[Closed] Energy boosting substances for rides

meth amphetamine

nope doesn't count - same with EPO

what "energy" is there in green tea and B vits?

Ive always found Torx gels to pack a punch, takes about 5 - 10 minutes to kick in and lasts for about 20-30 minutes.

I do not know - but it works for me. B vits can be found in energy drinks.

Green tea must work!

Here is proof stoner!

have a google - probably something online.

also there's Co-Enzyme Q10. Energy booster. Have a google.

Marmite..

[url= http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=145984293 ]green tea[/url]

Its not really an "energy booster" is it? It's just part of the energy generation process. It takes a while to be processed before having any impact too.

EDIT _ that green tea link, RR, just takes me to a body builder forum where someone just says "green tea gives you energy". It might take a bit more evidence than that to convince me....

iamroughrider - Member
I do not know - but it works for me. B vits can be found in energy drinks.

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My go to

Vegemite...

Pre-ride so why does it matter how long it takes to process?

Vegemite...

why not just try it. There's no downside if it doesn't work. You've lost a pound for some tea bags. Never even googled it before - so I haven't been influenced by internet chat.

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I quite like green tea but not tried it as a ride drink. Tried this stuff ^ when I got some free sachets, not bad.
Prefer not to rely on 'energy boosts' on rides unless I'm really struggling. Just normal healthy food stuffs otherwise. Apparently we have around 100,000 calories of fat stored in our bodies (on average?) and the trick is to be able to use this more effectively. If I raced XC / TTs etc gels would be fine but I'm very rarely at that effort level for long.
When fubard pro-plus and jelly babies or sugary chocomilk with coffee in picks me up. Have tried those 5-hr energy bottles that are basically concentrated redbull but the taurine is too much, end up too wired when you need rest.

I guess - I should have posted pre ride in the title. Never tried any of this during a ride, although I am interested in this should anyone have any ideas.

I guess most of you take gels etc for races during the ride so these may not make sense, if that's the case. Q10 would work, I should image, but I am not sure if it should or can be taken safely during exercise.For green tea - I use 3 or 4 tea bags in maybe and inch or two water works. Cover the teabags in cold water before adding boiling water and leave for maybe a few minutes.

Pre-ride? Black coffee, what else : )

I do see a lot of riders and hikers in Taiwan with green tea in their bottles; have been given a fill-up of it when riding there, forgot about that. Can't remember thinking it was an energy booster.

A regular diet should see you ok for an hour on a bike. After this an energy kick may be useful.
The high5 ISO drink/ gels are quite nice, as are the torque products, but you need to drink additional water with these.

My rule of thumb is. Up to 1.5 hours I'll just go out and ride. Anything over this I'll take some additional "energy".
I've never got the whole jelly baby, haribo thing but it's all carbs and that's what you need 🙂

Spanish steak?

Banana and hob nobs

If you're training though, is there an arguement to run yourself out of ready energy, in order to adapt into becoming more efficient / improve adpatation to use all available energy sources.

I train quite regularly without having eaten in the last few hours - eg ride after work, just before dinner.

I personally find the gt effects last for a good while - not just an instant boost. Guess it could be different or have no effect for others.

A good hit of Xenon gas does it for me.

think energy drinks tend have taurine and other ingredients etc too, so probably much more effective than just b vitamins. Guess gels are designed for during rides - so again probably better

I'm with jameso on this. I rarely have anything but water on a ride. I'll take a snickers or kitkat with me for longer rides (3hrs or so).
I only use gels and drink supplements for racing or all day long distance rides.

FLAPJACK!

Blood Transfusions and EPO, but you really ought to start now as the effects wear off faily quickly.. 😉

Bananas and espresso. The former for energy, the latter to wake up my metabolism. I generally only eat on rides longer than 3 hours though.

for during a long ride I just take dried fruit and energy drink too - should I need this. Tend to carry these anyway as a well intended short blast often ends up as a long ride 🙂

Bag of jelly babies is always in my pack for a mid ride boost if needed

[quote=chum3 ]If you're training though, is there an arguement to run yourself out of ready energy, in order to adapt into becoming more efficient / improve adpatation to use all available energy sources.I'd also be interested in an answer to this..

Is it better to train with little food in order to get used to that or to take food in order to train "harder"?

'Bonk' training has it's place, particularly if you want to lose a bit of fat, but it can/will tire you out more than an equivalent session with replenished glycogen stores, feels pretty horrible and can be damaging if you go too hard/too long.

If I ride into work without any food before hand I do notice that I'm hungrier all day, and I still feel the effects riding home.

I'd suggest it's better in winter as part of base training.

Peanut butter, honey and banana on toast.

does anyone know about training rides on empty stomach's? ( ie early morning) and the advantages of these, or they safe etc? Good for weight loss etc?

Medjool Dates - these are awesome, don't have too many though, unless you're planning a mid ride comfort break. High in fibre, potassium, magnesium and taste like caramel, I cut the stones out pre ride, you don't want to be swallowing those.

Re: empty stomach, I never eat on my early morning 15 mile commute, I do have my evening meal quite late though. I've never been able to eat early. I'll have a cold fruit porridge at work.

Certainly safe, worst that can happen is you bonk, a gel or banana in the pocket can get you out if this. I do this but have a strong coffee before I leave to wake everything up.

Porridge is my food of choice pre ride, about an hour before we start.

Bacon to replenish my stores on my return.

hi5 zero and a banana if I'm going out for a couple of hours or more.

Green tea's ok for the caffeine boost & it's also supposed to rid your body of toxins but not sure if there's any science behind this claim. I use the loose green tea you can get from Chinese supermarkets and I've switched to honey instead of sugar in my tea & coffee and I seem to have lost a bit of weight since doing this.

The few books I've read on cycling training recommend training on an empty stomach to lose weight just make sure you get plenty carbs down you afterwards or you'll have nothing in the tank for the next ride, swim, run or whatever.

Also cherry juice is supposed to have anti inflammatory properties but I've never drank enough to test this theory.

worst that can happen is you

Edit: when "bonking" = muscle & liver stores for glycogen used up.

There seems to be a lot of confusion here between stimulation and energy...

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energy: porridge
stimulation: Vitamin D from a nice blue sky

Your Green Tea contains caffiene so if if you use 3/4 tea bags its possibly a hit of expresso proportions.

I lost quite a bit of weight last year much of which (I believe) was due to breaking that perception that i need to eat loads to ride my bike for a few hours.

Now, good diet(Beetroot and Spinach, mmm) plus limited alcohol seems to hold me in good stead for a few hours perhaps with a coffee before and a banana during a ride.

Gels are reserved for post alcohol days when I seem to have less reserves.