Stuff I like

I guess I need to narrow it down a bit otherwise we will all be here for a very long time!

Recently, I have been trying some different energy products and chamois cream. We all know what it's like, you find some products you like, start to use them and then can never risk trying anything new in case you either don't like it or worse, it reduces your performance on the bike.

I think it is important to be honest in these blogs, so I will be up front and admit that 2pure kindly sent Cross Club a few products to try. There was no obligation attached to the products and while it would be rude to right a bad review, if I didn't like the products you wouldn't be reading about them!

First of all, Cliff Bars, I'd used these before and had been impressed with them. Rather than the standard range of citrus flavoured energy bars, these are the sort of flavours you might buy at the mid ride cafe stop.

I tried the Chocolate Chip bars and they taste good! In fact they taste so good it was hard to leave them only for the rides! Unlike many energy bars these aren't too sweet, and although I as yet haven't done a long enough ride to warrant more than one bar I know that they wont become sickly and too hard to face.

The other thing I like about Clif Bars, probably one of their best bits, is that they aren't like a chewy sweet! You can bite some off the bar without the fear of losing you teeth and you can eat them while continuing to breath!

Cross Club ride a lot in the evening after work, this can mean by the end of the ride it has been a long time since lunch! Usually this isn't a problem and is sometimes even the point of the ride. Last week I was pretty hungry before the ride so decided to break out an emergency Clif Bar. Bars aren't like a caffeine gel with an almost instant energy boast, they release the energy more slowly and over a longer period of time. During the first part of the ride I didn't notice a difference in my performance but towards the end when my energy levels would normally be dipping, I felt great! I had plenty of energy and push the other Cross Club riders pretty hard, everyone knows its good to push your mates, so this was a great result!

I've also been using the Clif Shot Bloks and Gels. I've mentioned these before and Rob has done a detailed review so I will keep things short. Both of these products have been great with the Shot Bloks becoming a particular favourite of all Cross Club riders. Both are available with and without caffeine.

A great idea on the gels is the packaging is a tab on the side which holds the ripped off top. There is always the problem, albeit relatively small, of where to put the bit you rip off the top of the gel, is is a pain to hold an open gel and put the top back in your jersey pockets without getting in a mess. The tab is only a small thing but it is the sort of attention to detail that is good to see.

Talking about package, wow, my blogs are cool! I have also been using Chamois Butt'r, this is as good as any other chamois cream I have used before, it does everything you would like a chamois cream to do. What I like is that it comes in a squeezy tube as well as a tub, this means you can lend it to your mates without the fear of a double dip!

As I said at the top, I would only blog about stuff I like, even if we get sent it for free. Saying that, I'm pretty sure I would like most carbon tubular wheels, hospitality tickets to the cyclocross world cup and a decent van!

Next time I promise to blog about actually riding my bike! Unless those wheels turn up!