Energy - PowerBar Gel Blasts?

peelout
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peelout
Edited Date/Time 3/13/2015 5:53pm
any of you guys tried these or different brands/types for energy while at the track? i'm mainly buying a bulk of these to help with my longer mountain-bike rides but feel like they could be really useful on offroad trail rides as well as at the track.

traditionally i've been the guy at the track that eats very light throughout the day and get gassed out, i've been getting better about properly fueling my body while riding, but these seem like a good alternative to say a Cliff bar or PowerBar.

any opinions or thoughts about them in your experience would be welcome

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Olson
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Olson 3/13/2015 12:53pm
3/13/2015 12:53pm
If you are like me, they will work. I have a really hard time building up an appetite while training. When I get exhausted I can't eat anything solid. They're made for eating WHILE training, like in the saddle. The elite cyclists eat them to save energy they would lose eating solid food. I usually just grab a banana, some yoghurt etc on the track and starve on my way home stopping at a burger joint on the way and eat everything I can get my hands off. Not a winning concept.
peelout
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peelout 3/13/2015 1:00pm
3/13/2015 1:00pm
i'm the exact same. light breakfast, huge workout while starving and bonking out, then huge after ride meal and beers.

figure i gotta start somewhere, and i got 36 packs for $30
JBernard_401
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JBernard_401 3/13/2015 1:04pm
3/13/2015 1:04pm
why not just bring a bag of sugar. same damn thing.
'energy' aka sugar at 5k the cost.
.kyle
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.kyle 3/13/2015 1:09pm
3/13/2015 1:09pm Edited Date/Time 3/13/2015 1:09pm
Those energy gels are great. But expensive. Buy some jelly babies instead - they're made up of the same sugars, taste lovely and are much cheaper!

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Titan1
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Titan1 3/13/2015 1:12pm
3/13/2015 1:12pm
I take them at the pit for my desert races...(and always keep one or two in my water pack in case I break down and end up sitting in the desert for hours and hours)....I like them.
Falcon
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Falcon 3/13/2015 1:15pm
3/13/2015 1:15pm
I had great results with one of those after a small meal on a practice day once. I have to get some to try a few more times.
crusty_xx
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crusty_xx 3/13/2015 1:33pm
3/13/2015 1:33pm
peelout wrote:
any of you guys tried these or different brands/types for energy while at the track? i'm mainly buying a bulk of these to help with my...
any of you guys tried these or different brands/types for energy while at the track? i'm mainly buying a bulk of these to help with my longer mountain-bike rides but feel like they could be really useful on offroad trail rides as well as at the track.

traditionally i've been the guy at the track that eats very light throughout the day and get gassed out, i've been getting better about properly fueling my body while riding, but these seem like a good alternative to say a Cliff bar or PowerBar.

any opinions or thoughts about them in your experience would be welcome

you wanna pull some holeshots`?


Alessi was the only one I remember but there are several guys that use it right before the start.

It never really worked out for me in moto (on the roadbike it does though), I usually eat a honey bread and a banana before the race.
IWreckALot
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IWreckALot 3/13/2015 1:33pm
3/13/2015 1:33pm
peelout wrote:
i'm the exact same. light breakfast, huge workout while starving and bonking out, then huge after ride meal and beers. figure i gotta start somewhere, and...
i'm the exact same. light breakfast, huge workout while starving and bonking out, then huge after ride meal and beers.

figure i gotta start somewhere, and i got 36 packs for $30
A 36 pack for $30? Was it Keystone? Kidding. I know what you're talking about.

I'm terrible about working out then hitting the beer. I tell myself, "well, at least I worked for these". Then I double the calories I lost by drinking beer.

peelout
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peelout 3/13/2015 1:38pm
3/13/2015 1:38pm
crusty_xx wrote:
you wanna pull some holeshots`? [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/64/photos/59230/s780_060412pitbits024.jpg?1338836087[/img] Alessi was the only one I remember but there are several guys that use it right before the start. It...
you wanna pull some holeshots`?


Alessi was the only one I remember but there are several guys that use it right before the start.

It never really worked out for me in moto (on the roadbike it does though), I usually eat a honey bread and a banana before the race.
crustyxx, are you eating the Stinger brand honey waffle bread things? i tried one and really liked it but haven't been able to find them in any of my bike shops.

thanks for the answers/responses. i'll try them out, can't be worse than what i'm doing right now.

@Iwreckalot, that's me to a T. i've been riding my road cycle from my house to work and back every day, about 20 miles round trip so not too bad. well, there's this killer local pizza-beer joint halfway and sometimes i'll stop on my way home for a slice and a pitcher lol. getting up the 400' hill to my house is a bitch after that little meal.
crusty_xx
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crusty_xx 3/13/2015 1:45pm
3/13/2015 1:45pm Edited Date/Time 3/13/2015 1:45pm
crusty_xx wrote:
you wanna pull some holeshots`? [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/64/photos/59230/s780_060412pitbits024.jpg?1338836087[/img] Alessi was the only one I remember but there are several guys that use it right before the start. It...
you wanna pull some holeshots`?


Alessi was the only one I remember but there are several guys that use it right before the start.

It never really worked out for me in moto (on the roadbike it does though), I usually eat a honey bread and a banana before the race.
peelout wrote:
crustyxx, are you eating the Stinger brand honey waffle bread things? i tried one and really liked it but haven't been able to find them in...
crustyxx, are you eating the Stinger brand honey waffle bread things? i tried one and really liked it but haven't been able to find them in any of my bike shops.

thanks for the answers/responses. i'll try them out, can't be worse than what i'm doing right now.

@Iwreckalot, that's me to a T. i've been riding my road cycle from my house to work and back every day, about 20 miles round trip so not too bad. well, there's this killer local pizza-beer joint halfway and sometimes i'll stop on my way home for a slice and a pitcher lol. getting up the 400' hill to my house is a bitch after that little meal.
they're called differently here but yes those are pretty good. If possible I prefer a good bread with honey though. Not everyone works the same but I've tried loads of shit over the years and this works the best for me^^
Camp332
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Camp332 3/13/2015 1:53pm
3/13/2015 1:53pm
Bro, it's all about the Clif shot blok




ACBraap
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ACBraap 3/13/2015 1:54pm
3/13/2015 1:54pm
Power Gel Blasts are pretty good. I like them on occasion for mtb/road. I don't use gels or blocks nearly as much anymore myself, and have had MUCH better luck in long events like 50 -100 mile mtb races using Hammer Perpetuem and bars. I also like Hammer gel when I use gels. Hammer marketing can be over the top, but their products work well for me. Plus they do support some moto guys.
Beast666
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Beast666 3/13/2015 1:58pm
3/13/2015 1:58pm
My favorite energy snack is the Clif shotblocks. They are easy to carry and munch out on the trail. They even have a margarita flavor.
hillbilly
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hillbilly 3/13/2015 2:02pm
3/13/2015 2:02pm
I always used blueberry beagles with a little homemade strawberry jam. They have the 4 to 1 carb to protein ratio you want on race day.

Eating a big spaghetti meal the nite before will cause your digestion to rob fluids from mussel to digest the carbs,bloat you.

Try to figure how many carbs you will need and get an hour or 2 ahead without going overboard.
HOPSTOOPID
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HOPSTOOPID 3/13/2015 2:03pm
3/13/2015 2:03pm
Camp332 wrote:
Bro, it's all about the Clif shot blok [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/03/13/83747/s1200_clif_shot_blocks_individual.jpg[/img]
Bro, it's all about the Clif shot blok




+1 these are my go-to

They also make some that have caffeine which is nice to begin with or eat on the gate. Tropical punch = caffeine is the best IMO
ACBraap
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ACBraap 3/13/2015 2:06pm
3/13/2015 2:06pm
hillbilly wrote:
I always used blueberry beagles with a little homemade strawberry jam. They have the 4 to 1 carb to protein ratio you want on race day...
I always used blueberry beagles with a little homemade strawberry jam. They have the 4 to 1 carb to protein ratio you want on race day.

Eating a big spaghetti meal the nite before will cause your digestion to rob fluids from mussel to digest the carbs,bloat you.

Try to figure how many carbs you will need and get an hour or 2 ahead without going overboard.
I would have expected a higher protein ratio in beagles.

Huckleberry hound is also good if you can't find a blueberry beagle.
hillbilly
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hillbilly 3/13/2015 2:25pm
3/13/2015 2:25pm
hillbilly wrote:
I always used blueberry beagles with a little homemade strawberry jam. They have the 4 to 1 carb to protein ratio you want on race day...
I always used blueberry beagles with a little homemade strawberry jam. They have the 4 to 1 carb to protein ratio you want on race day.

Eating a big spaghetti meal the nite before will cause your digestion to rob fluids from mussel to digest the carbs,bloat you.

Try to figure how many carbs you will need and get an hour or 2 ahead without going overboard.
ACBraap wrote:
I would have expected a higher protein ratio in beagles.

Huckleberry hound is also good if you can't find a blueberry beagle.
Speeling aint what i'm good at,after typing 3 letters,a word pops up on this tablet,it looked close.

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#991
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#991 3/13/2015 3:43pm
3/13/2015 3:43pm Edited Date/Time 3/13/2015 4:17pm
Since when has anything man made been better than nature already provides?

Apples and Oranges have the highest NATURAL sugar content of all the common fruits. Good for your teeth at the same time. Win, Win!!!

Bowl of Oats/Porridge with Honey and a glass of Apple Juice in the morning for breakfast gets you off to a great start.

Horses love Oats and Apples. It's what gives them Horse Power.
Give a horse a bucket of oats and an apple and then take it for a ride. I dare ya. Like riding a CR500 with a sticky throttle.

They don't call them "Super Food's" for nothing!

K.I.S.S

https://youtu.be/HD4o26HcHi0

https://youtu.be/n03UuZwjsWQ
A. DLeary
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A. DLeary 3/13/2015 4:13pm
3/13/2015 4:13pm Edited Date/Time 3/13/2015 4:14pm
For a light eater like myself I find them to be great. I can throw them in my truck, they're wrapped so I don't need to worry about them getting dirty, and I don't have to worry about them getting soggy in the heat like I do fruit.

Someone will always try to sell you something that's healthier, or tell you to eat real food, but if you're not going to be able to eat it, it won't do you any good.
Nighttrain
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Nighttrain 3/13/2015 4:23pm
3/13/2015 4:23pm
I used GU and now Hammer gels to keep from bonking during long road races (bicycle) especially in cold weather when energy is burned to stay warm. There's no way to eat enough before a 3+ hour event. Drink lots of water, the concentrated gels are hard on your stomach and can speed up dehydration.
#991
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#991 3/13/2015 4:25pm
3/13/2015 4:25pm Edited Date/Time 3/13/2015 4:54pm
A. DLeary wrote:
For a light eater like myself I find them to be great. I can throw them in my truck, they're wrapped so I don't need to...
For a light eater like myself I find them to be great. I can throw them in my truck, they're wrapped so I don't need to worry about them getting dirty, and I don't have to worry about them getting soggy in the heat like I do fruit.

Someone will always try to sell you something that's healthier, or tell you to eat real food, but if you're not going to be able to eat it, it won't do you any good.
Seriously Huh . That's your excuse Dry How hard is it to throw some fruit in the car etc before heading out for a ride. Plenty of thermal/chill bags etc out there these days.

FFS, they have fruit vending machines these days. Ask your local track to get one. Won't cost them a cent but they will make money from it.

BTW, the only time I eat fruit or oats is before riding. Any other time I'm eating Milky Bar. I'm about as far from a "health nut" as you can get.
I had "Twirls" for breaky this morning. I ain't no Flake!

I drink only water for the few days leading up to a ride as well, it flushes and hydrates the system. I hate the taste of water. I'm normally a "Cottee's Kid". But NOTHING hydrates the system better than water.
7eleven
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7eleven 3/13/2015 5:02pm
3/13/2015 5:02pm
My 2 cents: You wouldn't start a moto with half a tank of fuel, would ya? The home breakfast feeding needs to be legit, weather you're a carb or protein guy, eat a lot then.
Pick your snack that you like and know it only last a short time. Eat often, stay on the water with every bite.
End of the day be smart: water! Eat clean! Your body is beat and recovery starts with what you drink and eat.
Simple facts. Hope this helps.

AngryBear
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AngryBear 3/13/2015 5:07pm
3/13/2015 5:07pm Edited Date/Time 3/13/2015 5:08pm
i can keep down, and work well, with perpetuem. hammer makes a less flavored-up version of the same stuff as powerbar and clif.

http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/perpetuem-solids-reg-.ps.html

but eat real food when you can. i go the packaged route when on a long run or bike ride where there aren't options. you can eat real food at the track...
#991
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#991 3/13/2015 5:14pm
3/13/2015 5:14pm Edited Date/Time 3/13/2015 5:20pm
AngryBear wrote:
i can keep down, and work well, with perpetuem. hammer makes a less flavored-up version of the same stuff as powerbar and clif. http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/perpetuem-solids-reg-.ps.html but eat...
i can keep down, and work well, with perpetuem. hammer makes a less flavored-up version of the same stuff as powerbar and clif.

http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/perpetuem-solids-reg-.ps.html

but eat real food when you can. i go the packaged route when on a long run or bike ride where there aren't options. you can eat real food at the track...
Banana's slip into a hydration pack nicely. Cut Apples and Oranges up into 1/4's and put them in resealable sandwich bags. They'll slip into your hydration pack as well, the water keeps them chilled Wink .

A bag of dried Apricots etc.

I don't mean to preach, just giving suggestions and alternative's.
AngryBear
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AngryBear 3/13/2015 5:25pm
3/13/2015 5:25pm
i run ultra's. we normally carry easily packable stuff like gels, but aid stations will be mostly bananas/oranges/etc, and chips for the salt...

#991's posts above are spot on. the gel's have a little denser calorie/gram ratio for packability, also easier to eat while running/biking with less mess. from a nutritional standpoint, use real food...
Flex
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Flex 3/13/2015 5:25pm
3/13/2015 5:25pm
lostboy819 wrote:
This is how I roll.;) [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/03/13/83757/s1200_Big_Mac_hamburger.jpg[/img]
This is how I roll.Wink


This is my health food
#991
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#991 3/13/2015 5:27pm
3/13/2015 5:27pm Edited Date/Time 3/13/2015 5:33pm
lostboy819 wrote:
This is how I roll.;) [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/03/13/83757/s1200_Big_Mac_hamburger.jpg[/img]
This is how I roll.Wink


The most pace I show for the day, is in the car, after the ride, on the way to Macca's Laughing

Can't get there quick enough!! Macca's after riding is VITAL Tongue .

I'm a Chef by trade. We mostly eat junk food
Skuzzy29
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Skuzzy29 3/13/2015 5:31pm
3/13/2015 5:31pm
AngryBear wrote:
i can keep down, and work well, with perpetuem. hammer makes a less flavored-up version of the same stuff as powerbar and clif. http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/perpetuem-solids-reg-.ps.html but eat...
i can keep down, and work well, with perpetuem. hammer makes a less flavored-up version of the same stuff as powerbar and clif.

http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/perpetuem-solids-reg-.ps.html

but eat real food when you can. i go the packaged route when on a long run or bike ride where there aren't options. you can eat real food at the track...
I use Hammer as well. A combination of Heed and Perpetuem in my drinks and caffeinated Gels for an extra bump. Simple sugars are not bad for short races but you'll need complex carbs and protein to fuel longer days.

My first century ride on my road bike left me eating the after ride BBQ meal they provided around 4pm...then half a large pizza at 7pm and then the rest of the large pizza around 9pm! ...lol, after learning how to keep fueled during the ride I've never had that problem again.

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