I know that it bugs a lot of folks when people throw their gel and bar wrappers on the ground during training and racing, and I agree that you should not be throwing this crap all over the road.
What I am curious about is your opinions on the “tear and spit” method of opening a bar or gel when out on the road. It is a lot easier to open a package with one hand and your teeth when you are cruising at 25 mph than it is to use both hands.
In the past I have used ClifShots for my gel and they have a little leash for the part that you tear off, but they are the only brand with this feature and I think I like GU better. I didn’t even think about it much until I was on a ride last week with a friend and she opened a bar with her teeth and spat out the piece of plastic that came off the wrapper. I just happened to be right behind her and it went right by my head.
Who out there slows down enough to ensure they don’t litter with the bitten off piece of wrapper?
I try not to litter. Especially when I’m in the mountains, then I will put every little trash in my pockets. I hate littering, its one thing I cannot stand. But as long as I pay $45 when my car is parked on the street during a cleaning day, and the street doesn’t get cleaned in weeks, I just spit that thing out of my mouth. And as long as I get flats because the city and the street cleaners don’t do their jobs (one section has broken glass since october…) I don’t feel bad about it. I know, what I wrote sounds very contradictive, but I’m still pissed that I got 3 flats in 7miles the other day. Stuff like that just pisses me off. Broken glass flats back tire, broken glass flats front tire. Then I turn around because I’m pissed and want to go home. Guess what? Broken CD slices back tire and I have to walk home. Maybe it was just my turn because I didn’t have a flat since I can’t remember.
I use a bento box and have all of my gels (with the tops ripped off) in there ready to eat. How hard is that?
Don’t litter. Gels, cigarette butts, whatever.
{ididn’t even think about it much until I was on a ride last week with a friend and she opened a bar with her teeth and spat out the piece of plastic that came off the wrapper.} reply
that’s weak. you should have told her lazy ass to go pick it up.
Exactly. Tape the gel over the tear mark onto to the top tube. Rip the gel off the bike when you want to eat one, stuff the wrapper in your bag pocket, and when you are done with the ride, pull the tape off and you have the top of the wrapper stuck to the tape.
There is no need to litter. That is unacceptable in any circumstance.
It’s fairly easy to open a bar/gel, with both hands and ride along at a normal pace and in a straight line. I’ve been told by several race directors that littering problems have made it more difficult to get a race permit for the next year. In every race I’ve done, littering has been listed as a DQ offense at the pre-race briefing.
Anything that nature won’t eat or remove is litter.
Gel paks, gel pak tops, water bottle, bar wrappers = trash. Or another way to think abou it…Would you mind if you found this in your front yard each week when you went out to mow?
I do toss bananna peels, apple cores, etc onto the side of the road when in rural areas. I don’t in city or suburban areas.
I do not throw stuff out on the road, but I do thank everybody for the tips on how to make easier not to since I am not the greatest at riding with no hands.
I use a gel flask while racing, and on training rides just tear it partialy with teeth and put in bike jersey pocket (can be messy). Littering is not cool.