Energy bars and gels - what's the difference?

[Andrew G]

What's the difference between energy bars and gels?

I always thought (and have used) the bars as a slower release for nibbling during a ride to keep you ticking over nicely, and the gels a quicker (but shorter lasting) hit to get you through a bad patch or give you a boost for a shorter, high intensity period.

Is this right or pure bunkum?

I wondered as the bars tend to be a bit cheaper and I prefer nibbling them to slurping gels for general riding, can also make your own bars easier than your own gels. Gels come in to their own for digestion in or before a race.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote="Andrew G"]What's the difference between energy bars and gels?

[Grahame]

[quote="Andrew G"]What's the difference between energy bars and gels?

[Ivor]

Gels are totally inedible, as are protein bars.

[Stu Merckx Man]

you've got it right andrew as far as i know

[Andrew G]

Thanks Stu for shedding some sanity .

[quote="Grahame"]Energy bars taste like carpet underlay, gels taste like snot.

[Ivor]

The Maxim energy bars are quite moreish too...

[-Adam-]

SiS Go Bars*

High5 gels**

High5 drinks***

SiS REGO recovery drink**** and PowerBar Protein Plus bars****

Oh yeah, and a f*** load of training, thats my secret anyway.

*for long (2hrs plus) rides
** for the last 30mins of my typical 90min training ride, plus several throughout races.
*** usually only use energy drinks for racing
**** only use recovery drinks/bars after certain hard races/training rides if another race/tough day follows...

[kieran]

gels, not only good for quick release but also when racing I can hardly crew as I'm too busy breathing in oxygen, also they don't need to be followed by a glup of water.

[-Adam-]

[quote="kieran"]also they don't need to be followed by a glup of water.

[quote="-Adam-"][quote="kieran"]also they don't need to be followed by a glup of water.

[huw williams]

Liquids are fastest absorbed. Gels next, then solids - the harder the solid the longer the breakdown so for example bananas will break down fairly quickly but obviously the GI index of the food content depends on the rate of absorption and how long it fuels you for.

My coach had me do a lot of testing in this area during the winter where it became quite evident that optimum fueling for endurance was a combination of all three.

So drinking fluids constantly
Grazing lightly and often on slow release foods
Gels for quick hits (ie if you know there's a savage hill at the end of a race/sportive and you're feeling the onset of cramp - a gel might help if taken shortly before you arrive there)

Adam is right - fluid intake helps optimise the absorption of nutrients digested from solids and gels

[Andrew G]

[quote="-Adam-"]SiS Go Bars*

[quote="Andrew G"][quote="-Adam-"]SiS Go Bars*

[huw williams]

In the good old days of MTB racing in the 90s - when sticky ol' power bars were pretty much the only thing around - we used to cut them into strips and wrap them round the handlebars between the grips and stem - then just tear of a strip when you need one. This of course led to very messy bars on hot, dusty days in Colorado but it was pretty much the done thing