That's about 200 cals/hr. For an easy ride, seems about right for me at 160 lbs.

Am I the last person on the planet who realizes that you don't need to replenish every single calorie in real time as it's being burned?

Just how many gels do you consume per week?

---

"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

GU sez every 45'.

I used to be a 1/2 water, 1/2 gatorade guy for all my workouts longer than an hour - just water for anything less. Taking gels (or any food for that matter mmmmm pop-tarts) has eliminated me binging & vegging on the couch after my saturday morning long ride.

I can go with gels or food or whatever for the Saturday long ride, or in a longer race. Taking in two gels per hour on every training ride is ridiculous.

---

"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

Gels are kinda expensive and real food tastes better but .. yeah ... eating a decent amount during training rides seems to make then MUCH easier to recover from. I can do a four hour ride on Gatorade but I sure know about it when I try to ride the next day.

Maybe the problem is that I'm the only one who doesn't do a four hour ride every day . . . .

---

"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

depends on how many teeth you have.

Zero. Those things are nasty.

I actually missed the point you were driving at and generally agree. I was thinking of long rides. I don't take in cals on rides or runs under 2 hours (except whatever's derived from 1/2 strength gatorade on the bike - and that's just for taste).

I've done many, many 2-3-4 hours rides with nothing but water. No problem at all. It wasn't until I was training this year for my first HIM that I really started paying attention to nutrition, mostly because there's a long run at the end. I don't see any need for all the gels being recommended for simple bike rides. If you're training for a HIM or IM it's different, but for just biking alone it's overkill.

---

Don

Tri-ing to have fun. Anything else is just a bonus!

If I am going out for a two to three hour ride I might bring a bar and maybe a few gels and realistically I might have one or two gels at best. If I do a ride between 4-6 hours then I bring the gels and aim for 200 calories an hour...this has more to do with training my nutrition for IM, staving off a post ride binge, and helping me to recover more quickly. But 200 calories an hour for every workout is overkill.

What gel company does Carmichael have an interest in?

---

�The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.� -Michelangelo

MoodBoost Drink : Mood Support + Energy.

Well, you could try the following as reported from the Badwater course: "Fighting stomach pain and nausea before Stovepipe Wells (mile 42), he recovered sufficiently to continue the fight, taking mostly Hershey's chocolate syrup and coke for energy. In spite of those difficulties, however, the early part of the race went very fast, with Nunes following Konya and Pacheco through Stovepipe Wells (mile 42) in 5:18, 5:33, and 5:39 respectively."
-------------------------

---

Born again Heathen
In Case of Keith Moon - Break This Glass
Ironman Certified Coach
USAT Certified Coach
Precision Nutrition Certified

You're kidding right? No need for taking in carbs on a 4 hour ride?

No, he's right. You're just showing your ignorance, but that's ok, this is Slowtwitch.

Are you serious? Let's say I go for a 1.5 hour ride. I should, then, consume three gels? For what?

---

"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

I don't know, to mantain your blood glycogen??? Just a hunch.

Stop being obtuse, Paulo. Either give a real answer, or be quiet.

---

"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

It's hard to say what the exact right way to do it is. The bigger you are, the faster you ride....etc....effect your intake. His rec is actually on par with what is recommended for mountain biking.

"You're kidding right? No need for taking in carbs on a 4 hour ride?"

Not for me. I also do runs of up to 2 hours with nothing at all - no gels, no fluids. Try it sometime.

---

Don

Tri-ing to have fun. Anything else is just a bonus!

That's pretty amazing. Try it sometime when you're training seriously. Let us know how it goes.

Then you're far end of the spectrum. Two hours without carbs, while not ideal for peak performance is not a problem to do. 2 hours without fluid is not the smartest thing in the world to do if you're and average to above average person in terms of sweat loss.

Do not consume any, not even during a race. You will bonk, I will win. Everyone is happy. :)

But seriously, when I go out for 1.5 hours, I will probably only consume 1-2 gels max. For something like 4 hours, 1 gel every thirty minutes or the equivalent of that in some sort of food.

To the person who says gels are expensive. Let me help you out here --

1. Bicycle and bicycle related crap - $5000
2. Other triathlon related crap - $2000
3. Ironman fee + air fair + hotel accomodations + rental car = $2500+ per race
4. Box of gels - $20

Those gels are breaking me.

But seriously, when I go out for 1.5 hours, I will probably only consume 1-2 gels max.

Seriously, what's the benefit to that?

---

"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

At one time some of the top marathoners, who's times many of us will never achieve, ran the entire race without fluids.

Try this. Have a good breakfast. Ride 4 hours with just water. Have a good lunch. It really isn't that difficult. As I mentioned previously - if you're training for a HIM or IM, then it's different because you need to keep going beyond the biking.

---

Don

Tri-ing to have fun. Anything else is just a bonus!