 86 kcal.
SIS cola 60 ml gel, 21g carbohydrate, 85 kcal. Plus caffeine.

Torq is the only gel I have to hand that lists potassium in the contents (11.5 mg), that might help if you suffer from cramp.

I’ve yet to find a brand I couldn’t swallow but I find some flavours hard going (peach, really?).

As said above, Torq are rarely on offer anywhere, SIS usually have internet offers straight from SIS and can be found 3 for 2 in supermarkets.

It’s been a quiet day, IGMC on the way out.

[Paul J]

Get your favourite, most
Get your favourite, most palatable bag of jelly/gum sweets from Aldi. Pretty much identical energy & protein contents and ingredients to many gels. Much, *much* cheaper. Aldi’s dominion brand sell 230 g odd for 70p to a £. Massive saving!

The vast majority of these sports gel/drink products are a triumph of marketing: selling staple goods at quite massive markups by slapping “Energy!”, “Sport!”, etc. on fancy packaging (in small sizes).

[Author]

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