I’m not saying that cyclists need to take energy gels or bloks, but if you’re going to take them I do feel that you need to use the ones that work best with your body.

As I’ve said many times before, I don’t promote a product just because they support this website or pay to advertise here.  A perfect example of this is my connection with Clif Bar and their products.  They are a great supporter of Loving the Bike, but there is absolutely no requirement by me to do any articles or online promotion for them as part of this relationship.  When I talk about them, it’s simply because of how I feel as a customer.

A couple years ago I had flirted with gels, but every time I took them I seemed to get a cramp in my stomach while out on a ride. Because of this, I rarely used them.  About a year ago I formed this great relationship with Clif Bar and have been given the opportunity to try out all their products.  I started taking their Clif Shot, but was a little concerned that they would cause the same problems I had experienced with other brands in the past.

I’m completely honest when I say that the Clif Shot is the first gel to not cause any stomach issues for me.  Because of this (and because I am overloaded with them) I use them on more rides than I probably need to.  I started off taking them only on long rides, but now take them on days when I feel I need a little extra boost (physical or psychological).

The same thing goes for their Shot Roks.  I’ve had no stomach issues with them either.  Shot Bloks are quite similar to Shots in that they provide carbohydrates to supplement exercising muscle glycogen supplies, but I tend to prefer taking the Shots.  The one advantage of the bloks is that you can take them in smaller doses and space them out as needed.

If you’d like to learn more about how to schedule shot bloks or gels on a ride, here is what our nutritionist Kelli recommends (3 Bloks are about the equivalent of 1 Gel or Shot): Scheduling Shot Bloks.

I have nothing against the other brands out there and I’m sure you’ll personally connect to one in the way that I did with Clif.  Try out a whole bunch of different types and see what works best with your body.

On top of the stomach cramps there were also some brands that I just didn’t really like the taste or consistency of.  Each brand seems to have their secret formula so you’ll also need to take a look at what they put in their ingredients in making your decision as well.  Some include caffeine, ginseng, honey, and other additives so use the ones that agree with your body and include the things you’re personally okay with.

I’m not here to tell you why you should use gels, just wanted to explain that all gels are not equal.  If you’re going to use them…..make your selection based on connection rather than good marketing.

Another #30daysofbiking has just wrapped up and it’s totally safe to say that this has been the best one yet.  I’d like to congratulate everyone who took part in this event and committed to riding bikes every single day in April.  I heard a whole bunch of great stories and experienced once again how much magic can be created just by having people ride their bicycles.

Thanks to everyone who took part in #30daysofbiking by being a part of Team #LovingtheBike.  It really has been great seeing all the pictures posted to Facebook, the tweets with the #LovingtheBike hashtag, and all the support offered between team members.  Feel free to keep this up and continue to share your great rides and adventures through these same channels all year-long.

Prizes, Prizes, Prizes

Thank you to Clif Bar, The Sufferfest, and Far End Gear for providing out team with some great prizes.  We appreciate your support on this event and look forward to our continued partnership over here at Loving the Bike.

Official First Place Finisher:

It was a close battle, but the teammate who came out on top with the most points was Julie Starling.  Julie not only took part in #30daysofbiking….she’s on track for #365daysofbiking.  Way to go, Julie….below is your pile of winnings:

• One of anything that Far End Gear has to offer: www.farendgear.com
• Clif T-Shirt
• Clif Beanie
• Clif Kleen Kanteen
• Clif Silver Eco Lunch box
• Clif nylon Stuff Sack
• Sufferfest Video: Hell Hath No Fury
• And…6 Boxes of Clif Product

Runner Up:

Our Team Loving the Bike runner-up is Bob Avery.  Bob is another cycling commuter….and I’m beginning to think that these commuters have the upper hand in our #30daysofbiking challenge.  Nicely done, Bob and congratulations on your performance.  Here’s what you win:

• Clif T-Shirt
• Clif nylon Stuff Sack
• Sufferfest Video: Hell Hath No Fury
• And…4 Boxes of Clif Product

Special Recognition:

Honorable mention goes out to Riaan Coatzee over in South Africa.  He did amazing and I love the way he branded all of the photos he put up on our Facebook page.  It’s been great having you on the team, Riaan.  Riaan, we’re sending you a copy of the Hell Hath No Fury DVD from The Sufferfest.

As the youngest member of Team Loving the Bike, I wanted to give an honorable mention to Kayla Beaconsfield from Australia.  She had an incredible month of riding with her Dad, Mark….and I want to thank her for being a part of our time and sending us that cute little video she put up on Facebook.  I’m not sure what it is yet, but we’re definitely going to send something out to you soon.  For now, get your Dad to give you a huge hug from the team.

Bonus Prize: I mentioned part way through the 30 days that we’d also give out a prize pack to someone who did something that really stood out.  At the time, I wasn’t sure what that was going to be but now I know.  The bonus prize goes out to Laura Faulkner and her Grandson, Sean.  Laura had the goal of beating her 601 miles that she put on last year and with one day to go she was 65 short.  Below is her story of how the final day unfolded and how she battled through:

“After morning thunderstorms rolled through the skies cleared and I was off. At the 45 mile mark I met up with my husband and those ominous clouds were gathering again. We did the next 5 miles in a full sprint but to no avail. The last 2 miles was a downpour. We ate at a deli while trying to dry out. I climbed back on my bike and started cranking towards home and of course all hell broke loose. With torrents of rain falling and lightning flashing, I rode with my husband following in the Jeep with the flashers on. Drivers that passed joyfully beeped their horns and called out cheers of encouragement like I was someone training for the olympics.

The storm started to get much worse and I really wanted to keep going but it was getting downright dangerous and I had to stop just short of my goal. Today’s remaining hours look like more of the same.  If the clouds part again before midnight I will try to reach my goal.  But if they don’t, I am just as happy because I know I could.”

Sean was an un-official member of Team Loving the Bike and joined Laura Faulkner on several of her rides in Florida.  It was great having him as a part of all the fun and we’re awarding him with a Clif Beanie and Clif Silver Eco Lunch Box.  3 boxes of Clif Product will be sent out to Laura…..she could probably use it after all the calories she burnt up on that final day epic ride.

Okay, Team Loving the Bike…..once again, you’ve made me so proud.  On behalf of my team co-captains, Ian and Stevie, we’d like to thank you for sharing in one fantastic month with us.

No, I didn’t forget the c’s in the title to today’s post…..this one is all about two secret weapons I always take with me on certain rides.  Yep, I’m talking Clif Bar Shot Roks and Shot Bloks today…..plus we have a nice little giveaway for you as well (see bottom of post for details).

Long before I “got involved” with the great people from Clif Bar, I’ve really liked their products and how they’ve helped with my performance on the bike.  I first wrote about Clif Bar and Shot Roks back when I used to live in Canada and I cried out for help because that product wasn’t available there, and I wanted to get my hands on some.  You can check out my love for Shot Roks and the review right here.  It was actually that post that led to the relationship Loving the Bike now has with Clif Bar, and we’re very happy it all worked out this way.  But just so you know, I was loving these products long before becoming an ambassador for the company.

Okay, so Clif Bar makes a lot of great products but I wanted to mention two of them that are always with me on ride of around 50 miles or more.  I consider them my secret weapons and the combo has yet to let me down.  With all the choices and products out there, how come these are the two that grabbed my attention? I’d say it’s a combination of convenience, taste, performance, and superstition.

The Roks are fantastic because prior to riding I can take them out of the package and just pop one in my mouth whenever I need it.  I don’t have to worry about opening packages, melting, or holding onto a bar while riding.  Total convenience, great taste, and as I talk about in this review….performance.  Basically, Shot Roks are protein bits which are a very important part of proper nutrition while riding.

The Bloks are the perfect accompaniment by providing carbohydrates to my working muscles.  But just like the Roks, I can easily pop them in my mouth when needed and to me it’s so much simpler (and less messy) than dealing with gels.  Basically, Bloks and Gels are the same thing….but I like the bloks because they taste great, are easy to ingest while on the bike, and are customizable (you can take as many of them as you feel you need at the time).  I’ll pop anywhere from 1 to 3 of the Bloks at a time (Clif Bar recommends taking 3 to 6 per hour during exercise along with water).  Oh, and I crack the packaging open prior to the ride so I don’t have to mess with that while out on the road.  Yeah, I’m all about ergonomics.

So what about taking my secret weapon combo on all rides?  Well, I like to suggest to people that sports supplements should only be taken when absolutely necessary.  In my opinion, rides of one hour or less don’t require anything other than water.  Rides between one and two or three hours can definitely be done just with water, but things like hydration tabs and Energy gels or chews might be a good idea as well.  If your ride is taking place at a time where it’s been at least a few hours since your last meal, taking along some sort of protein is a good idea as well. For rides of over four hours, I recommend taking along all three types of nutrition.

If you have more questions on this, feel free to contact me (and our Nutritionist, Kelli) so that we can ensure you’re taking the right nutrition with you on your rides.  Good Cycling starts with Good Nutrition.

For more specific information and details on Roks and Bloks, check out these FAQ’s: Clif Bar Shot Roks and Clif Bar Shot Bloks.

Clif Bar Contest

This is sort of a backwards contest because to enter, we want you to tell us about Clif Bar products that you have never tried.  Yeah, we’ll customize your prize pack so that you’re able to try out some new Clif Bar Goodness.  Below is a list of the products we’ve got available to you (click on them for more information)….tell us which ones you’ve always wanted to try out by leaving a comment for us below, and you’re in to WIN.  Contest closes on Friday, November 4th at Noon EST.

• Clif Builders
• Clif Bar
• Clif Crunch Granola Bar
• Clif Shot Gel
• Clif Shot Blok
• Clif Mojo Trail Mix Bar