Are there cheaper alternatives to them gels and horrible tasting bars?

Jelly babys!!, my diabetic nan used to carry them as they are high in sugar/glucose and quickly absorbed apparently?

Dried fruit / trail mix stuff from the local supermarket.

Nutrigrain’s.

Jelly babies +1000

home made flap jack, add own variety of nuts and fruit will be expensive to buy all ingredients to start but will make you a hell of a lot of flap jacks.

did it myself using sugar alternatives to keep them low fat/sugar etc still tasted pretty good 😀

I have only ever used bananas and malt loaf. Occasionally, lucozade/supermarket own sports drinks.

If a big ride/run then a pint of Yazoo afterwards.

Unless you are a properly serious rider, then I cannot see why one would need to spunk loads of cash on ‘engineered’ solutions, when the above and stuff like jelly babies do the same thing.

Jelly Belly.

GB

Fig Rolls for slower release, jelly babies for quick sugar.

+1 for flapjack, with dried fruit preferably. It has the advantage of low GI oats and high GI syrup/honey so you get less of an energy spike. Haribo’s are a bit easier to eat while riding though.

What happens if you eat nothing but fig rolls, Soreen and flapjacks for two days on a 2-day ride involving 2,200m of ascent (all of which is too steep to ride)?

I’ve also got no idea how the hell I’m going to carry sufficient water…

Bannana’s, flapjack, brownie, lashing’s of honey on scones, sandwiches, jelly babies or Haribo, salty nuts, oatcakes and cheese. Not sure I have ever used any energy ‘proper’ product.

Coke. Digestive Biscuits.

Jelly babies usually Bassets – most other brands tend to taste a bit beefy, Waitrose ones are especially awful. But if you can find them… Haribo Jelly Babies are sublime

What happens if you eat nothing but fig rolls, Soreen and flapjacks for two days on a 2-day ride involving 2,200m of ascent (all of which is too steep to ride)?

Make sure you carry a trowl.

+1 for homemade flapjacks – you can up the fruit/nut content to suit your own taste and energy requirements.
Don’t want to brag but I’ve not had a bought one that tastes as good as my own

Alternatively oats, + dried fruit + seed / nut mix then mix with condensed milk and bake.

just inspired me one batch of chewy banana and sultana flapjack now baking cant believe it only takes 25 mins cookings cool
hope oats so simple is the same as porridge lol

If I was ever to have a sponsor, it’d have to be Haribo, all my riding’s fuelled by supermix. For food, I can’t use any of the “proper” riding bars as I’m allergic to them but rice crispie squares are pretty good, and there’s any number of non-cycling bars that’ll do the job fine and are usually cheaper.

Bananas and dates, and I read somewhere that apple juice + water, 50/50, makes an isotonic drink (about). Prolly has more vitamins and stuff, too.

In the UK I used to always have a soreen fruit loaf. Can’t get it here so have resorted to Haribos but they’re a poor relation. I’m going to start making homemade flapjack this week after getting a recipe off a guest. I always have a gel in my backpack incase someone bonks but it’s rarely used.

Energy drink in my hydration pack is essential though, plain water just doesn’t cut it. Second best is OJ/Water and a pinch of salt.

Full English Breakfast / water / maltloaf / beer

Cheese and jam sandwiches. That’s what I use on long rides.

SB

In the UK I used to always have a soreen fruit loaf.

Get someone to ship it over to you. My bro lives in Athens, and I mail him out boxes of Salt & VInegar Chipsticks on a monthly basis 8)

It’d be good, the thing is I already get the Co-op’s FairTrade bars and Thai Curry paste sent out to me so I think I’m pushing my luck as it is 🙂

Unless you are a properly serious rider, then I cannot see why one would need to spunk loads of cash on ‘engineered’ solutions, when the above and stuff like jelly babies do the same thing.

True dat. Bananas and Haribo Tangfastics do the job for me. 😀

Most of the guff that comes with ‘energy’ products is just marketing waffle.

Bananas, Flapjacks and dried fruit work everytime

Smoked Stilton, a can of fancy smoked oysters, bit of fresh bread for dipping in oyster oil, washed down with a nice merlot.
Awesome strength to weight (wait) ratio.
Clearly identifies you as a gent amongst grubby lucozade charlatans.

Only prob with jelly babies though is they can get a smidge gooey on long road rides.

Clearly identifies you as a gent amongst grubby lucozade charlatans.

…or a ponce.

It’s 50/50.

Hey. It’s all about the food. The bikes are just a cool way of going from pasties to ale and casserole to Whisky.

You work hard on a bike. You are the engine. You convert fat to big views and giggles.
Don’t fill up a race car on offal and shite.

Haribo Tangfastic and this stuff with extra cherries in it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/flapjacks_86993

Clen and EPO??