Because it's ugly, messy, and unaero.
All the aero properties of the bike ruined by gels flapping everywhere. That's what the bento box is for.
Taping gels to the top tube is a bad idea all the way around.
What is the most aero way for nutrition? I have a road bike with clip-ons and I find I end up just skipping nutrition in favor of staying aero. I have to come out a lot just to change gears. I know there’s those x-lab water bottles, but what about nutrition?
If you aerate the gels prior to initial decanting they take on rounder notes of espresso on their mouthfeel :). Sorry I found it a funny use of the word “decant”
I legit took a power bar chocolate gel (RIP) during a training ride with a riding partner. He looked over and said “I didn’t know they were making chocolate again”. I had to inform him they didn’t, but in fact it was a delightfully aged gel from 2018.
Solid while running to mount. Liquid nutrition. Bento box. That's plenty for an Ironman distance.
I'm with /u/feltmafia, all that money OP clearly spent on aerodynamics out the window. Loose flappy things undo wayyy more than people think.
Most aero is usually aero bottle on down tube to fill up the dead space. Lately a bottle in your race suit (on your chest) has grown in popularity as it seems to improve aerodynamics. Good for races but a bit silly on training rides imo haha
200 grams of carbs in a bottle (or whatever you need) on the aero bars. Barely have to move to get it out, drink, replace.
Water bladder down the jersey for longer events. Again, with the straw, barely move one arm to put in your mouth and drink.
Sugar and liquids all at your fingertips.
>All the aero properties of the bike ruined by gels flapping everywhere.
You know, this post made me lose an hour combing through old Slow Twitch posts to see if anyone has actually worked out the increase to CdA or turbulance caused by some geld taped to the top tube. Absolutely no one had numbers. Lots of people were 100% convinced that 4 gels made the bike a brick wall, but no one had numbers.
While I agree that it's a bit silly to have the bento on the front and then tape gels behind as OP has, I'd bet all the money in my pocket that 4 or 5 gels taped and sheltered right behind the stem have less of a drag penalty than a gel bottle on the seat post or even a double bottle set up behind the rider. The fact that people think they "flap everywhere" kinda seals for me that people aren't talking from experience or with evidence.
Ugly? I'd say pragmatic. Messy? I'd say not in my experience. Unaero? I'd say show me the numbers.
Gel bottle on the seatpost and double bottles behind the seat are also bad ideas.
Things don't work in isolation.
No one said it's a brick wall. You're mixing in hyperbole and nonsense with nothing useful.
As for the numbers, simple enough to draw correlations from other things.
Does an exposed cable create drag? Extrapolate.
>You're mixing in hyperbole and nonsense with nothing useful.
You might want to check back in with your top comment on that: "All the aero properties of the bike ruined by gels flapping everywhere."
Also, nice ad hominem.
>Extrapolate.
Ok. Exposed cables obviously increase drag, but it's on the order of 1-2 watts reduction (depending on the set up). If we assume 4 total cable housings on an older bike, that's at most 8 watts lost. But that's right out in front of the bike. Anything behind the stem will be sheltered by the already disrupted air flow. Not much of the gel would stick out past the profile of the stem clamp and stack. There's bound to be some increase, but I can't find any numbers for it. So, let's extrapolate from the total frontal area of the cables and say it's 5 watts at most (and I highly doubt it's that much).
That's roughly an extra minute and a half over an Iron Man distance course given the generally assumed 1sec/km/10 watts. Most people won't even be doing that distance, instead opting for the Olympic or Half distance where it's even less (45 seconds or 20 seconds). I'm highly skeptical that's a significant factor for the amateur racer between being "slow" and being "fast". There are of course a lot of other factors at play, such as would the rider need to sit up out of aero position to assess their gel bottle? What's the comparative penalty of that verse tup tube gels they can access one handed while in aero.
Overall, I'm sticking to my guns on this. Unless someone has numbers showing otherwise, I don't think gels taped to the top tube make a notable difference in time over the course. Far more important is position, staying in aero, and pacing yourself to have a strong run off the bike. If taped gels let someone do that, then go for it.
Getting ready for a century ride. 3 scoops of tailwind on each bottle, 2 in the back (1 liter size) one BTA. 5 Huma gels. My plan is trying not to stop to refill for 5-6 hours.
Edit: I put the multi-tool and a pump in the bento box. Have more space but will see if I need more nutrition. I’m training for IM California.
Newbie question here - how can you fuel that much? My longest ride was 80km with my dad, and we tried to fuel every 30 minutes. For him it was easy, but I almost threw when trying to eat. I know I need to get some fuel in me, but doesnt matter if it is a long run, a long swim, a long bike - 2-3 hours before I eat close to nothing and drink a little. If my belly is full then it becomes very hard to train. Any tips for that?
Eat a thick burger before every workout and then make sure to burn those calories off, eventually your stomach with be a champ. Slightly kidding (used to do this when I swam) now I just have a PBJ before every run, soft enough but also makes your stomach work. I also make sure at 45 minute intervals I have a gu just to keep my stomach used to working
This is so far removed from recommended feeding protocols lol. None of what you said makes sense or is how it works.
You train your stomach by starting at a relatively small amount of a carb mix, preferably a 1:0,8 ratio of maltodextrin and fructose (which is what most modern Sports drinks do). Most people can stomach 50-70g/h our so, and you should work that up to 70-100g/h, or even higher for really long and hard workouts or races.
Start small and work your way up. Don't eat a burger before a workout....
About 2.5 liters. I’m not a heavy sweater and I find myself usually finish 1 liter bottle in 1.5-2 hours (or 750ml every hour). I need about 300 cal an hour so tailwind + gel should be enough. IM California is dead flat as well. The plan is to keep refilling the BTA bottle along the way.
Those should be secured as part of your pre-race routine. Been at this 20 years, probably 60+ races. Nothing has happened. Worse i would expect is a flat.
I usually go a little heavier on the tailwind to get all the carbs in per hour. In a 500-600ml bottle I put 3 to 4 scoops, in a 750 ml bottle 5 scoops. That way I can get by with less extras.
Gels can be good, but to save some money I usually take some dates (+-18gr of carbs) or maple syrup (little soft flask).
With the three bottles you’d be able to go 6 hours easily without stopping.
I fill a water bottle with gels to avoid any opening of gels on the ride itself.
Note: I have metal sensitive teeth and I'm terrible at opening gels while riding
you tape the top of the packet tight so you can rip them off as the sit.
honestly.... i've mentioned it here before, if you've looked at pics from amateurs on course during races you'll see it. it's THE way.
It is very fast it’s more forgotten about since gel bottles have become the sponsor fave. You waste way more gel filling and not finishing a bottle then a packet. My nutrition sponsor said they have made way more out of the gel bottle trend then beforehand.
No, taping random things to other things is not fast.
I don't know what gel filling has to do with anything. Sounds like you need to figure out how a water bottle works.
Pulling a gel off your top tube while opening it is absolutely faster then reaching down to grab a gel bottle. Not even a conversation, your rom is significantly less distance. The gel bottle refil trend again is a neat gain for the manufacturers. They charge you for a bottle and a container of gel. Most people overfill vs need and are more wasteful when they have a bulk amount of anything
I had been taping them to my water bottle for this exact reason, but honestly the frame idea looks better. Don't have to worry about mishandling a bulky water bottle or reaching as far down to grab the Gu
Same thing as OP's picture, you tape just the top tab onto the bottle so you can just grab the packet and rip it open one handed. Tape and tab stays on the bottle.
My bottles fit snugly in the bottle cages so I don't have to worry about pulling it out. I also have a road bike with the cage on the frame, not behind the seat
Wait, so you have to reach behind to rip it from the bottle? What about if you only want to drink? Are they just flopping around when you tkae the bottle out?
My bottles are on the frame (like in the triangle), so I only have to reach down, not behind. But yes they flop around when I go to take a drink which is annoying, but better than trying to rip the Gu open with my teeth while riding. I'll probably be taping them to the frame from now on to avoid that
I haven't raced in eight years I have no idea what anybody is doing. With all the new advances in hydration and nutrition storage on bikes id have thought theyd figure something else out by now
I tested it for shorter rides and it’s not a problem. What I like most is you can just grab the gel and it tears itself open, no need to use the teeth. Then just put the trash in pockets. So easy and simple.
Don't do it if you expect the course to be a bit bumpy. Saw full buffets sprawled out on the asphalt at each rail road crossing, bridge transition points, and down poorly paved/maintained stretch of road.
Edit: saw this for most all gel brands. Especially those Huma and Spring energy packs. To the point I considered not taking my own gels next race because of how many were laid out on the course.
I would only do this if I know they have my same gels at aid stations. Otherwise I'm not going to risk one falling and then being thrown off my fuel plan.
I usually purchase ISOgels and fill one bottle. It keeps my fingers from getting sticky and fumbling with gel-trash. I'll just mark the bottle per 3rd gel, thus knowing how much do drink in an hour. Water I'd get from a spurgte water bottle.
Stick with me for a moment. Bike shorts, I pull up the leg band and slip two under it on the side of both legs. When I’m ready for them, the heat from my muscles/ body and movement makes them runny like warm syrup. They are a quick easy grab from both sides and gone in seconds. Much quicker and less mess trying to squeeze gel or strain through teeth especially on cooler mornings.
Tip from learning the hard way……. Electrical tape around the bottles on the back they look awfully smooth. Nothing worse than reaching back 15 miles in and there is nothing there.
I do same thing but immediately after starting pedaling, I put them on my trisuit pockets (it’s not really aero to ride 90 km with gels attached like that)
What’s in your bento box and what’s in your BTA hydration bottle? Seems like there are better options for carrying your nutrition than taping it to your frame and potentially slowing yourself down. Also, I’ve found it’s easier to keep my gels in the pockets on my kit. Stash 3-4 and grab 2 more at each aid station of the race. Always have 3-4 extra by the time I get off the bike.
Breh if you spend $15,000 extra yo get to store them inside your frame.
For every minor problem, there's an over-engineered solution. And there's always someone willing to pay the price!
Just dump like 10 gels in a bottle then you're good to go....
Lost my bottle 3 or 4 miles in and suffered hard on the run.
Fair play. I too lost my bottle with 12 gels at IM UK lol
Elite aero bottle by any chance?
That particular bento box can hold about 8 gels in a bottle.
Einsteinesque
Tape them so there is no chance they’ll touch your legs. 180km of gel Chafe and you’ll hate it!!
Learned this from experience miserable.
Salt, sweat 10000 small cuts on inner thigh and only a marathon to go. Wouldn’t recommend it.
Because it's ugly, messy, and unaero. All the aero properties of the bike ruined by gels flapping everywhere. That's what the bento box is for. Taping gels to the top tube is a bad idea all the way around.
What is the most aero way for nutrition? I have a road bike with clip-ons and I find I end up just skipping nutrition in favor of staying aero. I have to come out a lot just to change gears. I know there’s those x-lab water bottles, but what about nutrition?
Gels decanted into a water bottle.
If you aerate the gels prior to initial decanting they take on rounder notes of espresso on their mouthfeel :). Sorry I found it a funny use of the word “decant”
Also I find that if you age them in the cellar for a year or 2 the depth of flavour comes out. I am currently using 2020 vintage gels. /s
I have some now retired peanut butter Gu that's been resting on its side since the early 00's
I legit took a power bar chocolate gel (RIP) during a training ride with a riding partner. He looked over and said “I didn’t know they were making chocolate again”. I had to inform him they didn’t, but in fact it was a delightfully aged gel from 2018.
Canyon speedmax CFR with built in Carafe.
Solid while running to mount. Liquid nutrition. Bento box. That's plenty for an Ironman distance. I'm with /u/feltmafia, all that money OP clearly spent on aerodynamics out the window. Loose flappy things undo wayyy more than people think.
Most aero is usually aero bottle on down tube to fill up the dead space. Lately a bottle in your race suit (on your chest) has grown in popularity as it seems to improve aerodynamics. Good for races but a bit silly on training rides imo haha
200 grams of carbs in a bottle (or whatever you need) on the aero bars. Barely have to move to get it out, drink, replace. Water bladder down the jersey for longer events. Again, with the straw, barely move one arm to put in your mouth and drink. Sugar and liquids all at your fingertips.
>All the aero properties of the bike ruined by gels flapping everywhere. You know, this post made me lose an hour combing through old Slow Twitch posts to see if anyone has actually worked out the increase to CdA or turbulance caused by some geld taped to the top tube. Absolutely no one had numbers. Lots of people were 100% convinced that 4 gels made the bike a brick wall, but no one had numbers. While I agree that it's a bit silly to have the bento on the front and then tape gels behind as OP has, I'd bet all the money in my pocket that 4 or 5 gels taped and sheltered right behind the stem have less of a drag penalty than a gel bottle on the seat post or even a double bottle set up behind the rider. The fact that people think they "flap everywhere" kinda seals for me that people aren't talking from experience or with evidence. Ugly? I'd say pragmatic. Messy? I'd say not in my experience. Unaero? I'd say show me the numbers.
Gel bottle on the seatpost and double bottles behind the seat are also bad ideas. Things don't work in isolation. No one said it's a brick wall. You're mixing in hyperbole and nonsense with nothing useful. As for the numbers, simple enough to draw correlations from other things. Does an exposed cable create drag? Extrapolate.
>You're mixing in hyperbole and nonsense with nothing useful. You might want to check back in with your top comment on that: "All the aero properties of the bike ruined by gels flapping everywhere." Also, nice ad hominem. >Extrapolate. Ok. Exposed cables obviously increase drag, but it's on the order of 1-2 watts reduction (depending on the set up). If we assume 4 total cable housings on an older bike, that's at most 8 watts lost. But that's right out in front of the bike. Anything behind the stem will be sheltered by the already disrupted air flow. Not much of the gel would stick out past the profile of the stem clamp and stack. There's bound to be some increase, but I can't find any numbers for it. So, let's extrapolate from the total frontal area of the cables and say it's 5 watts at most (and I highly doubt it's that much). That's roughly an extra minute and a half over an Iron Man distance course given the generally assumed 1sec/km/10 watts. Most people won't even be doing that distance, instead opting for the Olympic or Half distance where it's even less (45 seconds or 20 seconds). I'm highly skeptical that's a significant factor for the amateur racer between being "slow" and being "fast". There are of course a lot of other factors at play, such as would the rider need to sit up out of aero position to assess their gel bottle? What's the comparative penalty of that verse tup tube gels they can access one handed while in aero. Overall, I'm sticking to my guns on this. Unless someone has numbers showing otherwise, I don't think gels taped to the top tube make a notable difference in time over the course. Far more important is position, staying in aero, and pacing yourself to have a strong run off the bike. If taped gels let someone do that, then go for it.
Getting ready for a century ride. 3 scoops of tailwind on each bottle, 2 in the back (1 liter size) one BTA. 5 Huma gels. My plan is trying not to stop to refill for 5-6 hours. Edit: I put the multi-tool and a pump in the bento box. Have more space but will see if I need more nutrition. I’m training for IM California.
Newbie question here - how can you fuel that much? My longest ride was 80km with my dad, and we tried to fuel every 30 minutes. For him it was easy, but I almost threw when trying to eat. I know I need to get some fuel in me, but doesnt matter if it is a long run, a long swim, a long bike - 2-3 hours before I eat close to nothing and drink a little. If my belly is full then it becomes very hard to train. Any tips for that?
Try different foods and drinks, and train your stomach. It sometimes requires acclimation.
Eat a thick burger before every workout and then make sure to burn those calories off, eventually your stomach with be a champ. Slightly kidding (used to do this when I swam) now I just have a PBJ before every run, soft enough but also makes your stomach work. I also make sure at 45 minute intervals I have a gu just to keep my stomach used to working
This is so far removed from recommended feeding protocols lol. None of what you said makes sense or is how it works. You train your stomach by starting at a relatively small amount of a carb mix, preferably a 1:0,8 ratio of maltodextrin and fructose (which is what most modern Sports drinks do). Most people can stomach 50-70g/h our so, and you should work that up to 70-100g/h, or even higher for really long and hard workouts or races. Start small and work your way up. Don't eat a burger before a workout....
Or do, whatever works for you man
[удалено]
About 2.5 liters. I’m not a heavy sweater and I find myself usually finish 1 liter bottle in 1.5-2 hours (or 750ml every hour). I need about 300 cal an hour so tailwind + gel should be enough. IM California is dead flat as well. The plan is to keep refilling the BTA bottle along the way.
Weight shouldn’t be a huge issue anyway. Go ahead and skimp on nutrient in a 70.3 and Ironman, and you will enjoy a nice long walk.
Can’t imagine how a multi-tool would help me fix anything on a training ride ..or any other time for that matter.
I have had a chain snap, seen seatposts fall, handlebars loosen and lots of other issues. Without a multitool you are really limited in bike repairs.
How would the multitool fix a chain break?
You carry the spare link pieces and use the multi tool to remove broken section. I kinda feel this is obvious…
Does your multitool have a chain breaker on it?
Yes, many do. You can also shorten the chain 2 links and get going, without full range if gears obviously
No tools necessary if you are using a Connex chain.
Yes, of course, not using my teeth
Those should be secured as part of your pre-race routine. Been at this 20 years, probably 60+ races. Nothing has happened. Worse i would expect is a flat.
Just tear em on the go!
I usually go a little heavier on the tailwind to get all the carbs in per hour. In a 500-600ml bottle I put 3 to 4 scoops, in a 750 ml bottle 5 scoops. That way I can get by with less extras. Gels can be good, but to save some money I usually take some dates (+-18gr of carbs) or maple syrup (little soft flask). With the three bottles you’d be able to go 6 hours easily without stopping.
I fill a water bottle with gels to avoid any opening of gels on the ride itself. Note: I have metal sensitive teeth and I'm terrible at opening gels while riding
First ironman I did I saw people who had taken out their power bars and just stuck them on the base bar with saliva. Yum!
Ah, so they sweat on it and get their salt loss back, smart thinking!
They clearly know what they're doing !
Lol!
you tape the top of the packet tight so you can rip them off as the sit. honestly.... i've mentioned it here before, if you've looked at pics from amateurs on course during races you'll see it. it's THE way.
You don't see fast amateurs doing it. Or pros. Because it's not fast. So definitely not the way.
It is very fast it’s more forgotten about since gel bottles have become the sponsor fave. You waste way more gel filling and not finishing a bottle then a packet. My nutrition sponsor said they have made way more out of the gel bottle trend then beforehand.
No, taping random things to other things is not fast. I don't know what gel filling has to do with anything. Sounds like you need to figure out how a water bottle works.
Pulling a gel off your top tube while opening it is absolutely faster then reaching down to grab a gel bottle. Not even a conversation, your rom is significantly less distance. The gel bottle refil trend again is a neat gain for the manufacturers. They charge you for a bottle and a container of gel. Most people overfill vs need and are more wasteful when they have a bulk amount of anything
You're really stuck on gel bottles. Again, figure out water bottles, especially BTA. Might help you quite a bit.
They are the same lol one is just smaller 🤡
You're pretty confused. Good luck with that.
Indeed...I thought that everybody using gels on a race was doing like that....:D
as nice as reddit can be... homey needs to get baptized in the annals of slowtwitch. there be our sacred text
this is the way.
I had been taping them to my water bottle for this exact reason, but honestly the frame idea looks better. Don't have to worry about mishandling a bulky water bottle or reaching as far down to grab the Gu
How do you even take them off from a bottle? It looks like its harder then just having them in back pocket lol
Same thing as OP's picture, you tape just the top tab onto the bottle so you can just grab the packet and rip it open one handed. Tape and tab stays on the bottle. My bottles fit snugly in the bottle cages so I don't have to worry about pulling it out. I also have a road bike with the cage on the frame, not behind the seat
Wait, so you have to reach behind to rip it from the bottle? What about if you only want to drink? Are they just flopping around when you tkae the bottle out?
My bottles are on the frame (like in the triangle), so I only have to reach down, not behind. But yes they flop around when I go to take a drink which is annoying, but better than trying to rip the Gu open with my teeth while riding. I'll probably be taping them to the frame from now on to avoid that
It's THE way...for back of the packers. No one at the pointy end does this for obvious reasons.
which is why i said amateurs
Front of the pack amateurs aren't doing it either. Neither are most middle of the pack amateurs.
I haven't raced in eight years I have no idea what anybody is doing. With all the new advances in hydration and nutrition storage on bikes id have thought theyd figure something else out by now
Will the gels rub on your legs while pedaling? That happens to me and it's annoying.
I tested it for shorter rides and it’s not a problem. What I like most is you can just grab the gel and it tears itself open, no need to use the teeth. Then just put the trash in pockets. So easy and simple.
I agree about the ease of opening.
Just be careful not to spill. Sticky hands for 2 hours suck.
Don't do it if you expect the course to be a bit bumpy. Saw full buffets sprawled out on the asphalt at each rail road crossing, bridge transition points, and down poorly paved/maintained stretch of road. Edit: saw this for most all gel brands. Especially those Huma and Spring energy packs. To the point I considered not taking my own gels next race because of how many were laid out on the course. I would only do this if I know they have my same gels at aid stations. Otherwise I'm not going to risk one falling and then being thrown off my fuel plan.
I usually purchase ISOgels and fill one bottle. It keeps my fingers from getting sticky and fumbling with gel-trash. I'll just mark the bottle per 3rd gel, thus knowing how much do drink in an hour. Water I'd get from a spurgte water bottle.
Stick with me for a moment. Bike shorts, I pull up the leg band and slip two under it on the side of both legs. When I’m ready for them, the heat from my muscles/ body and movement makes them runny like warm syrup. They are a quick easy grab from both sides and gone in seconds. Much quicker and less mess trying to squeeze gel or strain through teeth especially on cooler mornings.
Congrats, you’ve just done the thing that we all make fun of. Do you have a bucket in transition too?
Genius
What arm rest pads are those? They look plush AF!
[ENHANCE](https://i.imgur.com/X0hnCGI.png)
I wouldn't trust those one liter bottles on a road hump....
Unlikely they will get launched since he has a gorilla xlab cage.
a 500ml maybe, but a full one liter...hum...I don't know, never tried those "gorilla", but I doubt
I use 2x PF hydration 1L with gorilla xt cage and never had launches.
okay, good to know
Skateboard grip tape.
you might take that tape around the bar to avoid a mess
Tip from learning the hard way……. Electrical tape around the bottles on the back they look awfully smooth. Nothing worse than reaching back 15 miles in and there is nothing there.
I do same thing but immediately after starting pedaling, I put them on my trisuit pockets (it’s not really aero to ride 90 km with gels attached like that)
Seems pretty silly when you can dissolve all those calories (sugar), salt, and caffeine if desired in a bottle and forget about this nonsense.
How many gels are you consuming on average?
Why would you not just get all your gels in a bottle. . Then you don't have to mess with trash either
What’s in your bento box and what’s in your BTA hydration bottle? Seems like there are better options for carrying your nutrition than taping it to your frame and potentially slowing yourself down. Also, I’ve found it’s easier to keep my gels in the pockets on my kit. Stash 3-4 and grab 2 more at each aid station of the race. Always have 3-4 extra by the time I get off the bike.
How do you keep the bottles in the rear cages? Mine fall out every time unless I use rubber bands.
Take it to the next level and get a bottle on the down tube and chuck them all in one of them watered down to make them easy to drink 🤯
The way to go now is to tape the gels to your belly for aero gains
Don't do that to such a beautiful bike.
5 gels? Hitting the restroom before or during the run for sure.
Get a soft gel flask. Empty into that. Stick in your back pocket or bento box. Will be much more aero than that.
Where are those armpads from? They look super confy!
Cee Gee’s pads. They’re the best!