Hammergesl?

Quoted message said:

Anyone tried Hammer Gels for long distance multi-day rides (with emphasis on endurance)? How are
they compared to Gu or Cliff shots? Thanks

Fine...and a lot less expensive. And flasks are much neater than packets.

Might want to consider making your own stuff as an alternative if you're planning to use a qt. or so
per quarter...much cheaper than store-bought.

PH

"Pete Hausner" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Anyone tried Hammer Gels for long distance multi-day rides (with emphasis on endurance)? How are
they compared to Gu or Cliff shots? Thanks

Fine...and a lot less expensive. And flasks are much neater than packets.

Might want to consider making your own stuff as an alternative if you're planning to use a qt. or
so per quarter...much cheaper than store-bought.

PH

Interesting idea - any recipes or links to such?

SB

"Steve Blankenship" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Interesting idea - any recipes or links to such?

On the theory that most of these gels are geared to supply a quick rush with simple sugar (looking
at the labels of Gu and Cliff Shot; don't know about Hammergel), my stuff consists of equal parts
corn syrup, chocolate sauce, and caramel syrup. All of those are pure sugar with a bit of salt, and
fat free. As far as I can tell from the Gu label, only thing missing from my mix is potassium, which
I don't think is necessary in a gel; Cytomax etc. supplies electrolytes if you are looking for that.
I also add a tad of peanut butter to thicken the mix; though the protein is not quickly digestible
like the rest of the ingrediants, it has caused me no stomach problems. I find the taste just fine -
if you like candy, you can tolerate
it. Certainly no worse than commercial product.

I store the recipe in the fridge in a water bottle, and before a ride microwave it briefly to
soften, then pour into a gel flask.

I also have been known to grind up a No-Doz or two (pure caffeine, each pill approx. equal to a cup
of coffee) and a few tabs of ibuprofen for long rides.

This is all ignorant and amateur, but I can't really tell the difference in effect between my swill
and the commercial stuff, but can see a huge difference in the wallet.

Doug Taylor said:

On the theory that most of these gels are geared to supply a quick rush with simple sugar (looking
at the labels of Gu and Cliff Shot; don't know about Hammergel)...

Hammergel touts the fact that they have no *simple* sugars in their stuff. It's based on
maltodextrose. There are also claims about why this is a good thing.

Quoted message said:

my stuff consists of equal parts corn syrup, chocolate sauce, and caramel syrup.

The reason I use Hammer gel is that corn syrup and I don't get along. Wish I did, the damn stuff is
in everything!

For the OP: The Hammer stuff works very well for me. Try the apple flavor - the orange stuff tastes
awful, but of course tasted vary.
--
Mark Janeba remove antispam phrase in address to reply

Doug Taylor said:

On the theory that most of these gels are geared to supply a quick rush with simple sugar (looking
at the labels of Gu

Did you actually *read* the label on the Gu? The label on the Gu I'm looking at has maltodextrin as
the first ingredient, water as the second and then a simple sugar as the third.

JT

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I'd have to disagree with an earlier post about the flasks being less messy. I've had more than a
hand full of times when my jersey pocket had its fair share of gel in it from leaky flasks. Some
were my fault when I didn't click the top closed tight and others were from flasks where the gel
leaked out through the top's threads. The minute I heard they had single serving packets I ordered
those in my favorite flavor, raspberry. Esspresso and vanilla are also good. If you use the flask,
you can also combine flavors.

Wade

"John Forrest Tomlinson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Doug Taylor said:

On the theory that most of these gels are geared to supply a quick rush with simple sugar
(looking at the labels of Gu

Did you actually *read* the label on the Gu? The label on the Gu I'm looking at has maltodextrin
as the first ingredient, water as the second and then a simple sugar as the third.

JT

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"Mark Janeba" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Doug Taylor said:

On the theory that most of these gels are geared to supply a quick rush

with

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

simple sugar (looking at the labels of Gu and Cliff Shot; don't know

about

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hammergel)...

Hammergel touts the fact that they have no *simple* sugars in their stuff. It's based on
maltodextrose. There are also claims about why this is a good thing.

Quoted message said:

my stuff consists of equal parts corn syrup, chocolate sauce, and caramel syrup.

The reason I use Hammer gel is that corn syrup and I don't get along. Wish I did, the damn stuff
is in everything!

For the OP: The Hammer stuff works very well for me. Try the apple flavor - the orange stuff
tastes awful, but of course tasted vary.

Here's the ingredient list from that stuff: Long-chain Maltodextrin, Filtered Water, Energy Smart®
(Fruit Juice, Natural Grain Dextrins), Banana Puree, Natural Flavor, Amino Acids (L-Leucine,
L-Alanine, L-Valine, L-Isoleucine), Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate
(as a preservative), Potassium Chloride.

The following link suggests why they use maltodextrin.

opta-food.comglucose.htmlOpen ↗

What kind of time do you think it takes to get energy benefits from Maltodextrin , which is
apparently digested in the small intestine?

But I'd like to see something that suggests that all this stuff is better than normal food (for the
non-serious-non-competitor). Aside from being convenient forms of nourishment while on the bike, I
see no advantage to them over a normal diet. While I'm on it, what are the amino acids supposed to
do? I thought they only benefit in post-exercise recovery (anabolic).

--
Robin Hubert <[email hidden]

Steve Blankenship said:

Interesting idea - any recipes or links to such?

I make my own out of Karo's corn syrup, honey, and sometimes molassis. You can duplicate the
caffeine in Gu and Hammergel by grinding up a NoDoz pill and mixing it in.

--
Jerry Gardner [email hidden]

Mark Janeba said:

Hammergel touts the fact that they have no *simple* sugars in their stuff. It's based on
maltodextrose. There are also claims about why this is a good thing.

Maltodextrose is available from health food shops.

--
Jerry Gardner [email hidden]

"Robin Hubert" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:reuta.56679> But I'd like to see
something that suggests that all this stuff is better

Quoted message said:

than normal food (for the non-serious-non-competitor). Aside from being convenient forms of
nourishment while on the bike, I see no advantage to them over a normal diet. While I'm on it,
what are the amino acids

supposed

Quoted message said:

to do? I thought they only benefit in post-exercise recovery (anabolic).

--
Robin Hubert <[email hidden]>

Its not better than "real" food, but convenience is the whole point. It can be hard to whoof down
real food during a race. The gels are easier both in the physical act of getting the food from your
pocket to your mouth and in the digestion.

Wade