Bar wrappers

[pistonbroke]

Not talking about handlebars. I'm asking about energy bars you eat.
So, with the race season kicking off soon, I am struggling with a technique for eating on the go. I just can't seem to get any of the bars unwrapped and eaten without having to stop and wrestle with the bloody wrappers. I always make sure I don't drop the wrapper on the trail.
I have tried pre opening bars and putting them in a top tube mounted bag, but this was a disaster, as they all just stuck together and became one gooey sticky mess.
I ride mostly marathon and 6 hour type events. Some tracks give you plenty of road time which makes it easy, while others make it hard to take your hands from the bars for more than a few seconds. I can survive on liquid fuels, but I do prefer to eat along the way as I am usually out there for a long time.
So what do you do? How do you eat your bars? What else can you eat on the go?

Also what bars do you recommend? I would prefer ones that are not chocolate and are going to melt. What is there texture like? Are they hard to chew/eat?

 

[Josh Seksy]

TORQ BARS - Best in the world, by far!
Taste is sooo good, plenty of different flavours so you're sure to find something you like.

As for eating on the trail...
Depending on the trails I'm racing on, I'll mix it up.

For the races where you have a decent amount of road/firetrail I simply cut a bar in half, right through the wrapper, without opening it.
This way when you go to eat it, you just squeeze/bite and out pops the bar.

As for other races where you need a bit more food on you, I'm a big fan of plastic cups (the ones for picnic sets/takeaway joints) fill them with little slices of each food and just tuck them in your pockets.

Yes I did steal the idea from Chris Eatough from the movie 24Solo and my god it works!

Hope it helps!

 

[aymtb]

Energy Bar alternative

Energy Bars are great if you can stop between laps. Cliff bars are my favourite as they are more tasty than power bars and a lot of others. However I find all energy bars are fiddly to eat while your riding and difficult to digest whilst riding, gels are much easier however don't have that many carbs on offer for a marathon event etc.

Have you thought of dropping the energy bar for say a liquid carb/protein mix in a drink bottle as perhaps a better solution (no pun). Hammer Nutrition make a mix called perpetuem you can mix up enough to make a 6 hour bottle. You can then either have a second bottle or camelback with water for your hydration requirements. I have found this a very effective and ensures you take in enough carbs.

 

[pistonbroke]

Have you thought of dropping the energy bar for say a liquid carb/protein mix in a drink bottle as perhaps a better solution (no pun). Hammer Nutrition make a mix called perpetuem you can mix up enough to make a 6 hour bottle. You can then either have a second bottle or camelback with water for your hydration requirements. I have found this a very effective and ensures you take in enough carbs.

Perpetuem is great. I have started using it and it works great. I could survive on it alone but I prefer to eat a little along the way as well. For some races I will do exactly as you suggest and use a 6 hour bottle of Perpetuem with a camelback. But I still want to eat.

 

[pistonbroke]

TORQ BARS - Best in the world, by far!
Taste is sooo good, plenty of different flavours so you're sure to find something you like.

As for eating on the trail...
Depending on the trails I'm racing on, I'll mix it up.

For the races where you have a decent amount of road/firetrail I simply cut a bar in half, right through the wrapper, without opening it.
This way when you go to eat it, you just squeeze/bite and out pops the bar.

As for other races where you need a bit more food on you, I'm a big fan of plastic cups (the ones for picnic sets/takeaway joints) fill them with little slices of each food and just tuck them in your pockets.

Yes I did steal the idea from Chris Eatough from the movie 24Solo and my god it works!

Hope it helps!

What is the texture of Torq bars like? Are they real chewy or sticky? Hard or soft?
I like the plastic cup idea.

 

[Smiker]

TORQ Bars are a pretty good option, as are Science in Sport Bars. To me, both can be classed as 'durable' as well as edible. That is, they don't melt or crumble. They are easy to cut in half in their packets as suggested above.

I prefer to stick with bars and light electrolyte/carb drinks for the first few hours of a marathon - then start using gels towards the end. I don't usually cut the bars in half, as they are then a smaller item in the pocket. I cut the top of the wrapper, and may even slice down the side a bit so it opens easily. That way I can reach for the whole bar, eat some, and then stow the rest up the leg of my bibs. It's not fashionable, but if you need to put it somewhere fast it works.

As for flavours, it doesn't really bother me. I choose the bars on whether they work, and usually don't have the energy or interest to ruminate on the flavour and what sort of wine it may go well with while racing.

Smiker

 

[Josh Seksy]

What is the texture of Torq bars like? Are they real chewy or sticky? Hard or soft?
I like the plastic cup idea.

Soft enough to chew easily, nice and moist (you will not dry your mouth out!)

Grab your self a couple and you'll see what I mean!

 

[DaGonz]

I prefer to stick with bars and light electrolyte/carb drinks for the first few hours of a marathon - then start using gels towards the end.

Really? if it's less than 8hrs, I'd be on the Gu the whole time basically.

I don't usually cut the bars in half, as they are then a smaller item in the pocket. I cut the top of the wrapper, and may even slice down the side a bit so it opens easily. That way I can reach for the whole bar, eat some, and then stow the rest up the leg of my bibs. It's not fashionable, but if you need to put it somewhere fast it works.

I use my teeth. For enduros, I've found breaking bars up into pieces and putting them in a plastic cup works. Jam cup into pocket, go...

and usually don't have the energy or interest to ruminate on the flavour and what sort of wine it may go well with while racing.

Some might say you're doing it wrong...


Cheers
Spoonie

 

[RED_RACER]

I use the shotz bar, choc almond mmm.....

Ill bite about 20mm down the bar and then slide this broken off part of bar up to the end of the wrapper which forces it open. No cutting, no mess etc,

The used wrapper then gets slid up the shorts

and shotz now have a 20gram protein recovery bar

 

[retroenduro]

open them, cut them up and then wrap them in rice paper. then keep them dry, in your bag. Easy!

 

[29er]

Theres some good tips here. I'd like it if they could put a few bins out and a sign something like "bin 1km ahead". It would remind me to have a gel and then id have a place to put the wrapper rather than end up with a sticky pocket.

 

[Stevob]

I have a cool Endura gel flask which holds about 4 gels. It's got a poptop on it, and works rather well when riding. Beats having to open a gel on the run, getting fingers messy and sticky and then dispose of the wrapper on your person somewhere.

The pop top can be a little stubborn to close properly sometimes though.

 

[RED_RACER]

I have a cool Endura gel flask which holds about 4 gels. It's got a poptop on it, and works rather well when riding. Beats having to open a gel on the run, getting fingers messy and sticky and then dispose of the wrapper on your person somewhere.

The pop top can be a little stubborn to close properly sometimes though.

If we are talking about gels, then I go the flask every time. No rubbish and no messy gel wrappers to throw up the nicks!

 

[Smiker]

Total agreeance. Flasks are the future, and have been for about 10 years. That way you can leave all your wrappers in your mates car instead.

Smiker

 

[Australia]

How do you get the Gu into the flask - forgive my ignorance please!

 

[pi11wizard]

How do you get the Gu into the flask - forgive my ignorance please!

I've often lamented that Gu don't sell product in bottles like hammer gel does. If only I could stomach hammer gel

 

[Shrekmeister]

How do you get the Gu into the flask - forgive my ignorance please!

open the top of the flask (its a screw top), peel open the gu top, squeeze gu contents into flask

repeat four or five times depending on brand/size of flask

screw top of flask back on...

it has a pop top on it as well as the screw on lid, so unscrew it to put the contents in and pop top/squeeze the contents out during event...

but just make sure the top is up in your jersey pocket or you have closed the pop top, or you could end up with a guey jersey pocket and nothing to survive on...

old practice carried across from IM days...

enough typing, ive got a flat tyre to fix on the roadie and the alarm is set for 4am...

 

[Raw Toast Man]

At the Freedom Marthon in 2009 on the start line the guy infront of me decided to unwrap his energy bar then decided to hammer it with his fist onto the stem - it failed but it was ludicrously funny watching the bar smoosh into the top cap and then fall off.
Not the best idea for way to eat.

 

[outtacontrol]

How do you get the Gu into the flask - forgive my ignorance please!

I buy Endura Gel in big bottles from the Discount Chemists. It's usually around $25 for about the equivalent of 18-19 gels. It also has a flip top lid, so you can just squeeze it in.

 

[Stevob]

I buy Endura Gel in big bottles from the Discount Chemists. It's usually around $25 for about the equivalent of 18-19 gels. It also has a flip top lid, so you can just squeeze it in.

That sounds like excellent value. I'll be looking into that for sure.

Re: Bars
I use Torq bars (sundried banana is my favourite) because I found that the consistency and taste make them very easily digestable, although I always drink water at the same time. The wrappers themselves are easy to open, I find. I wear baggie shorts with pockets which makes it easier to eat one bite at a time because it is more easily accessible.