[Closed] Energy Gel's versus cheapo jelly babies etc.

no, but check
http://www.discount-supplements.co.uk/high-5-race-faster-marathon-running-1-pack
14 caffeinated gels in that pack.
these gels are not isotonic (or whatever.. they are thick) so you must drink lots when using them (get the isogels if you prefer, bulkier and cost more though).

[url= http://velo-m.co.uk/accessories/fooddrink/zipvitzv7ccaffeineenergygel.html ]ziphit[/url]most energy gells have thinners in them to make them easyier to swallow and more pallatable, the more thinners the more runnier you get. They do however have massive benefits over jelly babies and mars bars, High five are good but if you can handle a thicker gell I rate Zip fit
If your sweating a lot then you could also try the Zero tabs in your bottle or hydration pack.They aid massively with recovery just as protien bars do.

Must admit the gels have exactly the same effect on me. I don't make a habit of using them I only have one if I simply can't go on but they certainly do the trick. Great to stash in the backpack just incase.

As above the Zero tabs are great for hydration (the gels are for energy)

always keep a caffeinated powergel in my pack for serious bonkage but unless you are really pushing yourself jelly babies will do*

*well arguably you don't need them either but if you can't have sugary snacks whats the ****ing point of having an active pastime?

+1 for zip vit gels

I'm not keen on isogels, not much better than drinking an energy drink.

I found jelly babies give me stomach ache after a 4+ hours, gells give me an ache imediately, but it's not as bad, and it wanes rather than building up.

always keep a caffeinated powergel in my pack for serious bonkage but unless you are really pushing yourself jelly babies will do*

Agreed. Personally I find gels give me the squits - which does make me run faster, but not in a pleasant way. Sucking on a jelly baby or jelly snake does the trick for me (or percy pig).

aha, good stuff. I do use iso tabs in my water because of my sweating gift, so i guess they cover that side.

I'll take a look at zip vits, but will probably use jelly babies, percy pigs etc. because my general rides are never more than about 3 hours.

Cheers

Jelly babies for me but found that all that stuff tends to go through me so next say isn't pleasant!

Babies are cheaper so I go for them.

I tend to use the odd Torq gel supplemented with some fruit cake and a couple of those individual Cathedral City strong Cheddar portions for when the savoury pang hits and even a Pepperami sometimes

cake and beer ftw

Jelly babies taste good, gels normaly taste like crap. Have a pint of beer the night before, eat the babies. And you will be both physically and mentally well.

Having had a talk about nutrition in endurance from SIS up to 3 hours you shouldn't need anything if you are hydrated and had a good breakfast, as a male your liver can only store 500g approx of carbs so after about 4 hours is when you need to start replacing it with carb drinks etc.

my sweating gift

I felt a pretty positive, immediate, pick-up from it, certainly a good boost for the next 45min. I was impressed.

If you need an even quicker energy hit, swill the gel around your mouth a few times before swallowing. Lab coat types have done tests to prove this will give you an almost immediate boost, though I think they still don't know whether it's because of absorbtion through the mouth lining or the sweet taste signaling the brain that it's ok to release emergency glycogen stores because more food is on the way.

Having had a talk about nutrition in endurance from SIS up to 3 hours you shouldn't need anything if you are hydrated and had a good breakfast, as a male your liver can only store 500g approx of carbs so after about 4 hours is when you need to start replacing it with carb drinks etc.

I bought into this idea a couple of years ago when I started doing longer rides again, but it was A Bad Thing for me. I had the problem that I invariably got a headache after about two hours, eventually building up to the point where I couldn't carry on without painkillers. Not fun. I thought it was something to do with hydration or salts, but after I tried all sorts to deal with that to no avail I figured it was just how I was and that I couldn't do long rides without getting headaches. (I should add that I'm talking about rides where I'm going full-on all the way round, not just pottering along chatting with mates - I've never had a problem if I'm taking it easy.)

Then I read somewhere (Chris Carmichael I think) that on longer rides (3hrs+) you should start refuelling from about 30 minutes in, the theory being that once you've emptied the tank it's impossible to refill it fast enough to keep on going. Topping up before you run the tank dry means that ultimately you can go faster for longer. So I tried eating a handful of jelly babies or a cereal bar from the start every half hour or so on a 5 hour Peak District slog in awful conditions. And I didn't get a headache - magic.

So whilst I'm sure not eating for the first three hours is fine for some (presumably better trained) people, personally I have to be kept fuelled up or I stop working properly.

I do use gels for this sometimes, and I find they're pretty good at picking me up, but I only get them out on special occasions cos they're quite a bit more expensive than jelly babies...

Yeah, I'd have thought you should start feeding early if you plan a long ride, rather than wait til near-bonking

MintImperial I completely agree with you, the point I was trying to make is if you are only riding for 3 hours (and know it won't be longer) you shouldn't need jelly babies etc if you've had a decent breakfast.Yup if it's endurance then you need to keep the carbs topped up. I drink a phenomenal amount and even when I do short runs or bike rides I still need to drink water but everyone is different.

the point I was trying to make is if you are only riding for 3 hours (and know it won't be longer) you shouldn't need jelly babies etc if you've had a decent breakfast.

Ah right, I see what you mean, that makes sense.

I do find that I have to feed myself from the start for hard rides even if they're shorter than three hours, though. It's quite weird, because I can keep on going at a decent speed for a fair while with the headache, it's not like bonking where you've suddenly got nothing in your legs at all, it's just unpleasant and gets gradually worse until I have to stop. Even if I do, say, two hours at full whack and then stop, I'll still get a headache 3-4 hours after starting, unless I started eating right at the beginning. I suspect I'm just a bit odd internally...

One of the things that made me wonder if the headache was energy-related was when I tried a freebie gel from somewhere or other and it apparently made the headache go away - I've used that trick a few times and it seems to work for me. Normal sweets don't seem to help when I get to that point, so that's one in favour of proper gels I think.

velopete - Member

They do however have massive benefits over jelly babies and mars bars,

really - what?

Most gelsa re just sugar mixes, some have caffine, a few some salts.

For most of us the difference is absolutely minimal. Any form of sugar will do. For just riding around do you really want that caffeine kick or keep that fore when really needed? How much minerals salts do you need if you have a normal diet? Most of us eff all.

Mintimperial that sounds a bit similar to me and Mr MC! I have to eat little and often so even if doing a short ride i'll have a small cereal bar, some dried apricots that kind of thing. I don't find i get the headache unless dehyrdated which I can recognise and know simply if I haven't drunk much. It's wierd though everyone is different, that was the just the info I got given from the SIS guys which was quite interesting. like you shouldn't put fats into your system in enduance and only the protein stuff afterwards, but carbs wise you need fructose and glucose which is why the gels should be better as they are contain both.

SIS guys are selling stuff and I did once follow the links to the "science" on their site - load of codswallop. Have a look if you don't believe me. Be very wary of salesmen!

Jelly babies are awsome. They taste sickly after half a bag but dont have that super kick you get off gels which usually follow the need for another fivers worth to keep you on a high..

I run with weak energy drink (1 bottle supermarket own brand sports drink to a 2.5l camelbak) and it keeps me hydrated and sugar fuelled. If I take food its a bit bit of savoury food, you know like grown up humans are meant to eat.

I appreciate what you're saying Tandem however this was no sales pitch, i'd read/been told about it from other sources too.

oliverd1981...what like pork pies and scotch eggs?

Grosvenor Pie

Asda honey in a squeeze bottle for £1.49 is the same as 10+ gels and tastes better.

I used torq gels using thier smaple pack for an MTB 100k last year. Almost immediate effect from both the no caffiene and caffiene versions, the caffiene one's in a almost scary pro plus like pickup.

I had to drive for 6 hours home the next day, visiting every set of Services I could find.

At home on long training rides (70-100k) I carry 2 x as natural as possible flapjack type bars or fig rolls, a bottle full of powerade topped up with water and half a bag of Jelly babies. I don't feel a pickup, but haven't bonked either. No next day after effects.

I guess I'd take the energy gels on an event where a competitive edge may be important, but for training / social riding its too expensive / inconvienient the next day to bother IMO, and I'd rather defer to a more natural diet

I can defintely relate to some of the comments on here, think I'll stick with my normal home-made flapjack before a ride, one after about 2 hours and then jelly babies when needed!

I have found that I really do need those replenishing tablet things though in my water, I suffer from quite bad cramp after 2 hours and they really help me.

Carb drink + gels = high risk of follow through.