The Feed Station Blog

GU Electrolyte Tablets Now In Stock

2012-06-01T08:15:00.000+01:00

We now have stock of GU Brew Electrolyte tablets available in Lemon Lime, Orange, Peach Tree or Pink Grapefruit flavours.

Simple, light tasting and natural electrolyte tablets designed to help aid proper hydration. By using an electrolyte drink rather than water alone helps improve hydration by bringing your system into balance more quickly by aiding you to retain more of the liquid you ingest.

Optimal hydration takes place in the days and weeks before an event or after a hard workout. Use Gu Brew Electrolyte Tablets whenever, wherever, and you'll see a boost in preperation, sustenance, as well as recovery.

Each tube contains 12 tablets each making approximately 500ml when mixed as directed.

Free Clif Bar Nutrition Consulatations at Mountain Mayhem

2012-05-31T10:38:00.001+01:00

Official nutritional sponsor of Mountain Mayhem, Clif Bar, will be offering free one on one race day nutritional consultations. Their in-house sports nutrition expert, Joel Enoch, will be setting up an on-site nutrition hub and offering free ten-minute consultations to all racers. So whether you are riding solo or in a team, book a consultation with Joel to ensure you are getting the most from your pre, during and post race nutrition. To get you started, Joel has put together a Mountain Mayhem nutrition guide.

‘Getting your nutrition right is crucial, get it wrong over the weekend of Mountain Mayhem and not only will your race suffer, but you’ll enjoy your weekend far less too. Blending no holds barred, blood sweat and tears competition with a whole bag of fun is what it’s all about and so by following these principles, you’ll hopefully get the most from your weekend on the bike!

Pre Race: The day before endurance races, people often virtually inhale carbohydrates, leaving them feeling bloated and uncomfortable on the day. Research shows that eating slightly more carbs for 3 days keeps carb stores higher than normal for another 3 days, so eat a little more pasta, rice, cereals, breads and snack on Clif Bars on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to leave you fueled up and ready to go on Saturday!

Race Day: Don’t skip breakfast! 3 hours before you ride, eat a high carb meal, and drink a sports drink containing electrolytes, the Clif SHOT Electrolyte drink is perfect. Carb intake doesn’t need to be massive, 2 grams of carbohydrate per kg of your body weight is about right (look at the nutritional info on the side of the pack to see how much you need and practice at home pre-race). Recent research shows that the first 8 hours, of endurance events in particular, drain the body of fluid resulting in up to 5-7% body weight losses. You need to stay on top of this, so throughout the ride, drip-feed your system with the energy, fluid and salts that it needs. You need to replace what you use/lose so, rely on products like sports gels or Clif Bars, Shot Gels, Shot Bloks and Electrolyte Drink to get around 60-80g of carbohydrate per hour and 500-800mls of a sports drink. Plan this, write on each bottle/food pack to tell you when it’s for and pack this all before the race starts so that you don’t need to think about it on the day.
Post race: Keep drinking a drink containing salts after you're finished and monitor urine colour, if it isn’t pale or clear, keep drinking - little and often. You’ll also need to eat carbs and protein every couple of hours for the rest of the day to refuel. Eat full meals and snack on nutritious Builders Bars they contain 20g of protein and will give you roughly 2hours worth of protein to sustain recovery after the event. Remember, it’ll take a couple of days to get over the race and longer if you hit the drink too hard or don’t look after your nutrition.’

For more specific, one-to-one advice, visit the Clif Bar & Company nutritional hub at Mountain Mayhem and book a free one to one with Joel. Any rider who purchases a Clif water bottle can enjoy free unlimited re-fills of Clif SHOT Electrolyte drink over the course of the weekend.

Coming Soon: GU Mint Chocolate

2012-05-07T13:10:00.000+01:00

A new flavour of GU energy gel, mint chocolate, should soon be available to purchase in the UK. The reguler chocolate gel has been a favourite with us and many of our customers so we're excited to try the new flavour as soon as possible.

New SIS Pack Designs and Rebranding

2012-05-05T13:04:00.000+01:00

It seems like it wasn't long ago that Science In Sport last updated their pack designs but they're now changing again along with a relaunch of the product range and a rebranding of some of the products. The rebranding is more than just a pack design with several products changing names.

The main changes to the product names are summarised below -

PSP22 Drink is now branded as GO Energy

Smart 1 Gels and Drinks are now branded as GO + Caffeine

SIS Burner Gels are now branded GO + L-Carnitine

Super Hydro now becomes GO Hydro and changes from a powder to a tablet form

Rego Recovery becomes Rego Rapid Recovery

Build becomes Rego Protein Powder

Build Bar becomes Rego Protein Bar

Nocte becomes Rego Night

Louis Garneau Launches Energy Gels

2012-04-06T00:34:00.000+01:00

Louis Garneau, the company mainly known for it's cycling and triathlon clothing, helmets and footwear have taken a bit of a departure from their usual product lines and announced the launch of their own energy gel.

It seems there are currently only plans to launch it in the US and Canada but it's a interesting move by them to enter the sports nutrition market. Louis Garneau is distributed exclusively in the UK by Evans Cycles so maybe in the future we'll see it available in the UK too.

Full press release below -

Louis Garneau, known to the cycling industry as the cycling solution, launches a new product line today known as Garneau Nutrition. Six flavors of energy gel will hit the market as the debut of this product line with an electrolyte sports drink and more nutritional products to follow in the near future.

LG Gel is made with natural ingredients and an optimum blend of complex carbohydrates, electrolytes, and antioxidants needed to meet the nutritional demands of athletes during racing and training.

Foremost, LG Gel tastes great and is available in six flavors, including Citrus, Concord Grape-Apple, Goji-Blueberry, Strawberry-Dragonfruit, Tropical Fruit, and Wildberry Pomegranate. Unlike other energy gels, LG Energy Gel contains real fruit juice which gives it a clean, simple, and natural taste with no chemical, bitter, or harsh after-taste. During intense workouts, taste is intensified; therefore, the flavors have been specially formulated to appeal to athletes of all abilities. In addition, the consistency of the gel makes it easy to swallow with or without water and allows for easy digestion.

We've perfected the packaging after two years in development (patent pending). The packaging is designed for a quick, no-struggle opening on the bike or during the run with a hole-punched tab for fingers to grip. The gel control spout allows the user to control the flow to the mouth and eliminates mess. The gel can easily be opened while in motion and the opening easily dispenses either directly to the mouth or in the waterbottle. Gel also stores perfectly in back pockets. The hole-punched tab will also be integrated to other products currently in development including bags and accessories.

"During my cycling career, nutrition always played a vital role in my success. As a cycling company, we work with athletes on a daily basis and therefore, had the desire to provide them with products essential for their training and racing. The launch of LG Energy will allow us to continue to be the cycling solution," remarks Founder and President, Louis Garneau.

Each gel packet is a serving size of 41 g and contains 100 calories with 25 grams of complex carbohydrates for quick absorption and increased long-term energy output and just 4 grams of simple sugars that make it easy to digest. Two Key Electrolytes (sodium and potassium) assist in rehydration and replenish electrolytes lost from perspiration. LG Gel contains no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners and delivers 100% DV of antioxidant vitamins C & E which help reduce muscle soreness and aid in recovery. Two flavors, Citrus and Tropical Fruit, are caffeinated. Citrus has 50mg of caffeine or roughly the equivalent of a single shot of espresso and Tropical Fruit has 25mg of caffeine.

New Nuun Flavours

2012-03-05T10:11:00.001Z

We now have a range of the new Nuun flavours in stock, there's Fruit Punch, Grape, Strawberry Lemonade and Orange to choose from. They're available to purchase as single tubes, 8 tube single packs or are also available in mixed flavour packs if you want to try them all.

Coming Soon: High 5 Zero Pink Grapefruit

2012-03-05T09:56:00.001Z

High 5 have added a new flavour to the range of Zero electrolyte tablets, we should have stock of Zero's in Pink Grapefruit very soon...

GU Launch Roctane Energy Drink

2012-01-19T15:01:00.001Z

GU Energy have just launched their new Roctane Energy Drink, there's no word on UK availability yet but it's interesting to see what new products are coming down the line.

Roctane Energy Drink is a carbohydrate intensive energy drink for ultra distance and intense efforts. It contains the critical carbs and electrolyte replenishment that ultra endurance athletes need to compete at high levels. And it comes in a super light tasting, easy to mix formula for fueling hour after hour after hour. It also contains caffeine, taurine, and beta-alanine to help increase performance, by decreasing perceived effort, helping to prevent heart and muscle fatigue, and increasing muscle buffering capacity.

Each serving contains 240 calories of complex and simple carbs that is optimized for rapid absorption and energy accessibility and key electrolytes such as sodium and potassium so you can get your calories and hydration all in one drink. Here’s a breakdown of Roctane Energy Drink’s key performance ingredients:

Ideal carbohydrate ratio - Unique ratio of complex and simple carbohydrates are podium-proven to better maintain glucose levels than simple or complex carbs alone
Key electrolytes - Sodium and potassium properly maintain hydration Taurine - Can help maintain heart and muscle performance during prolonged exercise which would otherwise lead to fatigue and decreased performance
Caffeine (except grape flavor) - Stimulates the central nervous system and reduces pain perception leading to prolonged exercise, delayed fatigue and increased performance
Beta-Alanine & Histidine – Helps buffer acid caused by going over lactate threshold; amino acids help prevent muscle damage and aid with muscle recovery
Branch Chain Amino Acids (Leucine, Valine, Isoleucine) – Shown to serve as an additional fuel source (when taken with carbohydrates), reduce muscle damage, enhance recovery and delay fatigue – all critical during intense or long efforts

Whilst the new Roctane drink contains many of the same elements as the populer GU Roctane Energy Gel the two have been designed to work together and compliment each other.

If you already use Roctane gel, you can substitute some Roctane gel for Roctane energy drink. This will help tailor energy intake to your needs and provide the beneficial ingredients found in both the gel and drink. While many ingredients are similar in the two products (carbohydrates, branched chain amino acids, histidine, and caffeine) each has unique ingredients which may also help improve performance (gel – OKG for muscle recovery, vitamin E as an antioxidant; drink – taurine to help heart and muscle function, beta-alanine to help increase muscle buffering capacity). Therefore, using both products will help provide every nutritional advantage possible to athletes who demand the best from themselves and their nutrition. For many athletes, all they may need during prolonged exercise is one 21oz bottle of Roctane drink and 1 Roctane gel per hour for 340 calories and extra nutritional support to maximize performance.

SiS to fuel GB Rowing Team

2012-01-13T09:20:00.002Z

Sports nutrition brand SiS has signed a new five-year deal to continue as the Official Supplier of Sports Drinks and Sports Nutrition of the GB Rowing Team. The partnership renews SiS’s commitment to the high-performance arm of British Rowing, a relationship which was launched in 2009 since when the Team has won 15 World Championship Gold medals.

As a result of the partnership, SiS will continue to provide all of the GB Rowing Team’s Senior, Adaptive and top Development rowers with the nutrition they require to ‘prepare, perform and recover’ in their gruelling training and competition regimes until the end of 2016. This includes a full range of nutritional products for hydration, energy and recovery, all developed by SiS’s highly-trained team of sports scientists, food technologists and physicians.

GB Rowing Team Performance Director David Tanner CBE commented, “We are an ambitious team and know that the rest of the world will raise their game in London so winning medals will be tough. As host nation, and a leading rowing nation, we will be a target for the rest of the world. I am confident that our rowers – with our outstanding coaches and team support – are in good shape for the Games and will do us proud on home waters in front of a passionate home crowd at Eton-Dorney in July and August”.

“Nutrition is a key part of this, and we’re thrilled to have SiS’s continued support. We have worked with them for a number of years, and they are incredibly proactive in working with our nutritionists to develop new products specific to our needs to help get the best out of our rowers.”

SiS Sales Director Tim Lawson said of the partnership, “We’re really pleased to be working with the GB Rowing Team for another five years. A key aspect of this relationship for us is development, and we’re keen not only to support the Seniors who did us proud at the World Championships earlier this year, but also the younger rowers coming up through the ranks. We look forward to working with and supporting all of these individuals in the next five years to contribute to the long-term success of the GB Rowing Team.”

SiS to help develop new British talent with Rapha Condor Sharp

2012-01-06T09:28:00.000Z

Sports nutrition brand SiS has signed a new two-year deal to continue as Official Supplier of Sports Drinks and Sports Nutrition to Rapha Condor Sharp, the number-one-ranked British Continental cycling team.

The partnership renews a relationship which was launched in 2008 and which in the last year alone has seen major U.C.I. wins in Africa, Asia and Europe as well as an overall win in the Halfords Tour Series.

SiS will continue to provide all of Rapha Condor Sharp’s cyclists with the nutrition they require to ‘prepare, perform and recover’ in their gruelling training and competition regimes until the end of 2013. This includes a full range of nutritional products for hydration, energy and recovery, all developed by SiS’s highly-trained team of sports scientists, food technologists and physicians.

After a number of successful years, Rapha Condor Sharp has this year decided to pursue a change in direction, with youth development the central focus for the team moving forward. SiS Founder Tim Lawson commented, “We have partnered Rapha Condor Sharp during some incredibly successful years and we now fully support the team’s commitment to the development of young British talent. This is an exciting time for the team and we’re thrilled to be on board again. We look forward to contributing to the progress of young riders such as Felix English and Mike Cuming and are equally pleased to continue working with such talented individuals as Ed Clancy MBE and Andrew Tennant.”

Rapha Condor Sharp Directeur Sportif John Herety commented, “Despite the number of new young riders in the squad, we will be training and competing just as intensely this year, so rider welfare is key. The larger squad this year means that the younger riders will have more room to recover, but nutrition is also crucial. We’ve worked with the sports scientists at SiS for a number of years and we will continue to rely on their products to make sure our riders are getting the best nutrition available.”

Hosting Upgrades

2012-01-04T20:51:00.002Z

Our web host is upgrading their routers this evening, we're expecting a short period where the website will be unavailable at around 10pm.

ZipVit to fuel BMC Racing

2011-11-29T09:42:00.001Z

ZipVit have announced they'll be sponsoring the BMC Racing Team in 2012. Full press release below -

We are proud to announce BMC Racing Team will be fuelled exclusively by Zipvit Sport after signing a three year deal this week. Beginning in 2012, riders will use the entire Project ZV range and work closely with Zipvit Sport on new product development.

Zipvit Sport CEO Warren Bailey said the company is proud to be chosen as the nutritional partner of one of the top ProTeams, whose roster includes Tour de France champion Cadel Evans.

“We look forward to working closely with the BMC Racing Team over the coming seasons,” Bailey said. “The progressive approach we have in working with teams and using their feedback and experience to drive development ensures we continue to produce advanced sports nutrition to maximize performance in endurance sports at all levels.”

BMC Racing Team President and General Manager Jim Ochowicz said Zipvit Sport will play an integral role for the team in races of all types around the globe.

“Fulfilling the nutritional needs of pro cyclists is one of the most important aspects of the sport,” Ochowicz said. “Whether it’s a one-day classic or a three-week grand tour, we will rely on Zipvit Sport to keep our riders fully fueled and hydrated in all kinds of weather conditions.”

World Record for Alfie

2011-11-17T11:22:00.001Z

Earlier in the year we were asked to support 'Alfie' who would be running the London Marathon for Guide Dogs for the Blind, little did we know he'd turn out to be a Guiness World Record Holder!

Well done to Wendy Shaw, I'm sure Alfie couldn't have done it without her :-)

Awesome Asics Advert...

2011-11-17T08:21:00.001Z

Just seen this Asics advert with Olympic marathon runner Ryan Hall which challenges people to try and keep up with his marathon pace for 60 feet...

Website Upgrades

2011-11-15T11:27:00.001Z

We'll be upgrading our website later this week (starting 16th November), whilst we're hoping to keep disruption to a minimum, however, the store is likely to be unavailable for a short period.

All orders and deliveries will continue to be processed as normal during the upgrade.

Night of the Knobbly Tread

2011-10-17T12:09:00.001+01:00

If you're free on Saturday evening and fancy some night time mountain bike racing then check out West Drayton MBC's Night of the Knobbly Tread event. Press release with event details below -

This Saturday it’s the West Drayton’s night time short cross country racing at Black Park Country Park, the event features two classes, open for those experienced in cross country racing and fun for those new to mountain biking and the exhilaration of racing in the dark.

Start times are 7pm for the fun class and 7:50pm for the open event which will incorporate a veterans class, the racing at this popular venue is expected as always to produce close racing round the fast and tight circuit with the tracks in superb condition.

Generous sponsorship will see some good prizes given out, thanks to sponsorship from Beyond Mountain Bikes, Exposure and Payfones, with the men and women’s open winner taking home a rugged Land Rover mobile phone valued at £400 each.

Exposure are not only providing some prizes but will also be on site to give out advice on lights and also will be hiring out lights to those needing a bit more candle light.

Pre entry closes Wednesday night but entry on the day will available.

Online entry available at www.blackparkraces.co.uk

Clif Shot Energy Gel and Turbo Energy Gel Now In Stock

2011-10-11T20:33:00.001+01:00

We've just received stock of the new Clif Shot Energy Gel and Clif Shot Turbo Energy Gel.

The Clif Shot Gel is available in Chocolate, Citrus or Razz with the Chocolate and Citrus being caffeine free whilst the Razz provides a mild 25mg of caffeine boost. The Turbo Energy Gel is only available in Double Expresso flavour and packs 100mg of caffeine per sachet which we believe is the highest caffeine content of any gel (100mg is roughly equivalent to an espresso coffee).

Which ever flavour you go for you're getting 100 calories per 34g sachet to provide a quick energy hit along with essential electrolytes to aid proper hydration. The gels have been available in the US for sometime and based on customer feedback they now feature a new thinner consistency making them easy to eat.

We've tried them, the flavours are good, it seems the consistency varies a bit by flavour and depends on how warm you keep them, they're thicker than an SIS Go Gel or High 5 Isogel but not as thick as a GU Energy Gel.

Like most Clif products the Shot Gels contain no artificial flavours or sweeteners and are made from 90% organic ingredients (85% for the Turbo Gel)

One neat feature is the "Litter Leash" packaging which basically keeps the tear tab attached to the packet after you open them so helps reduce litter.

The gels are available in single sachets or 24 packs and we're also offering mixed flavour packs.

Clif Shot Energy Gels
Clif Shot Turbo Energy Gels

Powerbar Isomax in Cycling Fitness

2011-10-09T09:27:00.001+01:00

Just been reading the article on Powerbar IsoMax is the latest Autumn edition of Cycling Fitness magazine -

"The latest Isomax sports drink from Powerbar is designed to replace all the main five electrolytes lost through sweat, promising more efficient hydration.

The new high-performance drink from the energy giant has been reportedly selling our fast, and looks to offer a number of technical benefits. The main factor that jumps out at us is that the ingredients - sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium - are said to feature in the correct ratio akin to that which you'd sweat out on the bike. Replacing lost fluid is crucial and water just doesn't cut it when your losing essential salts and sugars; so in theory we like the sound of this promise.

Other key ingredients are caffeine, of which 70mg features per serving - not excessive but a moderate dose to boost alertness - 41.5g of carbohydrate and 3g of protein, which Powerbar say will help you "perform for longer". The Blood Orange flavour is pretty palatable and comes in handy sachets or 1,200g tubs."

Powerbar IsoMax is available from our store in 1200g tubs, 5 sachet packs or 20 sachet packs -

Powerbar IsoMax

New Clif Shot Bloks Tropical Punch

2011-10-07T10:45:00.000+01:00

Clif Shot Bloks are now available in the new Tropical Punch flavour, like the current orange falvour they contain 25mg of caffeine per serving (3 bloks).

Shot Bloks are a great no mess, no fuss way to get a burst of energy and make a great alternative to gels when you fancy something a but different. Each pack delivers electrolytes to help keep you hydrated along with a 50/50 mix of complex and simple carbs.

Each pack contains 6 Bloks - equivalent to 2 servings of traditional gel but unlike a gel you don't have to eat them all at once, just pop a blok in your mouth as and when you need it.

Like all Clif products, Clif Shot Bloks contain no artificial flavours or sweeteners, and because they use pectin (a fruit extract) rather than gelatine, and they are suitable for both vegetarians and vegans.

High 5 Bottle Bundle Offer

2011-09-29T09:57:00.000+01:00

We're currently have a limited special offer on the High 5 Bottle Bundle, a chance to sample some of the High 5 energy products in this bundle pack complete with High 5 750ml water bottle. The pack represents a saving of over 50% compared to buying the products separately.

Along with the 750ml bottle the pack contains -

1 x High 5 Energy Gel Sachet
1 x High 5 Iso Gel Sachet
1 x High 5 Isotonic Sachet
1 x High 5 Energy Source Sachet
High 5 Zero tablets sample packs

High 5 Energy Gel - an ultra concentrated sports fuel for instant energy, delivering carbohydrates and the electrolytes essential to maximise fluid and carbohydrate uptake. It's been formulated to not be too sweet and is based on natural fruit flavours designed to be easy on the stomach when racing.

High 5 Iso Gel - designed to be used without needing the additional water necessary with many gel products. It has a consistency and taste more like an energy drink than an energy gel but still delivers the concentrated carbohydrate hit of a gel.

High 5 Isotonic - developed to provide fast fluid replacement and energy for exercising in hot conditions.

High 5 Energy Source - a concentrated carbohydrate drink mix, designed to provide maximum sustained energy and based on High 5's 2:1 fructose formula (2:1 maltodextrin to fructose carbohydrate formula) that helps you absorb more carbohydrate per hour than normal sports drinks.

High 5 Zero - a zero-sugar low-carb anti-cramp electrolyte drink with added magnesium designed to help athletes maintain proper hydration.

Gu Peppermint Stick

2011-09-29T09:46:00.000+01:00

We always thought mint would make a great flavour for an energy gel, it's just a shame that the limited release GU Peppermint Stick gel isn't going to be available in the UK, maybe one day...

We do have a range of GU Energy Gel in other flavours including a special offer on GU Espresso Love at £1 per pack.

No matter which flavour you pick GU provides athletes with a shot of 100 calories in the form of a patented carbohydrate blend (70-80% maltodextrin and 30-20% fructose) to deliver high-quality, easily-digested and long-lasting energy. GU also includes electrolytes to ensure proper hydration, an antioxidant blend to stave off muscle tissue damage and an amino acid blend to delay muscle fatigue.

Each packet of GU is engineered to do one simple thing: provide your body with the essential requirements it needs to keep going for miles and miles and hours and hours. It goes down easy, and it goes to work fast so you don’t have to slow down.

Free Isostar Energy Gels with Isostar Purchases

2011-09-26T13:16:00.000+01:00

We're currently running a special offer on Isostar purchases, buy any Isostar product and for every one you purchase you'll receive a 4 pack of Isostar energy gels worth £3.59 completely free.

Qualifying products -

GU Espresso Love Intro Offer

2011-09-15T12:31:00.000+01:00

Espresso Love is the latest GU Energy Gel to be available in the UK and it's currently available at the special introductory offer of £1 per sachet (normally £1.35).

Like all GU gels it's got a blend of carbs from fructose and maltodextrin sources, electrolytes to aid hydration, citrates to help speed the conversion of carbohydrates into energy and mitigate performance sapping acid build up in muscles and Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) which act as another fuel source, aid in recovery and can help reduce fatigue.

Get yours here -

GU Espress Love Energy Gel

Powerbar IsoMax Now In Stock

2011-09-14T22:13:00.000+01:00

Powerbar's new IsoMax sports drink is now in stock.

Each serving of IsoMax delivers -

All 5 key electrolytes (Sodium, Chloride, Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium) to aid proper hydration
Powerbar's C2 Max carbohydratre blend to maintain energy levels
70mg of caffeine per serving to boost focus and alertness
PeptoPro protein hydrolysate to help you perform longer by delaying the onset and fatigue and kick start recovery

It's available in Blood Orange flavour and can be purchased in 1200g (24 serving) tubs, 20 x Single Serving Sachet Packs or 5 Single Serving Sachet Packs.

To browse all IsoMax Products - Powerbar IsoMax Sports Drink

Cycling Plus Rocket Fuel Article

2011-09-08T18:37:00.000+01:00

Cycling Plus recently road tested a selection of popular energy bars and gels in their September magazine.

Out of the gels it looks like Torq Gel came out top thanks to it's taste followed by Science In Sport Smart 1 Gel. In the bars Clif Bar Chocolate Chip took the top spot scoring full marks again complimented on its taste followed by MuleBar Apple Strudel and the SIS Go Bar in Cherry Vanilla.

Click on the images to enlarge -