Award Winning Global Tri-Sport Shop
Fortunately these PowerBar Power Gel Sachets are just on the right side of palatable.
Palatable energy goo from a respected brand; you need to take water on board too.
Extra boost and a sweet taste- fill your pockets up with 'em!
Smart-1 gel builds on the reputation SiS established with its isotonic Go gel, the difference being Smart-1 gel includes and added kick in the form of 50mg of caffeine. The extra element should increase your endurance, concentration and possibly assist carbohydrate absorption. Carb content is 22g, which you don't need to knock back with water - just tear and gulp.The berry flavour has an almost medicine like taste - which was strangely palatable - and contains anathocyanins that should help reduce fatigue, particularly in the lower back - good news for triathletes stuck in an aero position for hours. Additional citrus bioflavenoids help caffeine absorption. It's ideal for a pre-training lift, or in endurance sessions or races.
Combines the proven Go-Gel with caffeine and purposeful antioxidants.
Too often we forget that as a nation we lead in so many areas of life. Sports nutrition is just another one of these key areas. This year we have seen SIS move from just sponsoring individual athletes, to now looking after the 2 Pro Tour Teams including the world number one ranked squad, Team CSC.Energy gels have become an established form of reintroducing carbohydrate in a ride. Sometimes when the weather is hot many riders find it difficult to eat solid foods and prefer to rely on gels for an energy boost. Go Gels are the only gels that are isotonic in nature, i.e. you don't need to take additional water to make it work. Although the new Energizer Gel is based on the original Go Gel and is isotonic also, it is recommended that you also take additional fluid due to the caffeine in the gel.We all know of the benefits of caffeine to aid concentration, but too much can have a negative on certain systems in the body. One area that can suffer under high doses of caffeine is that vision can become blurred. SIS have added a batch of anti-oxidants to combat this and other problems associated with too much caffeine, like stomach upsets.Currently only one flavour is available, which is "Bursting with Berryâ€. This flavour is much more pronounced than the regular Go Gels. The first batch was completely sold out to the pro peloton as word spread of this fantastic new product. Stuart O'Grady used the Gel to good effect in Paris Roubaix this year, and Vinokourov is also a big fan.I received my batch just before the Tour of Wessex so I didn't have time to use it in any training rides. But as I have used SIS products for over 10 years I didn't see that this should present a problem. The new gel flavour is much more pronounced than the regular GO Gels that are currently available.I found the kick of the caffeine useful when I was staring to feel a little tired mid point through the event. I took my first gel at around the 50-mile mark, the energy gets into your system fast and the caffeine element kicks in around 45 - 60 minutes after. Day Two of the event I took two lots of gels with me. As the weather was foul any food consumed felt like my body was using it straight away. When the initial signs of hypothermia were starting to set in the gel made a difference and helped me on the way after replacing a tube on my second and last puncture of the day. Having now also used this gel at the Dragon Ride I will always carry a couple in my back pocket, as I like the double whammy effect it gives.Okay so what next? Is the Energizer range to be limited to just the gel? I hope not. Two logical additions would be to make an energy bar that uses this technology and also a GO type drink. Another great addition would be to have another flavour, maybe citrus based for those people who do not like the berry option. I am sure over the next few months we will see what comes out from SIS.
Traditional SIS Go Gel virtues with added caffeine
Torq has now added gels to their range of 'clean fuel' products that use only natural flavours and no artificial colours or sweetners. The beautifully packaged sachets deliver 28.8g of carbohydrate in a 2:1 glucose/fructose solution for better absorption into the bloodstream, and contains sodium (50mg), chloride (85mg), potassium (11mg), magnesium (1mg) and calcium (4mg) - all important in keeping your muscles active. The makers suggest using 320ml water per gel in normal conditions and 500ml when it's hot, which felt right: we encountered no problems, even when ingesting them with no water. Importantly, they taste great...they're also dairy and wheat free. In short, another great-tasting, natural Torq product that delivers what it says on the label.
Tasty; free from artificial nasties; easy to get into
Like the whole 'Five A Day' thing, I’m aware that I should eat certain things more frequently than I do. Yet even after all these years of riding bikes I still don't eat 'energy foods' on rides even though I know they'd do me the power of good and improve and extend my rides. And I know I'm not alone in this regard either, pretty much everyone in my regular riding posse are similarly nutritionally slack.That was, until these Shot Block arrived from Clif. We eat them all the time. They key things about the Blocks is that they're not messy to use (like gels), you don't have to eat a whole pack one one ride (they keep okay in your pack) and they're actually pleasant to eat. They don't feel like a chore to consume. But they still give out a noticeable increase in energy. Quicker than an energy bar but not as rushy and stomach-hating as a gel. They're like a longer-lasting lower-amplitude gel.
These are the only 'format' of energy foods that I've ever taken to. Try some, you might be converted too.