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Have a bit of an endurance effort coming up and was looking for some sports nutrition. Its been a good while since I really bothered with the like, any palatable stuff out there? I did swear off gels at one time and preferred the shot block things, but I'd give them a go again. Appreciate its all a matter of taste, but a nod to the energy substance du jour would be helpful.
Torq gels are ace
Pizza.
Cut into triangles. Thread pieces onto a necklace for easy access. Win.
Torq for me.
Great product & a nice bunch of blokes to boot. I always find them really approachable at shows & always have time for a chat.
I like the High 5 citrus energy drink. Tastes nice, seems to sit well in my stomach, used it on done long rides to (what seemed like) positive effect.
Torq rhubarb and custard are awesome.
The Bakewell tart one gets a bit chemically after 6 hours or so.
Gels are much of a muchness imo. Torq do an unflavoured energy drink which I use with a bit of squash, much nicer than flavoured ones imo.
SIS berry gels and hydro taps get my vote as well as clif peanut bars. Would say worth trying before a big event to see how you get along as flavour, effectiveness and next day effect depending of individuals.
What sort of distance do you mean by endurance and what sort of effort are you anticipating doing it?
Generally for longer and slower I aim towards "proper" foods, well whatever you manage to raid at the filling station or corner shop, whereas for shorter and more intense rides I'll look more towards gels.
I quite like the Torq bars, no gastric distress, the Raspberry Ripple gel is surprisingly tasty! Ultimately it's what you like and don't upset your stomach after X hours.
Easy enough to make your own carb drink: add four heaped tablespoons of ordinary sugar and half a teaspoon of salt to a 750ml water bottle and you are most of the way to a commercial product. Add a dash of lemon juice for a bit of flavour if you want. Table sugar has a 1:1 ratio of glucose and fructose, the commercial drinks are closer to 2:1 which is said to be the body's optimal CHO uptake ratio. The above concoction doesn't taste that sweet at all which given how much sugar you've added is surprising.
Torq gels are the only ones I can stomach. Clif bars and Veloforte bars for solid stuff. High5 Zero in the water bottles.
But obviously a proper cafe stop every two hours for beans on toast, pizza, pork pie platters or whatever.
SIS energy gels were my default, and I still use them, but...
DISCLAIMER: the team I ride with is sponsored by the product I am about to mention!
...I first tried Veloflow because it is the principal sponsor of my club, and I was immediately glad I did.
I have a pretty sensitive gut, and not only did it not upset me, it tasted good and, most importantly, kept me fuelled. I now use it because I really like it.
I prefer the taste and size of Torq so I use those for racing. However SiS are always on offer and I go through a fair few supplements so I use to those for training. Similarly although I use Rego for multi day efforts I also use Bulk Power protien when I need a top up or I am not riding the next day - same protien half the calories.
The Torq pastas and cereals or very good Easy to use camping additions for overnight te stays with Marathons or long races the next day.
As it happens I’ve just tried some SiS Turbo+ That was an experience!
Torq rhubarb and custard and raspberry ripple, also the caramel latte with guarana are nice.
Torq for me as well, also no gastric distress and stops me massively cramping after hard rides too.
Cheers all, I'll have a look at the torq stuff. The endeavour will be a long and slow affair, West Highland Way in a day (hoping for around 18hrs). In the past I've struggled to eat enough real foods so will bolster those with some energy stuff. Pizza necklace right up my strada mind you. Used to like sis drinks, gels less so, bit runny iirc.
I really like zipvit gels, but I don’t know if I’d go for gels on a real endurance ride. It would depend on the intensity, for a long slow ride I’d go for mostly solid food, bars/sandwiches/frangipane/granola bars etc maybe a gel or two for the last hour.
Tesco granola squares are a particular favourite of mine, I also found a discarded musette on the way back from watching The tour of Britain years ago and there was a frangipane inside, so I reckon if it’s good enough for the pros it’s good enough for me.
Decathlon do their own energy powder mix - I find the orange one really easy on the stomach and the more recent recipe (if you can call it that) doesn't give you 'furry teeth'.
40-60g of sugar (sugar is 50/50 fructose and glucose iirc) in a water bottle with a pinch of salt.
Fruity malt loaf ( one lunchbox loaf is 17g carbs)
Jelly babies - 5g carbs per jelly baby.
That plus the odd ham and dairyLea cheese sandwich & banana keeps me going for hours.
Regardless of what you pick the important thing is to ensure you fuel to the right level based on your output, doesn’t matter how good the stuff is if you’re not taking in enough.
If you are on a long distance unsupported ride it’s always good to know you can pinch a handful of sugar sachets from a random garage/McDonald’s and make a bottle or two up!
Table sugar has a 1:1 ratio of glucose and fructose, the commercial drinks are closer to 2:1 which is said to be the body’s optimal CHO uptake ratio
Commercial drinks are a mixture of glucose/fructose but table sugar (sucrose) is a dimer of glucose/fructose. Won't be an issue most of the time for most folks, but that will affect how it's absorbed by the gut. I'm not saying not to use sucrose, just that if it doesn't agree with you then a glucose/fructose mix might work better.
Back to the OP - I'd mirror what others have said: torq are generally the 'nicest' but SIS are always on offer and seem easiest on the gut.
SIS for gels as they always have offers on. Didn't like Torq.
Named Sport gels are quite nice and have a little straw in them 🙂
For energy/protein bars I use Tribe https://wearetribe.co/ I am sponsored by them but I do really like the products, nice mix of flavours to choose from.
For that kind of longer effort I err towards more solid foods. I used bottles for hydration, normally SIS Hydro as they’re cheap, but High5 Zero and Nuun are fine too. I then eat energy bars, Cliff or SIS as they give a more sustained energy release. I save the gels for when i need a quick hit or for the last 20 miles or so.
+1 for Torq- got me through Ride London and the training for it. Most rides since then have been quite short so no gels needed. But seeing they have a caramel latte mentioned above....
When I was travelling to the US loads in early 2000s I used to stick up on Clif cappuccino bars as Clif products were hard to get here then. They were lush.
Malt loaf for me, slathered in proper butter. Then just some electrolyte in my water.
I much prefer eating something to slurping down a gel.
Anyone tried the Kendal mint cake sports stuff? (No, not the actual mint cake)
Torq flapjacks. https://www.torqfitness.co.uk/product-category/nutrition/explore/explore-flapjacks
Epic.
Oh, and Torq gels, too.
Mainly the flapjacks, though.
The Torq Ghost Ship Ale gels seem like a good idea but are rank!!!!
I make my own bars using oats, various seeds blended up, apricots chopped up some brown sugar a bit of golden syrup and blended banana to bind, then baked for half an hour
Veloforte bars and gels are by far the nicest IMO (and have less chemical type stuff in them), but aren't exactly cheap.
Wiggle's own brand stuff is very good for the price.
For caffeine gels, try the GU coffee ones - not the biggest 'hit' caffeine wise (SIS double espresso for that) but a nice change from the usual gel flavours.
Outdoor Provisions do some interesting flavoured bars - I'm working my way through some of their Kendal Mint Cake flavoured ones ATM and am finding them pretty tasty 🙂
I found GU gels to thick of consistency for my liking.
Reminds me, have never got on with protein shakes post ride so end up going for just a milk shake.
I found GU gels to thick of consistency for my liking.
Try the liquid ones - still as tasty but thinner than SIS: https://guenergy.co.uk/product/liquid-gels/
The Kendal gels are really nice, of course very minty you kind of a get a wake up kick off the taste alone, very stomach friendly.
I prefer Veloforte
I tend to make stuff out of this, proper food, fresh ingredients and cheaper to boot. I can really recommend it:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JBIMKP0/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Falafel wraps 👌
Hi five zero, and nice squash for the drink. Homemade flapjacks with lots of seeds if you can be arsed.
+1 for the Feedzone stuff.
Most sports drinks are horribly acidic and laced with artificial sweeteners many of which are also laxatives. Either make your own - as above - or, if you insist, Skratch Labs is entirely natural stuff without the additives and crap. Not cheap but the only thing I've found that's not sweetened with unpleasant artificials.
Clif Bars are decent too ime. The nut butter filled ones are great for an occasional on bike treat.
apple juice half and half with water plus a pinch of salt. Very similar chemically to sports drinks
Beware the amount of refined sugar you are taking in - its really not good for you. Gels and sports drinks are loaded with sugars.
I had a bad experience after trying the High5 samples given out a SiTS bitd™, involving dropping the bike and heading straight for a portaloo at the end of a lap...
Grab a jar of malt extract from your local healthfood shop and have a go at making your own; I did some research a couple of years ago and my gastrointestinal system is perfectly happy with the recipe I came up with.
I did try the rice cakes from Feed Zone Portables which work well, but don't freeze all to well- a jersey pocket full of ricey mush is pretty suboptimal! Flapjack, cereal bars etc. work for me with Torq gel for an I'm-done-in-,-I-just-need-to-get-me-home type situation.
Beware the amount of refined sugar you are taking in – its really not good for you. Gels and sports drinks are loaded with sugars.
As much as TJ is right about this - the fact that you burn off these refined sugars whilst exercising means this is something I would not be too worried about. It's only really a problem, IMHO, if you are wolfing down Mars bars & sitting on your ass all day. Having said that, an increased consumption in refined sugars can lead to dental problems if you aren't on top of your oral hygiene. It's not uncommon amongst endurance athletes to have more than the average number of fillings..
Most sports drinks are horribly acidic and laced with artificial sweeteners many of which are also laxatives.
Something you won't find in Torq products.
Most sports drinks are horribly acidic and laced with artificial sweeteners many of which are also laxatives.
I drink enough coffee a day that I can't tell the difference.
A necklace of these sweets
which is what I'm convinced Jolanda Neff races in
Malt loaf but no butter vote
Clif bars easy to digest
Chocolate coated raisins
Wholemeal roll with cheese squashed down
if service stations are an option then salty crisps coke no hookers but kit kats an option try to avoid sugary gels but still manage crap
Generally reckon a proper stop with hot food is best
Many thanks all, lots to chew over. At the moment snack of choice is an Aldi mini pain au chocolat, very munchable as they are quite moist, easily packable too. Malt loaf works in the same. Proper stop will be on the cards but I know from experience that if I do stop and eat a proper meal it takes its toll, can be very sluggish for a couple of hours afterwards. So a little and often is preferred. I've also had some close calls with energy drinks in the past, there was a time I had access to cheap Lucozade, too much and I'd be bent over and seeking a toilet pronto. I'm sure I ascertained the culprit at the time (glucose based maybe?) but I've forgotten, not forgotten to not rely on Lucozade as a sports drink though, as it was I think I switched to SIS. I'll need to find the balance between ' real food, energy supplements and what I can pick up on route.
i like to keep hydration and nutrition separate so its High-5 Zero tabs and High-5 Gels for me (they are always on offer at Wiggle) but for longer efforts i prefer 'proper food' like Flapjacks and the odd Banana.
Midget gems are good aswell.
Sis go energy powder
I like the zipvit blackcurrants gels, and most of the torq range
Banana malt loaf squished flat and cut into square's is ace
Home made flapjack with ginger stems. Cleans some of the sugary gunk and ginger settles your stomach if gels leave you feeling empty 0
Our local Home Bargains stocks Higates flapjacks. Think they’re around 35p a 120g bar and 440cal/100g. Good mix of carbs and sugars and I actually want to eat them. ZipVit gels I got on with, the rest I’ve tried gave me terrible wind and poops. Sis were the worst. If I have to eat a gel then I’ve been very careless for the rest of the day.
Home made flapjack is my go to. Quick sugary hit and slower part energy in one, plus taste devine. Shove some nuts and dried fruit in to keep it tasty.
Also rice. Have previously taken Mexican rice inside a tortilla wrap and vegetarian sushi (make a roll and leave it whole or in two) on century road rides and they have seen me good, also the long thin shape fits nicely in the jersey pocket.
Thick peanut butter sarnie in the pocket. Plus mashed banana in there (sarnie not pocket!) if you want extra
As much as TJ is right about this – the fact that you burn off these refined sugars whilst exercising means this is something I would not be too worried about. It’s only really a problem, IMHO, if you are wolfing down Mars bars & sitting on your ass all day. Having said that, an increased consumption in refined sugars can lead to dental problems if you aren’t on top of your oral hygiene. It’s not uncommon amongst endurance athletes to have more than the average number of fillings..
Diabetes the amounts some of you take for a few hours mucking about in the woods. You are triggering your insulin response all the time - remember maltodextrin or high fructose corn syrup IS highly refined sugars