Energy bars and gels - what's the difference?

[Andrew G]

It was Adam, just had a sweaty wrapper making it difficult to open as well as eat .

[adrian]

Does anyone actually feel the benefits of gels or bars over 'real' food?

I've definitely felt the advantage of energy or electrolyte drinks v plain water, but if I use energy bars and gels, it's because they're convenient - easy to carry and eat on the move - rather than nutritionally more effective than fruit, nuts or cake. I know they pack more calories but really, do you feel any better after necking them than you would after eating anything else? For me, the discomfort - tooth-rot from bars and the horrible sticky lips and fingers from gels - cancels out any perceived energy boost.

After six hours of synthetic junk, is it any wonder I'm running into the arms of a pork pie?

[huw williams]

You're running into the arms of a pork pie because you're craving the salt/fat content

The main difference between the energy bars/gels (the good ones anyway) is that the content has been optimised to provide the best combination of nutrients with the fastest delivery based on research into endurance fuelling - you can find all those things in real foods but not in such balanced forms - you'd have to carry a wide range of 'real' foods in order to match the ingredients of a decent energy bar/drink/gel. That said there are riders who swear by their own home made bars and own-mix energy drinks.

I made my own drinks for sunday out of water/fruit juice and whey protein powder - (nowhere near as sweet as a commercial energy drink which was good in the heat) but I'd done quite a bit of testing on it to make sure it worked for me

[Elliot M]

[quote="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

[kieran]

well, I just use the gels for racing and don't use specific energy bars at all , rather a snack bar (fairtrade geobars) which is probably not so bad for the teeth but the energy drink will get your teeth anyway so I brush my teeth the minute I get home. My preferred food is ripe bananas and will eat these first and the bar only if needed.

[huw williams]

[quote="kieran"]well, I just use the gels for racing and don't use specific energy bars at all , rather a snack bar (fairtrade geobars) which is probably not so bad for the teeth but the energy drink will get your teeth anyway so I brush my teeth the minute I get home. My preferred food is ripe bananas and will eat these first and the bar only if needed.

[quote="Elliot M"][quote="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

[Ivor]

[quote="huw williams"]Gels for quick hits

[Ivor]

[quote="huw williams"]I made my own drinks for sunday out of water/fruit juice and whey protein powder

[quote="Ivor"][quote="huw williams"]Gels for quick hits

[quote="Ivor"]Wellll on friday I fuelled my commute with two pints of Heineken and forgot to fill my water bottle.
did one of my better times too.
With hindsight... probably not recommended.

[adrian]

No moutarde?

[Marky Mark]

If all I need is a pork pie then I'll get some quality pies brought down from Huddersfield.
The god of all pork pies, yeah baby!

[Andrew G]

Sorry Sean Italian's make fine bicycles but not proper pork pies
225g of lard, now that's a proper recipe.
If you want quality English recipes you go to Mike Robinson and get proper grub.
[url]http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/575663[/url]

[John Czernobay]

And the great thing about the pork pie it comes with it's own gel.........marvellous.

JCZ..