Myprotein ENER:GEL review

The guys at ProBikeKit asked me if I'd like to try out the new energy gels from MyProtein.

MyProtein are market leaders in sports nutrition and supplements. Now they've ventured into the cycling arena with the ENER:GEL. They currently have two different flavours available - Orange Zest and Lemon and Lime. I was sent the Orange Zest flavour.

Packaging
The gels come in the very common 60ml pouch. The packet can be torn by your teeth from either side and more often then not you need to tear from both sides as I couldn't seem to tear it in one clean sweep. The size of the gel is fairly handy for carrying a handful in your jersey pocket and are not too heavy.

Flavour
The flavour was just sweet enough. Not too sickly, just a nice refreshing taste. People often choose gels based on taste. I think this flavour will appear to many.

Texture
The gel is not thick and not too watery so it's easy to consume and digest. The high water content means you won't need to wash it down straight way like the thicker gels on the market.

Cost
ProBikeKit currently sell a box of 24 for £19.19 including delivery. That's just 80p per gel. Excellent value.

Performance
The gel performed well while out riding. Each gel provides 25g of carbohydrate and just 101 kcal. Enough for leisure and sportive riders like me.

Verdict
A great tasting, great value gel that will fit well into the current offerings from the well known gel makers.

Other uses for SPD pedals

Staying hydrated

As it seems spring is finally here, more and more cyclists are getting out on their bikes. Many, like me will be getting some decent training miles in with long rides.

If you're planning to ride for long periods of time, it's important to stay hydrated. Proper hydration will improve performance and also stop your legs feeling so tired after your ride.

The simple solution is to drink little and often. The simplest drink is just water. If you have a bottle cage on your bike, you can get a bike drink bottle and put plain old tap water in it. There are some fancy calculators that can tell you how much to drink when riding but drinking little and often should be OK for most rides in most weathers.

Depending on how much water you carry on your bike and where you intend to ride will determine whether or not a bottle or two is sufficient. Also, if you ride a mountain bike off road then bottles are likely to fall off your bike quite easily. One solution is to get a different bottle cage, but many mountain bikers like to use hydration packs. A hydration pack is basically a purpose made small rucksack with a plastic bag inside you fill with water that has a tube coming out of it for you to suck on when you're thirsty. Depending on which one you go for you can get them in sizes up to 3 litres (that's 6 standard drinks bottles).

If you're not averse to carrying a bag on your back then you can also get ones that double as proper rucksacks. Some are only a little bigger so cannot store much but many are available in a decent size like 18 or 25 litres. You can carry your lunch and all bike accessories for a long ride in these. Some come with a hydration bladder as standard and some are compatible so you can choose which one you fit.

On really hot days you might want to consider an electrolyte replacement drink to put in your bottle or bladder. Your body loses salts through sweat and these salts are important for your body to function properly. By drinking an electrolyte solution you can replace lost salts as you ride. Most are added to your water as a tablet or powder. Some have no calories and just replace salts. Others also have sugars to provide energy.

Bike pumps

It's inevitable that you'll need to pump your tyres up after a mid-ride puncture at some time or other. The puncture fairy can strike at any time and  no matter how good your tyres or tubes are at resisting punctures, you need to be prepared.

Hand pumps
There are two types of hand pumps - high pressure or high volume. High pressure ones are suitable for road bike tyres where you'll want to put in over 100psi. High volume pumps are for mountain bikes for example where you might only need 50psi. Most hand pumps will require you to have serious stamina to pump your tyres up properly. The nearer you get to the target pressure, the harder it will get.

Some pumps will fit directly to the valve. This can put a lot of force against the metal valve and in some cases you can find yourself damaging it or snapping it clean off!
It may be worth looking for a pump with a flexible hose or even one of the more stamina friendly mini floor pumps.

CO2 Pumps
These work by having a sealed cartridge of compressed carbon dioxide. The cartridges are replaceable and cost around £1 each. They may seem expensive but are a godsend, especially in cold weather when you don't want to be hanging around getting cold. CO2 is expelled into the tyre so fast that you can pump it up in just over a second. Most pumps come with cartridges suitable for road bikes, hybrids and 26" mountain bikes. If you are using a 29er mountain bike you may want to consider using two cartridges or getting a bigger 25g one.

Hybrid hand pumps
These are the best of both worlds. They are normal hand pumps but with the ability to fit a CO2 cartridge. That way you can pump of most of the tyre by hand and when the going gets tough, you can use the cartridge to top it up. That way your cartridges go further. Some of these don't have flexible hoses so you could still damage the valve if you overdo it.

Track pumps
Also known as stirrup pumps, these are what you keep at home for your regular maintenance. They can pump to the highest pressures with ease and as they have a long plunger handle you can get good leverage and pump your tyres up in no time at all. Most have a pressure gauge so you can be sure you've put enough air in and also that you've not put in too much.

3 year anniversary

Yesterday was three years since I started cycling.

In that time I've ridden a total distance of 13,662 miles. I've lost 8 stone in weight and become a new person both physically and mentally.

In the past year I found myself hitting an invisible barrier, weight wise, that I couldn't get below. My weight went up and down a number of pounds but stayed fairly stable. I tried new methods of diet and exercise and had some success. I tried to focus less on the weight and more on the fat percentage.

One thing I've learned over the last year is that as I'm getting used to how I look now, I'm also finding it hard to be comfortable with my new body image. I'll be honest and tell you that I was never comfortable before but now I have a new shape, I'm not totally happy either. There's always more I can do but it will take a lot longer to shape than it has up until now. I've posted a couple of before and after pictures. I was very anxious about posting these publicly but I think it needs to be done.

I also went for an anniversary ride. I recreated the first ride I ever did on my mountain bike. Just 3 miles. I was a massive step for me 3 years ago.

Top UK cycle routes (infographic)

Source: www.globalbike.co.uk

Keeping warm on the bike

I've not written much in the past about winter cycle clothing, but as I progress through my third winter on the bike I thought I’d share what I've learned.

It’s easy keeping your body and legs warm but stopping your extremities like hands, feet and nose from getting cold is a different matter.

Feet

Most bike shoes have mesh ventilation panels to keep your feet cool in summer but in winter, they also let cold air in. One tip would be to wear thermal socks - two pairs of them. If you suffer from poor circulation like I do then two pairs of socks may not be enough. The answer isn't to put three pairs on. The simple answer is over shoes. Overshoes are like gloves for your shoes. Nearly all are waterproof to some degree so not only do they block the wind they also keep your feet dry when it’s raining which also helps keep your feet warm. They may seem a little extravagant at around £25 a pair but they’re well worth the money.

Hands
It’s obvious that you’ll need to wear gloves to keep your hands warm in winter but choosing a good pair is important. You don’t have to spend a fortune on them but if you buy some that are waterproof they generally have a wind-stopper material which will keep your hands warmer. Again if you suffer from poor circulation like me your hands will get cold no matter what gloves you wear. However, your hands will start to warm up within 15-20mins of vigorous pedalling. If you feel you still need more warmth for your hands, you can always buy some glove liners.

Face
The best thing I've found for keeping my face warm is a Buff. A buff is a piece of headwear that is very thin and tube shaped and can be worm in many styles to cover your head, face, ears etc. If you require full head and face coverage you can use two. One for your top half and one for the bottom half of your head. Again you will start off a little cold but you’ll warm up as you ride.

Body
I like to ride with as little as possible. The more layers you have the more restricted you’ll feel. I've found all I need is a base layer and jacket. This is good enough is almost all temperatures. When it gets to -1c or lower (temperature or wind chill) I put two base layers on. A modern base layer is thin and lightweight. It allows heat to be retained but moisture to escape. I use a thin lightweight waterproof jacket on top. This stops the wind from penetrating therefore keeping the temperature higher. Because body heat can’t escape through the jacket you stay warm. This set-up isn't as good when the temperature is mild as condensation builds up between the base layer and the jacket.

Legs
I wear bib tights during the winter. Cheap ones are fine. They stop cold air getting in at the waistline. Most will have some sort of wind-stopper material at the front. Your legs will naturally warm up with pedalling but your outer thighs may get cold. To save yourself having different thickness tights you could always wear a pair of shorts over the top. For rainy days, you could buy some waterproof bib tights but they can be very costly. Instead I use a pair of waterproof over-trousers. Not as streamlined but great value.

Remember, it's always best to start off cold as you'll warm up when pedalling.

I'm always interested to hear what works for others if you want to share your experiences.