Catatonic_Joe Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Only use gels in the last 1h30 of a race, else the farting starts too soon The farting is inevitable, happens with or without the gels...
jimmycool Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Quick question, why have two different bottles and alternate sips, why not just dilute both and only drink from one, less time spent holding and swapping bottles the better? Or is it a taste thing to just have some every now and then? For me it is because I sweat - A LOT - and also I don't like the taste of insipid juice so I alternate between regular water and juice. If I only use juice I will end up taking in too much carbs and start to feel a bit queasy. I find on a hot day over the course of a 3 hour ride I can easily drink 4.5 litres and still weigh up to 2 kgs less after the ride so my biggest challenge is finding out how to drink enough to not get too badly dehydrated.
NotSoBigBen Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Quick question, why have two different bottles and alternate sips, why not just dilute both and only drink from one, less time spent holding and swapping bottles the better? Or is it a taste thing to just have some every now and then?From my early experience with gels (Leppin gels) we were always told that they were best taken with a few sips of water and not juice so I have always done that. Supposedly helped with digestion ...... Perhaps not valid with the latest 'goos' ?
Patchelicious Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 For me it is because I sweat - A LOT - and also I don't like the taste of insipid juice so I alternate between regular water and juice. If I only use juice I will end up taking in too much carbs and start to feel a bit queasy. I find on a hot day over the course of a 3 hour ride I can easily drink 4.5 litres and still weigh up to 2 kgs less after the ride so my biggest challenge is finding out how to drink enough to not get too badly dehydrated.You dont only sweat water. How do you replace the lost electrolytes? Maybe V12 can advise.
jcza Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 You dont only sweat water. How do you replace the lost electrolytes? Maybe V12 can advise. Sweat is mostly water, there is a fancy word for it. Will try find it but in summary the concentration actually rises in your body because of the water loss. EDIT: Big word is hypotonic
Patchelicious Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Sweat is mostly water, there is a fancy word for it. Will try find it but in summary the concentration actually rises in your body because of the water loss. EDIT: Big word is hypotonic Awesome, always nice to learn new things. V12 mentioned earlier that there is some point where you over drink water, need carbs or sodium to help absorption etc?
jcza Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Awesome, always nice to learn new things. V12 mentioned earlier that there is some point where you over drink water, need carbs or sodium to help absorption etc? Over drinking is very dangerous, much more so than dehydration. If you dehydrate then drink water, if you drink too much get to hospital asap
X-Man Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Gu for me however the more expensive Roctane doesn't seem to work.
jimmycool Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 You dont only sweat water. How do you replace the lost electrolytes? Maybe V12 can advise.That is something I am still working on. After a long hot ride I can literally scrape the salt off the back of my gloves and sides of my shorts. I think I need to look into salt tablets or something similar.Anyone tried or use something like that?
HBO Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 For me it is because I sweat - A LOT - and also I don't like the taste of insipid juice so I alternate between regular water and juice. If I only use juice I will end up taking in too much carbs and start to feel a bit queasy. I find on a hot day over the course of a 3 hour ride I can easily drink 4.5 litres and still weigh up to 2 kgs less after the ride so my biggest challenge is finding out how to drink enough to not get too badly dehydrated.I also alternate between water and juice. This is purely because It's nice to just once in a while have some plain cold water instead of a sweet drink. In the beginning of the race it will be more juice and towards the end of the race more water when I start with the gels. Can't sip down a sweet gel with sweet fluid.
HBO Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 That is something I am still working on. After a long hot ride I can literally scrape the salt off the back of my gloves and sides of my shorts. I think I need to look into salt tablets or something similar.Anyone tried or use something like that?Fortunately I have never cramped during a ride, but when I started the banting diet I experienced some cramps post ride, nothing major though. I then took salt tablets only after the weekend rides and that solved the problem. these rides were fasted and I took nothing on the bike but water. Since I started increase the intensity and distance, I eat before rides (either oats or muesli with some salted and roasted nuts) and also take an energy drink during the ride. Haven't had any cramps since.
SAGecko Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Still waiting for an answer btw. To answer your original question; I never take a Gel out on a training ride, but sometimes I wish I had . If you bonk when you're out training, you're doing something wrong.
SCD Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Food for thought to go an alternative route: Analyzing the producer's list of ingredients will show that most gels are mostly a carb blend with some other ingredients, ie caffeine, proteins and salts, and unnecessary chemicals. What gives you the energy is the carbs. The efficiency of protein in the added form is widely debated (bio availability etc). The caffeine has its known effect. The salt's benefit is obvious too. The rest is largely not needed or not healthy (unless it boosts your morale via brand power belief ). For the carb blend to work well it needs to offer fast and slow carbs in the right mix. The right ratio is well understood and published in the web. A good source of 'fast' carbs (Maltose etc) is Organic Brown Rice Syrup. Most gels actually ARE largely rice syrup. Mix it with a source of Fructose to give you a slow carb, ie Honey. I can't recall the exact recommended mix ratio but usually mix Brown Rice Syrup and honey 60:40. A cheap alternative is making Fructose Syrup from off-the-shelf fructose power and mix 75:25 (BRS - Fruc). Add some salt. If you want caffeine dissolve a caffeine tablet in a teaspoon of water and mix in at your ratio of consumption. I never add taste because I like it as neutral as possible. Hammer flasks have a good size and work well. More info here: http://www.summitpost.org/home-made-power-gels-energy-for-less/239378 Advantage: It is cheaper. You know what it is. Less rubbish.
brucem76 Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 New to the cycling thing, bought 3 different gel brands for a race on Saturday, to test out. 2 observations: - these things vary radically in price... Like some almost 4 times the price of the others! Ingredients look veeeery similar. - I can't find expiry dates printed on any of the 3 sachets, worrying?
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