Science in Sport GO Energy vs High5 Energy Source.....

[E38Ross]

Now....I've been using GO Energy (previously PSP22) for donkeys years now and have found it chuffing fantastic....but I've recently been looking at other alternatives and having not getting on too well with the texture of the SiS GO Gels I tried the High5 isogels and really liked them so looked at their "energy source" which appears to be their equivalent of GO energy. Now, it appears to be better in the sense of this "2:1" carbohydrate mix supposedly meaning you can absorb more carbs per hours for more energy.

Any thoughts from anyone who has tried both? By the looks of it their protein recovery isn't as good as the SiS rego rapid recovery (again, been using this for ages on and off and find it bloody fantastic) as it doesn't have anywhere near as many vitamins/minerals etc so will stick with SiS for that (as well as their GO electrolyte) just looking at changing energy drinks! probably looking at the summer fruits flavour....

thanks

[BadgerBenji]

Tried both, found the High5 works well for me, tend to buy it in bulk when it comes up on offer. Also find that the protein recovery mixes better from High5, even with cold milk, perfect post race shake, no bits or lumps easily.

[Raven Flyer]

I like SiS stuff but am now a big Zipvit convert. Their gels are just the best and the banana bars are delicious.

That said, SiS Blueberry bars are to also delish.

[E38Ross]

Thanks chaps. I will say the SIS REGO does need a very good shake up! Strawberry seems better than vanilla for that. Not tried banana before so tempted by that next. Tried chocolate many years ago and remember thinking it wasn't that good.

I think I'll try some high5 energy source next

[MadDad]

I used to use carb drinks and gels but reverted back to solids when I started to suffer from almost continual stomach cramps and an unreliable sphincter. Just to be clear I was not using lots of the stuff and stayed well within the recommended intake.....

I can see the merits of gels if you are racing, otherwise personally I would not touch them, also a lot of them are laced with caffeine so if you are already riding in zone 3+ then helping your heart beat even faster artificially can't be a good thing!

I find that a decent diet off the bike means that on the bike I don't feel the need for energy bars/gels etc. I have to admit that on very hot days where I am planning a longer ride I will pop a high-5 hydration tablet into a biddon for the salts, and on the odd occasion if my diet has been 'questionable' before the ride I might take a carb drink, otherwise I would suggest saving a fortune on sports supplements and going 'old skool'.

The Maddad guide to cycling supplements (not for racing, but for just about every other sort of riding);

Pre-ride (adjust as required and per taste);

1 x Toast with peanut butter
1 x Toast with choccy spread
1 x banana

In-ride snacking;

Grenoal bar(s)
Flapjack (depending on how awful your other half is at cooking, home-made are best)

In-ride turbo boost;

Jelly babies
Haribo starmix

In ride hydration;

Water or
Johnsons Summer fruits or
Johnsons Blackberry squash or
Johnsons Orange squash

• Other brands of squash are available

Post ride recovery;

Pint of semi-skimmed milk mixed with;
Strawberry milkshake or
Banana milkshake or
Chocolate milkshake or
Go wild and mix banana and chocolate if you have had a grueling ride.

Post ride 'reward';

bag of crisps or
handful of rice crackers or
a similarly decadent foodstuff!

Although I am being a bit flippant I am not convinced of the benefit of all of the expensive supplements for the majority of riders. If you are racing and on the limit of your bodies capabilities for hours on end then I can see the need, otherwise most people are better off working on conditioning their body for prolonged exercise rather than looking for a magic bullet.........

But what do I know........

[S6PNJ]

If there was a 'like' button, I'd 'like' that! ^^^^^^^^^^^^

[yellowjack]

Yup, me too.

In August last year I did an "off the cuff" 103 miler to Ely and back from near Saffron Walden. I took a handful of Kellogs cereal bars and two gels the LBS gave me to try. I started the ride at 1100hrs, and breakfast would have been a bowl of Fruit and Fibre and some toast.
Lunch was fishcake and chips at a village chippy (Tofts) just off my route, along with a fluid top up at the shop nearby. I started with two x 750ml of squash, and topped up with lucozade still at the local shop. By the end of the ride I'd had half of the cereal bars and one of the gels at the end to perk me up. That took 6hrs 43mins (moving time) at a moving average of 15.4mph.

In April 2011 I'd done a slightly shorter route that didn't quite get me into Ely, at 96 miles. I'd taken a similar handful of cereal bars, no gels (I hadn't yet discovered them ) and two x 750ml bottles of HiJuice squash. I made two shop stops to top up fluids and grabbed a sandwich at the second of the stops, a garage on the southern edge of Soham. This time I started riding after lunch, of typical military cookhouse chips'n'whatever fayre, 6hrs 21mins at a moving average of 15.1mph. I was out for 7hrs 20mins, so had an hour off the bike for buying and eating, and some cheeky 'resting'.

Scientifically developed energy foods, etc, are for athletes (IMHO). I've not gone for anything stronger than the lucozade powder in my water bottles. I've even ditched the energy/carb drinks for plain old squash now. I found I couldn't tell the difference really, over a typical 20-30 mile blast, although I still prefer the lucozade still if I buy a fluid top-up at a shop. As for gels, I've only ever tried the two the LBS gave me as a sample, and the second of them got used because it had been in and out of my jersey pockets for so long I was concerned about the packaging leaking in my pocket. I wouldn't be averse to carrying a gel or two as an emergency 'back-up' but I can't say I'm ever likely to become a regular 'user'.

[Fozziebear]

I use water and s caps for hydration, 9bars and protein bars during the long rides. I've tried most of the gels out there including FrogFuel from the US, which I've found to be the easiest on my belly. I do a lot of Ultra runs and long off road MTB rides for training and I find natural foods work better for me

[E38Ross]

On the flip side, i've been doing 60-70+ mile rides on nothing but some squash and taking a few ham rolls or something at the half way point (usually a little after half way) and have bonked out come 50-55 miles. Since going back to GO energy and using gels, hand on heart I genuinely feel BETTER 70 miles into a ride than I was at 50 miles.

Regards my diet in general, it's very good. I typically get around 8-9+ of my 5/day, when i eaet pasta/rice etc it's always brown/wholegrain, eat a good variety of fruit and veg.....breakfast is almost always either porridge, shredded wheat or weetabix etc so my diet isn't the prblem. I'm not averse to exercise, i've been a competitive runner for years and was at a reasonable level (i ran 5k in under 17mins, 10k in under 35mins, 10 miles in under 59mins and a HM in 1:18 to name a few of my times

genuinely noticing a massive, massive difference when using these products though. i'm only going to bother with them on anything over 40 miles though, as anything shorter there isn't much f a need, unless it's a particularly tough route!

[ewenm]

E38Ross said:

genuinely noticing a massive, massive difference when using these products though. i'm only going to bother with them on anything over 40 miles though, as anything shorter there isn't much f a need, unless it's a particularly tough route!

Exactly - it's like running. For competitive runners up to half-marathons gels etc shouldn't be needed, above that they can be useful to maintain performance.

[Raven Flyer]

I am also much stronger when I have my Lucozade powders in my bottles and I fuel correctly on the ride.

The only people dissing this are the ones who have never bonked themselves, or had a mate bonk whilst with them on a ride. It really is not pleasant yet is easily avoided.

[MadDad]

Raven Flyer said:

The only people dissing this are the ones who have never bonked themselves, or had a mate bonk whilst with them on a ride. It really is not pleasant yet is easily avoided.

Think about it for a second, if they haven't bonked and they don't use supplements maybe they have a point!

For the record, I have, it hurt (a lot), and I was using SIS supplements and bars at the time - augmented by banana's and sugary stuff. Worse still, aside from crippling muscle pain and disorientation I had crippling stomach pains!

2 years later I can do the same route on a 750 ml biddon of squash and a decent breakfast.......

Ultimately, do what works for you - supplements don't agree with me, conditioning and solids do - maybe if I endurance raced they would be of benefit but for anything else real food does the trick!

[Raven Flyer]

MadDad said:

Raven Flyer said:

The only people dissing this are the ones who have never bonked themselves, or had a mate bonk whilst with them on a ride. It really is not pleasant yet is easily avoided.

Think about it for a second, if they haven't bonked and they don't use supplements maybe they have a point!

Perhaps the word 'yet' would have helped.

Agreed MD, but most people will avoid a bonk if they do keep fuelled. There are very few people who can do a 100 mile sportive on a bowl of porridge and 500ml of water.

[okgo]

I use SIS GO gels for races, I find them good, they are a good texture and don't require water.

But for normal riding, I much prefer normal food as I have said a few times.