…. or have a bit of cake half way round.

Question in two parts really. For someone like me who is a ‘normal’ trail rider (c.16 miles, 2000′ climbing, 2hours on the Malverns is a normal ride) is an energy gel going to do owt for me to help the dead leg feel g on the last hill. Or should I continue to stop and have a bite of flapjack?

And , deeper and more philosophically, do energy gels and MTBing go together anyway?

Yes

No, but I’ve picked hundreds of the feckers up when I’ve done litter picks up at my local trail (and even more of the little rip of bits). Must be some amazing athletes out there who need to save the weight by not taking them home…… I’ll get of my horse now

Yes you use them Haggis? Or yes a bloke like me would benefit from them?

And what brand to try please?

I carry gels, I use them when racing or when it all goes a bit wrong.

The energy content for packed size is great, useful and the shelf life means they stay there until they are needed. When I’m out socially I take “normal” food but still have a gel and bar packed in there for extra/emergency.

what to try? Torq by far the favourite so far

Yes. I tend to have one or two in the bag for those times when I get a bit knackered. A quicker hit than anything else, really, and easy to get in to you.

Not as nice as flapjack, pork pie, sausage roll or other ‘proper’ food, but they have their place. Oh, and ALWAYS take your wrappers home!

Yes, I do, occasionally if I feel a bonk coming on on a long ride/event it’s a quick fix.

They are convenient, very quickly digested, and often contain electrolytes and cafeine which will help.

No, on a recreational ride stopping to admire the view with a bite of flapjack is way better.

Edit: I use the Hi5 ones by the way.

No, don’t use gels in everyday riding. I do use them in a full on event if I’m riding hard for 2 hours or more. Tend to use the Torq stuff, as it doesn’t upset my stomach.

I’m no athlete but I do think they help when your energy stores are getting depleted in longer event. That said, the last few 100 mile road events I’ve ridden I’ve opted for chunks of malt loaf and that’s been fine.

John – thanks, I’ve never been to a trail centre but am always pleased to see how responsible people are where I ride. It’s a shame people chuck the wrappers where you are, so irresponsible.

Mike, thanks for the info. What sort of calories are they packing? How long do you feel they take to ‘kick in’ after you get that dead legs feeling? Or do you take them before that?

Yes – occasionally for longer riding around with a number on when it would be detrimental to my mid-table mediocre finishing position to stop for cake. 😉

No to regular riding.

If its a ride up to 2hrs I take nothing apart from water.
If its over 2hrs, then i’d have something to eat at maybe 1.5hrs in and then maybe once an hour after that. And proper food too – flapjack, cake, etc. A good one is Bara brith with no butter. This tastes great, goes down easily and keeps me going for long rides.

Without trying to come over all ‘ard, you should surely be able to manage a 16 mile/ 2 hour ride without having to top up your energy supplies. Or does that only work for those of use carrying around a bit, err, extra?

Having said that, I usually carry a gel (Torq or Clif) and some energy sweets (Honey Stinger or Shot Bloks) just in case. They are usually out of date by the time I use them though 🙂

If I’m doing a longer ride, especially one where I know I will not have the availability to buy stuff en route, then I would might a couple.

Same as cb and Flashy

Always keep a couple in the bag for when it all goes a bit Pete Tong, but normal food while admiring the view is more betterer

Yes you use them Haggis? Or yes a bloke like me would benefit from them?

And what brand to try please?

Yes I use them .
I have no idea who a bloke like you is,some people just can’t get on with them or feel they do nothing for them.
You kinda have to try it yourself and that goes for brands as well .
I use Torq as they don’t make me feel sick ,and I fart/burp less.
You may have a different experience .

🙂

From Torq http://www.torqaustralia.com.au/our-products/6-torq-gels#nutritional-information

Energy (kCal/kJ) 114/476 255/1065
Protein (g) 0 0
Fat (g) 0 0
Saturates (g) 0 0
Carbohydrate (g) 28.8 63.9
Sugars (g) 9.6 21.3
Sodium (mg) 50 111
Chloride (mg) 85.5 190
Potassium (mg) 11.5 25.7
Magnesium (mg) 1 2.3
Calcium (mg) 4.5 10.1

When I’m riding hard I try and take them before I need them, nothing fixes exhausted legs but this just seems to add fuel to the tank.

For me they are too expensive to use every day but great for when I need them.

I use them when racing and trailquesting as they are so convenient, and I prefer it to a steady stream of sweet energy drink. My stomach prefers the gel hit once every half hour too rather than energy drink.

But for normal riding… no. well, I have one or two stashed in the pack in case I stay out longer than expecting and need help getting home, but I always go through the flapjack/jam butty/banana/jelly baby options etc… first.

As for two hour rides encompassing 16 miles? A gel wont give you anything more than some jelly babies

if you do gel, High5 gels, generally half price from Wiggle are my favourite.

Thanks for the info, not heard of Torq, I’ve seen roadie mates with High5 and SIS.

Carry one or two for emergency use – for big days, a bottle with a centimetre of water in the bottom, then filled with coke and a gel = emergency pick-me-up win when you’re dying on your backside. 🙂

Oh, and my pick of the gels are Mule or Torq.

I do not see the point in them myself, very expensive way to get a little bit of glucose into you. Normal rides I take bananas and races I put carbs in my drink. Plus they make my hands sticky as I seem to get it everywhere trying to get the last bit out

a bottle with a centimetre of water in the bottom, then filled with coke and a gel = emergency pick-me-up win when you’re dying on your backside.

Jesus, if I drank that I’d get home on wind power alone.
Sounds like drinking a frag grenade 🙂

same as many others, not a a leisure ride but always carried as an emergency (for myself or others), and yes for when doing big rides.

I really like the clif shot expresso ones. Its pretty thick’ish and gooey, but I much prefer them that way.

Take them before you feel dead if you can. The caffeine ones do help wake you from your slump pretty quickly though.

I’ve just got some Compete energy bites which should be tasty, not messy and work out cheaper. Similar contents with 45 calories and 135mg of caffeine, in mocha and chocolate flavours.

p.s. If you go with gels have something to pop the used (sticky) pack into afterwards as they ruin pockets and bags and no one likes a litter bug 👿

Thank you Yak and scotroutes, rather my feeling too.

having been doing this mtbing thing for only a year or so despite being an old git I’m keen to learn from everyone’s experience..

Jesus, if I drank that I’d get home on wind power alone.
Sounds like drinking a frag grenade

Like Tesco say – every little helps. 😉 The water takes most of the fizz out of it, and I don’t drink it unless I need to, but when you need it, it don’t half sort you out. 🙂

Thank you for info confused and surfer.

I like zipvit gels, like rocket fuel.

That said, I hardly ever use them on the mtb, I’m rarely out long enough to need to refuel, but they’ve come in handy on the road before.

I really like the clif shot expresso ones.

these are a really good slap in the face fully wired go manic shot. Good call, they are good for a perk up!

always have one in my ‘bak, rarely gets used tho, do the occasional race and I’ll drop one halfway round, otherwise it’s just when I’m dying on my arse, pretty rare I feel the need to take one. I use caffeine power gels 10mins after taking one I proper perk up and my legs can pound out a few more miles, doesn’t last long tho and the subsequent crash can be demoralising if you’re still miles from home/base. Too tight to neck them regularly 😉

Yes I carry them, there’s even a couple in my first aid kit. Not for normal rides though. 16miles/2 hours I’d not even be carying water unless it was really warm! My usual ride/water consumption is a pint before setting off, pint after 15 miles, arrive home after ~25 miles and be on the verge of really needing a drink.

I do normaly take a sachet of energy drink powder on club runs though incase I’m not feeling so quick after the cafe stop, they’re the difference between getting dropped on the first incline and hanging on to the back painfully.

a bottle with a centimetre of water in the bottom, then filled with coke and a gel

gel in the bottle mixed with the coke n water?

I carry one for emergencies just in case we take the long way home and the tank is empty.

Always take one or two out with me – only use them if required.
I like the High 5 ones – which can be bought dead cheap as part of a set.

If its for the riding you describe and pretty much just a boost for the last hill , a few jelly babies gives a quick sugar hit and way more pleasant to eat than most gels I’ve tried .

High 5 gels here too, just for a boost to get me home when I’ve overcooked it on some rides. I carry a couple of little zip-loc bags with me to put the empty wrappers in ~ stops getting sticky ooze inside the Camelbak 🙂

Yes, and bars – Torq both times. Much as I love cake and flapjack, I don’t like stopping for a picnic half way round solo rides. I do take cake and flapjack on walks though.

If I am really knackered on a road ride I’ll stop for coke and snacks at a garage. Caffeine helps burn an extra bit of fat when you are knackered.

gel in the bottle mixed with the coke n water?

Yeah, that’s it. As well as being a great pick-me-up, it’s a way to utilise some horrible-tasting peach flavoured gels I’ve got. 🙂

never used to up until I did some enduro’s this year where they were handy in terms of not having to stop to eat and they take less space so do use them now and again. And I always take the wrappers home

Prefer malt or banana loaf, always take an emergency gel with me just in case.

For mountain biking I keep a couple in the pack for emergencies but rarely use them.
For road biking I use them on rides of 50 miles, decanted into a gel flask so easier to take and no sticky wrapper to worry about. On the road I find it hard to eat on the go and generally there no stops and not many let ups so gel makes it easy.
Same goes for energy drinks.