Which Energy Gel? Whats in your pocket

[PpPete]

Not being of the "sportive" persuasion I usually go with as much proper food as possible. A few Jelly Babies are good in between cafe stops. And mini bite-size salami are a great salt/fat hit if you want a change from sweet stuff.
That said, on really long rides (over 200km), the Torq Banoffee gels with Guarana & caffeine are an almost "miracle cure" should the bonk strike in the closing stages. I usually take one for emergencies and don't need it. I'll be taking two with me on the Bryan Chapman Memorial (600km) on Saturday as I shall likely need something a bit special to get me through the night - and then another to keep me awake on Sunday afternoon.

 

[redcard]

I got some High5 energy gels. The orange ones are disgusting, the apple ones are ok, and the banana ones are actually pretty nice.

No idea if they do anything though.

 

[stu1903]

I've tried several gels and my favourite has to be the PowerBar ones. High5 ones I don't like. I do however like and use the High5 Zero tablets.

 

[Highlander Neil]

I just did the Etape Caledonia, first ride of anytning like that distance. 81miles. I used 1.5litres of High5 4:1 carbrotein mix with water, (6 scoops) half a loaf of soreen (sliced for easy regulation and extraction from the packet), 2 big bananas, 5 high5 enegry gels. You get I think about 100 cals from 60mls of them, they taste good and are not gloopy/viscous like the Science in Sport ones, which if you spill are incredibly sticky as well.

Had a gel like every 15 mins for the last 20 miles or something. This combination kept be hydrated and with enough energy.

Eat before you're hungry and drink before you're thirsty!

 

[palinurus]

Malt loaf- yeah.

Figs

Dried mango

Mind you, thanks to PpPete I've now heard of Torq Banoffee gels with Guarana & caffeine.

Just got to give them a go.

 

[PpPete]

Malt loaf- yeah.

Figs

Dried mango

Mind you, thanks to PpPete I've now heard of Torq Banoffee gels with Guarana & caffeine.

Just got to give them a go.

Just don't take one less than an hour before bedtime....DAMHIKT

 

[Wander Wheels]

Torq are our favourite now as they taste better and weigh less and have more calories than SIS ones we were using

 

[oldfatfool]

For the price of three gels you could make over 1.5kg of high energy bar.

Melt 400g of cheapo toffees and 200g of cheapo marshmellows in the microwave (toffee first till nearly melted) then mix in 1kg of luxury fruit & nut muesili. Lay out in a shallow tray to set and then cut into bite size cubes. Tasty, chewy, cheap, full of natural goodness and energy packed.

 

[BorderReiver]

Does anybody else find gels a bit sickly? Don't know if it is the sweetness or the texture but I can't get on with them. Much prefer something solid like powerbar "rideshots" or cliff bar "blocks". I like the sound of the homemade energy bar from oldfatfool though. Have to try that.