Energy Gels Vs Jelly Babies........are they much better??

[Supersuperleeds]

Coke and chocolate for me

 

[Exile]

And to give an actual, worth while input to the thread, I don't get on with gels, and I've tried a few. Some give me a queasy feeling, others just taste so bad they make me gag. One brand is much better, but the taste was too much like cough-syrup to win me over. I generally stick with either Haribo or fruit pastilles for quick boosts, and tend to have at least two of the mini malt loaf things with me as well, just in case the caff is all out of cake when I finally get there.

 

[Pale Rider]

A couple of cyclists in my Sunday morning group told me they carry a gel for a 'break glass' emergency boost for the end of a long ride, but both try to avoid using the gel if at all possible.

 

[marzjennings]

A couple of cyclists in my Sunday morning group told me they carry a gel for a 'break glass' emergency boost for the end of a long ride, but both try to avoid using the gel if at all possible.

Sounds like gels are used the same way as dwarf bread....

Dwarf Bread

Rock-hard (and indeed contains various rocks such as gravel), never goes stale, and is terribly sustaining. A traveller can go for miles, just knowing there's dwarf bread in their pack. A traveller can think of just about anything to eat rather than dwarf bread including their own foot and even pumpkins (seeWitches Abroad).

RIP Terry Pratchett

 

[Jimidh]

Torq Rhubarb and Custard Gels are ace.

 

[Saluki]

Jelly tots I can go along with......BUT
the thought of a big sloppy pile of melted Toblerone in my back pocket does not sound too appealing

You must be exceedingly hot if you can melt a whole toblerone.

 

[Saluki]

Malt loaf and jelly babies for us. Gels make me gag, it's like swallowing fruit flavoured snot

 

[spooks]

The only gels I can stomach are the SiS blackcurrant ones. They are quite weakly flavoured and not too sweet. Generally jelly babies give me a similar hit of what I need though. My favourite things are the power shot cola flavoured caffeine sweet things. They are delicious and I would happily eat them at anytime but they are horribly expensive so get saved for dire situations.

 

[Red17]

Never tried gells, usually carry Kendal mint cake rather than jelly babies though.

 

[mrbikerboy73]

Not peanut brittle as I tried today. Broke my bloody tooth on it!
SIS gels aren't too bad. They're not really sickly sweet so I can handle those ok but I still wash them down with a sip of drink.

 

[mr messy]

Isogels are more like diluting orange. Most standard gels say to wash down with water
Oh and wine gums for the adults

 

[Fab Foodie]

Dextrosol.
Cheap , non sticky, easy to eat and can be dissolved in your bottle.
Gels are vile.

 

[boydj]

A couple of cyclists in my Sunday morning group told me they carry a gel for a 'break glass' emergency boost for the end of a long ride, but both try to avoid using the gel if at all possible.

Me too. And jelly babies are pure sugar, so might be ok at a pinch near the end of a run, but likely to upset the stomach. Energy bars, fruit, sandwich (carried in small portions) are all ok for longer runs along with plenty of fluid - anything relatively easily digested with slow release carbohydrate is good.

 

[ayceejay]

Dextrosol.
Cheap , non sticky, easy to eat and can be dissolved in your bottle.
Gels are vile.

If you eat enough complex carbs in your regular diet you should be good for all except an emergency when glucose (dextrosol) will deliver what is necessary fast. Can be had as a gel if you must but wash down with water.

 

[Pale Rider]

Me too. And jelly babies are pure sugar, so might be ok at a pinch near the end of a run.

Steve Abraham agrees with you.

He said sweets are only any good for 100 miles or so, anything more and you need proper food.

Scaled back to my terms, that means the last three miles of 30.