Cycling Review » food

Energy Gel Bars for Cycling Review

tejvan — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 08:19:15 +0000

When I do hard interval sessions or before a race, I like to use liquid energy gel bars. They can be a bit messy in your back pocket, but, they provide the necessary energy quickly and in an easily digestible form. On slower steady rides I will tend to stick to cheaper muesli bars for energy because you don’t need to worry about digesting food so much. The advantage of energy gel bars is that they are more easily digestable because in liquid form.

I advise testing any energy gels in training, don’t wait for an 8 hour cyclo sportive to find your stomach feels sick after eating five power bar energy gels.

For long rides, I recommend taking balance of energy gels and more savoury foods to help protect the stomach. Also people will react differently to different sources of energy so make sure you test. (I know many cyclists who have felt sick after eating many gel bars)

High 5 Energy Gel Bars

One of my favourite energy gel bars is high 5 Gel Bars. They are relatively cheap and have a good concentration of energy. 38grams pure carbohydrate. Not overly sweet.

They are also quite cheap. At Probike Kit you can buy them for £0.80 each, which is good value for energy foods.

High 5 Energy Gel Bars 4 different flavours.

Taste is a personal thing, but, I prefer the Citrus flavour

If you prefer you can choose the energy bars with caffeine.

High 5 Energy Drinks some with caffeine.

I would not advise using caffeine during training.

Zip Vit Energy Chews

Different to a gel bar, these energy chews are a little more difficult to eat on the move but they have an interesting ‘wine gum’ style consistency. A bit expensive at £2.20 a pack but a nice way to take on energy during a ride.

Zip Vit Energy Chews Review

Power Bar Gels

These power bar gels have a stronger, thicker consistency. It almost feels like you’re taking on some magic gluey substance. They are easy to carry around in your back pocket, and can give a real shot of energy. Because they are quite concentrated, you need to take with water. Power bar have a huge range of flavours which should appeal to some. I usually end up with chocolate or apple flavour. However, I don’t really eat these because of the taste, but because of the energy source. Useful for during a race as you can put up your time trial suit and eat when needed. They come either caffeinated or non-caffeinated.

Isotonic Gel Satchets

For hot days, I like to also use Isotonic gels. These are gel bars which don’t need to be taken with water because they already have correct isotonic balance. The advantage is that they help rehydrate as well as give energy. Because they have higher water content they tend to be easier to digest and less sweet. The only disadvantage is that they are more bulky for calorie content.

I have tested both High 5 Isotonic gels and Science in Sport both of which I enjoyed.

Related

Energy Bars at Evans Cycles
Energy Recovery Gels at Wiggle Cycles

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Best Cycling Energy Drinks

tejvan — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 14:29:21 +0000

Cycling energy drinks help to replace lost carbohydrate in easily digestible form. When racing, it can be difficult to eat sufficient food, therefore energy drinks can be vital for providing sufficient energy sources and also helping rehydration of lost minerals.

The best energy drinks are composed of simple carbohydrates (glucose polymer) and electrolytes to replace lost minerals during intensive exercise. It is important to get the intensity right. Some people can feel sickly if the drink is too concentrated, especially on hot days.

I am keen on the High5 Energy Source. I usually buy a 2.2Kg tub and it lasts me for quite a while. It has a good neutral flavour though unfortunately they seem to have discontinued the neutral flavour.

High 5 4:1

A new development in energy drinks is mixing protein in with carbohydrates. 4 parts Carbohydrate – 1 part protein (whey protein).

A study by the University of Glasgow suggested the use of 4:1 over a conventional carbohydrate only energy drink during the grueling Trans Alp MTB event, helped competitors finish average 12% quicker than those using the carbohydrate only drink.

The theory is that taking on protein causes the body to release insulin. This release of insulin actually results in a higher uptake of carbohydrate by the muscles which need it.

Science in Sport

Science in Sport energy drinks are based on malto-dextrin. Malto-dextrin is one of the easiest absorbable carbohydrate sources and can be taken in heavier concentrations. Though, you still want to find a level you are comfortable with. SIS have put a lot of attention into designing plans for best combinations of liquid and food. With the custom SIS bottles it is quite easy to mix and prepare. Tastes fine, not too sweet but is as relatively pleasant as these things can be. Contains electrolytes for rehydration.

Science in Sport energy Drink at Wiggle

Free Energy Cycling Drinks

Suppose you wanted to mix your own energy drink.

One Option

200ml ordinary fruit squash
800ml water
A pinch of salt

Mix them all together in a jug and cool down in fridge.

Glucose Mix

50-70g sugar
One litre of warm water
one pinch of table salt, one pinch of potassium chloride (salt substitute)
200ml of sugar free squash

Mix, cool. Be careful about getting right quantities. Also be careful if you start to add caffeine or other ingredients.

Related

Energy Recovery Drinks at wiggle
Energy drinks at Evans Cycles

Science in Sport Energy Drinks

tejvan — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:50:06 +0000

Recently, I have been using a lot of energy and recovery drinks. With a tough training schedule, and warm weather, I have been relying on energy drinks to remain fuelled during a ride. Energy drinks are easier to absorb rather than eating on the move. In the winter when intensity is lower, I tend not to use energy or recovery drinks, but, in summer with more intense training I have been using them more.

PSP 22 Energy Drinks

I have been using Science in Sport PSP22 energy drinks and are quite pleased with them. Taste is an individual preference. But, it is not too sickly sweet, lemon flavour was fine – though I am not a big fan of flavoured drinks. It feels light on the stomach, which is a must for any energy drink.

To be honest, it can be difficult to compare one energy drink to another. The main thing that springs to mind is the taste. But, once you have got used to a certain energy drink and are happy with its sugar balance, it is good to stick with that.

Having said that I still like to have a bit of variety. When your drinking several bottles you can soon get bored! e.g. I sometimes will have a recovery drink during a ride.

The one frustration with Science in Sports drinks is that it is difficult to get right measurement. They suggest you need a science in Sport bottle and use those guidelines. Fine if you have a science in Sport bottle! I prefer having a scoop where you can measure according to size of water bottle and change depending on temperature (e.g. when hot, have a higher % of water)

The 500g tub makes 5 litres or 10 * 500ml bottles.

Science in Sport Energy drinks at Wiggle