# Gels mixed in water bottles, good idea ?



## airborneal (19 May 2019)

This may be a common thing, not sure.
The other day I was mixing an energy drink and it said to mix with 500ml of water.
My bottle was 600 ml capacity so I thought I'd mix in a gel and a little more water.

Do others do it, was it a good or stupid idea ?

Saved reaching in the back pocket and opening the gel on the move etc.

Happy cycling !


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## yello (19 May 2019)

Would it mix? I'd experiment first.


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## roadrash (19 May 2019)

I don't have any need for gels so couldn't say but I would think it wouldn't mix properly and end up like a drink with blobs of jelly in it.


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## TheDoctor (19 May 2019)

Sounds like it would have a horrid texture!


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## Deleted member 23692 (19 May 2019)

I've done it loads of times - it mixes OK, it tastes OK and I'm still alive.

Chuck an electrolyte tab in the mix too for the ultimate experience


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## Sea of vapours (19 May 2019)

Ummmm....... What's the point? 'Energy drinks' are just various sugars in powder form designed to mix with water for convenient delivery from a bottle. 'Gels' are just various sugars in gel form designed to be conveniently delivered in one go from their packaging. If you don't want them in gel form then cut out the whole 'buy gels / reach into back pocket' issue and put a bit more 'energy drink' powder in the bottle if you think the 500ml/600ml difference makes it too weak: simpler, cheaper, less wasted packaging.


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## airborneal (20 May 2019)

It mixed fine, no lumps in bottom which did surprise me I must admit. Actually it all worked very well.


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## ColinJ (20 May 2019)

Sea of vapours said:


> Ummmm....... What's the point? 'Energy drinks' are just various sugars in powder form designed to mix with water for convenient delivery from a bottle. 'Gels' are just various sugars in gel form designed to be conveniently delivered in one go from their packaging. If you don't want them in gel form then cut out the whole 'buy gels / reach into back pocket' issue and put a bit more 'energy drink' powder in the bottle if you think the 500ml/600ml difference makes it too weak: simpler, cheaper, less wasted packaging.


You saved me typing that!

A very observant train guard had a quick chat with me on the way back from my long ride on Saturday. She said she liked my singlespeed bike and asked if I had mixed something like egg powder in my drinks! (There was a powdery appearance at the top of one bottle.) I explained that I mix maltodextrin powder with OJ and water. Eggy drink...?  No thanks!


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## Sea of vapours (20 May 2019)

ColinJ said:


> I mix maltodextrin powder with OJ and water. Eggy drink...?  No thanks!



She had a point though: your mix does look very much as I imagine a mixture of water and egg powder might look. 'Unpalatable' is the word I'm searching for there I feel. (And yes, I realise mine looks like milk and that on a hot day, after a few hours, that probably looks conceptually unpalatable too  )


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## ColinJ (20 May 2019)

Sea of vapours said:


> She had a point though: your mix does look very much as I imagine a mixture of water and egg powder might look. 'Unpalatable' is the word I'm searching for there I feel. (And yes, I realise mine looks like milk and that on a hot day, after a few hours, that probably looks conceptually unpalatable too  )


It hasn't been quite so bad since I started using a hand blender to mix it up, though there is usually still a small amount of undissolved powder left in each empty bottle.


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## Ming the Merciless (20 May 2019)

Gels are the devils work. If you want to add some energy to your water just add some sugar (plus a pinch of salt if a hot day).


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## airborneal (21 May 2019)

Yes I know there are other ways etc etc, it's just I found myself standing there with a bottle [actually it was 700ml, my mistake] with a void at the top. I sometimes add different stuff [even vimto or squash], but I had a couple of gels. The mix was no problem and actually better than a lot of powder drinks.

Tasted really good, no belly ache

Regarding cost, I picked them up really cheap about 35p each.

I suppose the mix was so good because of the wonderfully rough roads around the Tendring area and well agitated !


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## Dogtrousers (21 May 2019)

On long rides I top my bottles up at shop stops with anything that catches my eye. Sometimes water, sometimes coke, sometimes OJ, lucozade etc. I end rides with an interesting cocktail. I've never considered adding a gel, but hey, give it a go. It's unlikely to do you any harm. It might even be quite pleasant. Or it might not.


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## mangid (21 May 2019)

airborneal said:


> Yes I know there are other ways etc etc, it's just I found myself standing there with a bottle [actually it was 700ml, my mistake] with a void at the top. I sometimes add different stuff [even vimto or squash], but I had a couple of gels. The mix was no problem and actually better than a lot of powder drinks.
> 
> Tasted really good, no belly ache
> 
> ...



Why wouldn't you just fill the void with water, it's not going to dilute the energy available, and gives you a tad more hydration ? 

Personally I stopped the sugar drinks ages ago, and just use the electrolytic tabs to give a bit of flavour and some salts. My big issue is I'm crap at remembering to hydrate, last Sunday I did 112 miles and maybe drank maybe 2/3 of a bottle.


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## airborneal (22 May 2019)

I didn't fill the void with just water because I find the taste weak as it is. Adding water wouldn't have satisfied my taste buds. Adding the gel did. As I said before I often add squash / vimto etc [with a bit of water to top up and more to improve taste.


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## Globalti (23 May 2019)

Mixing gels with water is an expensive way of getting maltodextrin into the bottle; far far cheaper is to buy maltodextrin in bulk from Myprotein.com and pour about two fingers' worth into the bottle then top up and shake well. You can add an electrolyte tab if you are prone to cramp or the weather is very warm. 

AFAIK energy gels are just the same as Bisto gravy but without the colour and flavour; a gloopy gel of food starch. You pay a hell of a lot for the convenience of the packaging but it will stay in the environment fo ever.


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## Blue Hills (10 Jun 2019)

Thanks again (and colin) for the myprotein maltodextrin thumbs up a while ago. Used on one ride and all fine. From now on will try to use on all my longer rides. Will cut my stops to wolf down lots of lidl wine gums and breakfast goods. Will maintain the espresso habit though. If tdf folks were forced to brew a double espresso once on each stage I may get interested in it.


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## Globalti (10 Jun 2019)

There's only one down side to maltodextrin, which I have mentioned in other posts, which is that for an hour or two after the ride I am usually bothered by griping guts then flatulence because the body is less good at processing carbohydrates nowadays. It's the reason why I've had to give up eating beans.


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## Fab Foodie (10 Jun 2019)

Dextrosol. Long forgotten but readily available.
You can eat them dry, fast acting, non sticky and space-saving. You can add them to your water bottle.
They are cheap.
On long rides When I refill my bottle I drop-in a hydration tab and a couple of Dextrosols. Otherwise @Dogtrousers method.


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## Blue Hills (10 Jun 2019)

Fab Foodie said:


> Dextrosol. Long forgotten but readily available.
> You can eat them dry, fast acting, non sticky and space-saving. You can add them to your water bottle.
> They are cheap.
> On long rides When I refill my bottle I drop-in a hydration tab and a couple of Dextrosols. Otherwise @Dogtrousers method.


I think I have asked before, but can you provide a link to your supplier. Will try to save this time.


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## Blue Hills (10 Jun 2019)

Globalti said:


> There's only one down side to maltodextrin, which I have mentioned in other posts, which is that for an hour or two after the ride I am usually bothered by griping guts then flatulence because the body is less good at processing carbohydrates nowadays. It's the reason why I've had to give up eating beans.



Sounds like a serious drawback for you at least. No problems for me on my single use but then never had an issue with the sis stuff. Will experiment more and carry a refill next time.


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## Fab Foodie (10 Jun 2019)

Blue Hills said:


> I think I have asked before, but can you provide a link to your supplier. Will try to save this time.


Hi Blue, you can buy them in most large supermarkets and probably chemists as well.

EDIT - NOW CALLED ‘DEXTRO ENERGY’ and widely available as mentioned :-)

https://www.superdrug.com/Dextro/De...gclid=CPiDprPN3uICFeky0wodbmMBFQ&gclsrc=aw.ds


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## ColinJ (10 Jun 2019)

Blue Hills said:


> Sounds like a serious drawback for you at least. No problems for me on my single use but then never had an issue with the sis stuff. Will experiment more and carry a refill next time.


I haven't had that problem either. On a long ride I might get through 3 litres worth. 

I am fine with beans as well.


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## Blue Hills (10 Jun 2019)

Fab Foodie said:


> Hi Blue, you can buy them in most large supermarkets and probably chemists as well.
> 
> EDIT - NOW CALLED ‘DEXTRO ENERGY’ and widely available as mentioned :-)
> 
> https://www.superdrug.com/Dextro/De...gclid=CPiDprPN3uICFeky0wodbmMBFQ&gclsrc=aw.ds


Thanks.

I actually found them just down the road - strangely they were cheapest at Sainsburys* - £1.10 for two packs whereas they usually seem to be about 70p for one - and Sainsburys was even cheaper than online.

Had an odd idea when I picked them up that I had had them before - maybe I bought some after your last tip and they are festering somewhere.

* If anyone else is looking for them in Sainsburys I found them in the middle rack of shelving (odd in itself - cheaper stuff usually out of sight at the bottom) below condoms - below the dextro tabs on the bottom shelf were SIS tablets and male incontinence pads - not sure if that implies anything about SIS tabs.

So take your pick - condoms, dextro, SIS, incontinence aids.


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