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NeverReach Go! Hydration System–Final Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:49:14 +0000

You’ve seen a few reviews recently on NeverReach products. We did a final review on the NeverReach Pro Rear Mounted Hydration System. Our final opinion on the Pro was that it’s a great product and very useful for Ironmen and distance riders. The NeverReach Go! is a smaller version for sprint or Oly distance tris or for your average recreational rider. We did an initial review in July and have completed the final review.

About the NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

The NeverReach Go! system is the little brother of the Pro System. The Go holds 38 oz. of liquids compared to 64 oz. for the Pro System. The Go! is a basic sphere shape, not as aerodynamic as the teardrop of the Pro. Both NeverReach systems feature the same tubing and ‘Easy Flow’ mouthpiece. The Go! releases easily from the mount for cleaning.

Mounting the NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

Please check out our initial review of the NeverReach Go! for details of mounting or head over to the NeverReach site.

Final Thoughts on NeverReach Go!:

As we mentioned, we used our standard test bike for this test. We mounted the Go! on an old saddle because it didn’t fit our Adamo seat. The mounting was simple. We removed our aerobars to simulate a recreational or short tri bike setup.

We didn’t have any trouble adjusting the mouthpiece to work without our aerobars. We have ridden numerous times including hills, flat stretches, and other various environments. We didn’t know what to expect on hilly rides, both uphill and downhill, but we never experienced a problem accessing the water or with the water leaking.

The entire system is well made, feels good when mounted on your bike, and seems to be without design flaw. There are no leaks, not gaps, no problems at all with the mounting and usage of the Go!.

We have ridden about 150 miles with the Go! mounted on a test bike. This represents a few months of recreational riding for most people, so we feel we can speak well of the durability of this product.

We believe NeverReach has created a well made and usable product and recommend you consider the NeverReach Go! if you’re in the market for a hydration system that’s more glamorous than your standard bottle cages. The Go! costs about the same as two cages, two bottles, and the cost of mounting the cages, so price-wise, it’s a wash.

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NeverReach Pro-Rear Mounted Hydration System–Final Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:22:26 +0000

It’s been quite a while since we’ve discussed the NeverReach Pro hydration system. We wish we had a good excuse, but we’ve honestly been busy with marathon training and not spent much time on the old bike. The good news is that in the past month or so we’ve had more time on the bike and have now wrapped up our final review. Our apologies for the delay.

If you haven’t seen the previous review, take a moment to check this out.

As we mentioned in the first review, we had a few struggles mounting the system to our Adamo seat. We’re happy to report that Linda at NeverReach is very responsive and soon got back to us with updated mounting instructions. After reviewing these, they seem to be much more useful. You have to love a small company that responds quickly to customer feedback.

Our final thoughts:

Since our initial review, we’ve used the NeverReach Pro on every ride we’ve taken. Most of them have been in the 30 to 40 mile range, but a few have been north of 50 miles. Nothing approaching a full IM course, but decent distances here. During these rides, we spent some time in aero position and some time in a regular riding position. In both cases we could adjust the mouthpiece of the NeverReach Pro to allow easy access to our water, but it was certainly easier in the aero position.

We didn’t have a chance to test the Ironman splash guard, at least not in a real competition setting. We did practice refilling while riding and the splash guard seems to work quite well. It did prevent our liquids from spilling or splashing.

One tip that we discovered to help keep your NeverReach Pro clean and in good shape is to disconnect the feed tube from the tank after your ride. We didn’t do this the first few times we rode and the water left in the system had a off taste to it after a few days. Nothing serious, but not a great first sip. So, we decided to start disconnecting the tube from the tank and letting them drip dry. Excellent idea on our part. We haven’t had any problems with mold or off flavor water and we haven’t noticed the tube stretching or any leaks due to the frequent removal.

There’s also not much else to wear out on this system, so we don’t have anything groundbreaking to report in that sense. The mouthpiece has obviously been used and there are some stains on the neoprene mouthpiece wrapper, but nothing that we consider real wear and tear. Based on our experience, if you keep this system clean, you’re going to have it for as long as you want.

The bottom line is that this is an interesting hydration system that works. The design and construction are solid. It’s nice to get those bottles out of the way and have easy access to your hydration, even when you’re in the aero position. Installation is reasonably simple and once you’ve got all the settings tweaked, there’s not much for you to worry about: just fill it up, clean it up, and you’re going to be in good shape. We recommend, without reservation, the NeverReach Pro Hydration System.

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NeverReach Go! Hydration System-Initial Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:40:39 +0000

At the beginning of June, we reviewed the NeverReach Pro Hydration System, a sizable hydration tank that mounts on the rear of your bike and holds 64 oz. of liquids.

Today, we’re looking at the NeverReach Go! a smaller and simpler version designed for regular cycling and off-roading. Thanks to NeverReach for the sample. The Go! retails for $49.99

About the NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

Mounting the NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

Since our first review, the folks at NeverReach have updated their installation instructions. We are going to update the previous review to reflect this new mounting process, which we found to be much easier.

The NeverReach Go! is quite easy to mount. You can check out the instructions in a separate PDF. We mounted the NeverReach, without any instructions, in less than 4 minutes. First, open the bracket and attach to your seat rails. We decided to use a different seat for the Go! since our ISM Adamo was currently fitted with the NeverReach Pro System. We attached the mount to the seat before putting it on the bike, so it was even easier for us. Once the bracket is on the seat, all you have to do is slide the Go! into the bracket and slide the rubber band around the mounting area to secure the bottle. After getting the bracket and tank mounted, we connected the tubing used for the NeverReach Pro system, since it’s exactly the same equipment.

For users that don’t already have a NeverReach system mounted, which is most of you, your next step is to attach the tube holder to the handlebars. Then run the tubing down your frame to the seat and Go! nipple. Cut the tube to fit, making sure you’ve measured twice or three times. It’s impossible to ‘un-cut’ the tube, so make sure you’ve got the length exactly right.

After cutting the tubing, you can use the included straps to secure the tubing to your frame.

Testing the NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

After the easy mounting operation, we filled up the tank and headed out for some quick tests. We removed the aerobars from our test bike for this review, so we had some adjusting to do to the mouthpiece. As we mentioned in the Pro review, make sure you give yourself time to adjust the mouthpiece. It took us much less time to get the mouthpiece set this time, we’ll chalk that up to experience.

After getting the mouthpiece set, we cruised around our neighborhood for about 7 miles to get the feel of things. We hit some hills, but most of our testing was on flat ground.

As with the Pro, we didn’t have any problems with the bite valve leaking or the tank nipple leaking. The Go! has a cap that covers the fill opening, so you don’t have to worry about sloshing or splashing.

We did not test the tank off-road, but have arranged for a MTB friend to take the Go! out for a few miles of trail riding. We’ll bring you those results in the final review, next month.

Initial Impression of NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

As with the NeverReach Pro, this is a well made product. The mounting equipment, tubing, bite valves and tank are all sturdy and fit together well.

The Go! system is easy to mount and doesn’t leak. They system seems expensive, but if you add up the cost of two bottle brackets and two bottle brackets, you’re in the same ballpark.

The Go! delivers a good flow of liquids without much effort and the mouthpiece can be moved out of the way after use.

We continue to test the Go! on surface roads, riding paths, and will soon have some off-road experience to add to the final review.

Stay tuned for our final review.

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NeverReach Pro-Rear-Mounted Hydration System-Initial Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:17:53 +0000

NeverReach Pro Hydration System, Mounted, Without Tube

The NeverReach Pro System is hydration system mounted on the rear of your cycle seat. The NeverReach Pro is designed for half IM and IM distance races and claims to reduce your 40Km time by up to 35 seconds. The hydration tank is mounted in a bracket under your seat and you access the water via a rubber hose that you attach to your frame and a bite valve that mounts to your handlebars or your aerobars. The NeverReach Pro system is available for standard seats and for ISM Adamo Seats. You can also add a refill cap to the system to make refilling during an IM easier.

We tested the new version with the ISM compatible bracket and the IM refill cap. Thanks to NeverReach for the evaluation sample.

About the NeverReach Pro System:

As mentioned above, NeverReach claims up to a 35 second reduction during a 40Km time trial over standard hydration systems. You can check out all the details of their claim here.

The NeverReach Pro System features a 64 ounce tank that mounts behind your seat and is teardrop in shape. NeverReach claims that this design reduces drag and the study above supports this claim.

You access the hydration via a long clear tube that mounts on your frame and a bite valve that you attach to your aero or handlebars. NeverReach does not use BPA plastics. You can also purchase an IM splash guard that allows you to quickly refill the tank without stopping.

Mounting the NeverReach Pro:

The NeverReach Pro arrived with all the necessary parts and a very detailed installation guide. We don’t claim to be engineers, so we followed the installation instructions exactly. It’s possible that we don’t follow directions well, we’ve heard that before, but we didn’t find the installation instructions very helpful. Now, we are using an ISM seat and NeverReach just started shipping brackets for these seats, so maybe they need to update their installation instructions, but the included directions weren’t very helpful. The included instructions tell you to connect the tube to the handlebars, then attach the bracket plates to the bracket, mount the bracket to the seat, then adjust the bracket, and only then attach the container.

If you want to install on an ISM seat, here’s what we found to work. First, attach the tank to the mounting bracket. Then use attach the bracket plates. Once you have that assembled, then you can attach the bracket to the seat. We had trouble getting the tank to slide into the bracket if we attached the plates before the tank. After the plates are attached and the bracket is mounted to the seat, you can start tightening all the bolts and adjusting the entire assembly. This isn’t a huge deviation from the instructions, but is different enough to make installation according to the instructions a bit challenging. The problems that we encountered were mostly clearance issues with the ISM seat, not with the actual design of the NeverReach Pro System or the bracket.

After we had the tank attached, we attached the bite valve assembly to our handlebars and cut the tubing to fit. Before we did this, we took the bike for a test ride to make sure things worked before cutting the tubing. We used the included clip to tightly affix the tube to the tank nipple.

Riding with the NeverReach Pro:

Once we sorted out the installation, the system worked great. The bite valve and handlebar mounted portion of the tubing has a neoprene cover with a bendable piece of wire that allows you to position the mouthpiece exactly where it’s most useful for you. The NeverReach Pro has a number of pieces of Velcro to attach tubing to your frame.

We filled the tank and headed out for a test ride. Once we tucked into the aero position and got comfortable, we started working on the mouthpiece to get it positioned correctly. When you first install this, make sure you give yourself time to get all the parts situated; it will save you a bit of frustration in the future. Once we figured out exactly where to mount the mouthpiece, the system stayed in place and was easy to access.

We did all testing in training situations, not in a race. We didn’t have a perfect way to simulate an aid station, so we carried a water bottle and tried to fill the tank without stopping the bike. The first time was a bit awkward, but after a try or two, we had it down. Grab a new bottle, reach back, insert the bottle through the refill cap and give it a few squeezes. This only takes a few seconds once you practice and you’ll get most of the water into the tank before you clear the average aid station, so you can discard the empty easily.

We tested the system on flat roads and a few hilly spots around town. We didn’t have any trouble with leaking, either at the base of the tank or at the bite valve. Even on downhill portions of our rides, water stayed in the tank and the tubing and didn’t get forced out of the bite valve.

The bite valve is easy to access, assuming you have it set up correctly. You get plenty of flow from the system with very little effort.

What to Expect in our Next Review:

We continue to test the NeverReach Pro System and will bring your a more detailed review of it’s performance during this test within a few weeks. We have used the system for about two weeks and on a few longer distance rides, but nothing approaching a Half IM or full IM race yet. In our next review, we will discuss how the system holds up to normal wear and tear, any additional tips and tricks for using the system, and our final thoughts on the system. Keep your eyes out for our final review.

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Ryders Eyewear HEX Sunglasses-Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Wed, 18 May 2011 11:37:12 +0000

Ryders Eyewear is a manufacturer of sunglasses and goggles for active lifestyles. They produce a large line of sunglasses intended for sport and relaxation, in addition to goggles designed for MTB and snow use. We received a pair of their HEX glasses as a test sample just about two months ago and have used them in numerous situations since. The HEX glasses are available online for less than $40.

About Ryders Eyewear HEX Glasses:

The HEX glasses use a combination of two technologies in their lenses; photochromic and polarized. Photochromic lenses provide protection in varying light conditions, while the polarized grey lenses darken colors and eliminate glare. The HEX glasses are designed to fit a medium sized face. The glasses we tested were Gloss Black with grey lenses. The HEX cycling glasses feature anti-slip nose pads and anti-slip temple tips, but not adjustable nose pads.

Review of Ryders Eyewear HEX Glasses:

Since receiving the test sample from Ryders, we have used these glasses running, cycling, in the yard, on the beach, and driving. We have been very pleased with their performance and protection and haven’t had any problems with the fit or the style. The glasses are designed for medium sized faces and our tester has a narrow face, so they fit much better than many other varieties of glasses, though they occasionally seemed a little large. The temple tips helped keep the glasses in place during intense exercise, so even though they seemed a little large, this didn’t impact their performance during our testing.

The main attraction for our tester was the light weight. The Ryders HEX frames are constructed from a very light plastic that was hardly noticeable after wearing for a few minutes. The grey lenses blocked enough light to make these glasses effective in all testing situations, including direct sun on the beach.

The anti-slip nose and temple features actually work, preventing movement and slipping during exercise, even when very sweaty.

Final Thoughts:

We were impressed overall with these glasses, especially since they can be found online for less than $40 and less than $35 if you catch them on sale. The polarized lenses are a nice touch at this price point, something you don’t expect in glasses priced below $50.

The bottom line with the Ryders Eyewear HEX Cycling Glasses is that they’re a reasonable pair of glasses at a great price. If you’re not willing to shell out over $100 for glasses, you can pick these up for much less and get many of the perks generally only found in more expensive glasses. They don’t have all the bells and whistles, like adjustable frames and nosepads, but you can’t expect that for $40 bucks or so. If you’re looking for a lightweight pair of glasses for general exercise, you could do worse than the Ryders Eyewear HEX glasses.

Native Eyewear Customer Service

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Nathan Endurance Race Vest-Initial Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:41:23 +0000

Just before our Palmetto 200 run, we received a few water packs to test. Our first, received from Hydrapak, is review here. The second of our packs is the Endurance Race Vest from Nathan Sports. A special thanks to Nathan for the sample.

About Nathan Sports:

Nathan Sports is a division of Penguin Brands and manufacture a number of race belts, vests, packs, bottles, and reflective gear for runners and triathletes. We’ve reviewed a cheap and useful pouch from Nathan that we use on almost every run.

About the Endurance Race Vest:

According to the Nathan site, the Endurance Vest is “The hydration pack, redefined.” The Endurance pack is full of interesting features you’d expect to find on a nice pack and a few you wouldn’t. The pack has a 3-way Propulsion Harness designed to reduce or eliminate bounce during your run. The pack has a two liter bladder, made by Hydropak, with the nifty Slideseal top closure. There’s a front pocket that can hold up to a 22 oz. bottle, we used it for gels, and a waterproof pocket for pills or small bits of kit. The front zippered pocket is useful and holds a full-sized smartphone without issue. We used a HTC Evo and also an iPhone 4 without issue. The chest strap features a clip for the water tube. The Endurance vest can be purchased online for approximately $80.

Testing the Endurance Race Vest:

We’ve used the Endurance race vest on a number of training runs, from 3 to 14 miles and carried it with us to the Palmetto 200. During the Palmetto 200, we completed a 10 mile and two 8 mile legs wearing the pack. Our training runs were completed in varied weather, ranging from 70 to 87 degrees and all during the day. Our Palmetto 200 runs were done during the day and night and in temperatures between 50 and 85 degrees. For the Palmetto runs, we completed all three runs within 18 hours.

Initial Impressions of the Endurance Race Vest:

During our test runs, we noticed immediately that the Endurance Vest from Nathan is well balanced. Unlike a number of other packs we used, the 3-way harness system significantly reduces the bounce from running. Unlike most other vests, the Endurance doesn’t feature standard shoulder straps. It’s hard to explain the difference, so it’s probably best to look at the attached pictures. Basically, instead of attaching the bottom of the shoulder strap to the rear of the pack, the Endurance attaches from the side of the shoulder strap to the back of the pack. Slight difference, but very noticeable when running. We didn’t have to cinch the pack uncomfortably tight to prevent bouncing.

This pack is highly reflective. One of our teammates described us as being “lit up like a redneck Christmas display” during a night run at the Palmetto 200. The Palmetto 200 required reflective vests at all times, but this pack is more reflective than most of the vests we used during the race.

This pack is large, but comparatively light when you factor in all the features and pockets. We didn’t get tired of wearing the vest on most runs, even our final run in the Palmetto 200 which brought us to 30 miles in about 24 hours. The only time we grew tired of the pack was due to a mis-adjustment in the shoulder straps. We overtightened the pack and moved the chest strap too far up our body. This caused additional pressure and strain on our shoulders and neck. Once we adjusted the pack, we didn’t have any further problems with discomfort or pain.

Though we’re still reviewing this pack, out of the gate it’s one of the most useful and comfortable packs. We’ll bring you our final thoughts in the next few weeks.

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Hydrapak Gel-Bot Water Bottle with Gel Flask-Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:32:19 +0000

For the past two weeks, we’ve been testing an interesting looking bottle from Hydrapak called the Gel-Bot. The Gel-Bot is a bottle with an additional internal reservoir for energy gel. This is the only review for the Gel-Bot, as there’s not really two reviews worth of information to be had.

About Hydrapak:

Hydrapak is, not surprisingly, a hydration company. They make a number of different packs and bottles for a variety of applications, including running, ultra-running, cycling, mountain biking and hiking. In the coming weeks, you can also look forward to an initial review of one of their hydration packs designed for runners.

About the Gel-Bot:

The Gel-B0t is one of Hydrapak’s unique bottle designs. Hydrapak has a number of unusual bottles, including a bottle with adjustable flow called the DualBot and the PureBot, a chemical free version.

The Gel-Bot is a pretty simple solution to carrying a water bottle and a gel flask or pouch. Gel-Bot is simple: Fill with gel, fill with water, go running, pull open valve for water, close valve and squeeze for gel.

Gel-Bot comes in a 20 and a 24 oz version and holds 3.2oz of gel.

Observations:

Well, basically, it works as designed and advertised. We tested the Gel-Bot a number of times and generally found that it works as designed. We thought the gel might leak or seep out of the top, but that never happened in our tests.

One problem we did have with the gel was viscosity. We used a few different gels in the test, including Roctane from GU, Regular GU, and Hammer. At room temperature, the gel flowed pretty smoothly, though the Roctane seemed a bit harder to get out than regular GU or Hammer, though that could have been a fluke. The problem arose when we plunged the gel into ice cold water in the bottle. Gel still flowed ok, but getting it to flow required serious squeezing.

For longer rides or runs, this isn’t a serious problem, as your water and gel will warm up pretty quickly, but for shorter runs, or if you’re one that loves a lot of ice in the bottle, this is going to make the gel very thick. Our simple solution was to add a little water to our gel and mix it up, thereby reducing the thickness and making it easier to squeeze. Even when we diluted the gel, we didn’t have any problems with leaks or seeping.

The Gel-Bot is top rack safe and we’ve washed our test model a few times since we received it, without any damage. After each run, honestly, it’s more like before the next run, we wash the bottle, gel pack, and bottle top and try to remove most or all of the previous run’s gel. With a little hot water, the gel cleans up easily.

Final Opinion:

We are yet to find a problem using the Gel-Bot. It functions exactly as it claims, it delivers water and gel with no mess and no switching hands, and it cleans up easily. The Gel-Bot isn’t for everyone, but it’s a very simple and very effective bottle. Although this tester normally uses the REI Double Shot on medium to long distance runs, this bottle will probably become part of my normal running kit. Even with the Double Shot, getting a gel requires a bit of work and slowing down, so this is a much more graceful solution.

Rating of Gel-Bot Water Bottle with Gel Flask
Appearance
Basic Clear Bottle, though it appears to have a growth

Function
Hydration and Nutrition in One Bottle

Design
Only logical solution to wanting gel and water.

Performance
Good. Gel is reasonably easy to consume.

Value
A little pricey for a water bottle.

Overall
Simple solution, well designed, actually works.

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Profile Design Aquacell Hydration Kit-Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:10:47 +0000

Hydration is one of the crucial components of a successful race or training day, as we all know. There are so many different options to carry liquids on your bike that it’s often hard to decide where to start.

The most basic option, of course, is cages with standard water bottles. You can also mount your bottles on the back of your seat using a system like the Profile Design RM1 that we reviewed earlier.

Today, we’re going to look at one of the systems we used during our IM training, the Profile Design Aquacell system. The Aquacell mounts between your aerobars and provides 40oz of fluids in two chambers.

The total kit weighs 310 grams and is compatible with most aerobars, either as packaged or via the Aerodrink Bracket. We used the Aerodrink bracket for our application.

Testing the Aerocell Hydration System:

The Aerocell is designed to mount on your aerobars and provide hydration through a dual straw system. We had a bit of trouble mounting the system to our aerobars. The included instructions are vague at best and the Aerodrink Bracket instructions aren’t much better. We expected the installation to take 10 mintues, but it took about three times as long to get a stable installation.

Once mounted, however, the Aerocell Hydration System is dead simple. We chose to remove the caps and use the poly covers to allow quicker refills. Just a personal preference.

When used on a road bike for testing, we did have to stretch a little to reach the straws, but our seat position is a bit behind what most people use, so we don’t think this is an issue.

We used the Aerocell for dozens of rides, short and long distances and never experienced a problem with the performance. A small complaint is that the Aerocell is a bit tough to clean well, especially if you use a thick mixture in the smaller cell.

Overall Impressions of the Aerocell Hydration System:

Mounting problems aside, this is a good hydration system. Depending on your hydration needs, this system can carry all you need for shorter races and only needs to be filled once or twice for IM or HIM races. We eventually decided against carrying a different mix in the smaller cell, opting to use HEED in both cells.

The design is sleek and didn’t have any impact on our times. We did notice a bit of a change in the balance of our bike when fully loaded. This didn’t impact our riding, but we noticed the additional weight on the aerobars.

We would recommend testing this system with your current setup before purchasing. Make sure you’re comfortable leaning that far forward to get your hydration. Not a problem if you’re aero’d out most of the race, but if there’s a lot of climbing, you might not like the positioning of the Aerocell system.

Rating of Aquacell Hydration System
Appearance
Sleek lines, good for aero.

Function
Provides 40oz of liquid and easily accessed.

Design
Not the best looking bottle, fit leaves something to be desired

Performance
Great. Lots of liquids, good balance on bars.

Value
At less than 25 bucks, great value

Overall
Great price, good for all racers.

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Hammer Perpetuem Solids Endurance Nutrition-Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:50:54 +0000

One of the toughest things about an Ironman race is making sure your nutrition plan is going to get you through the day. One essential component of a good nutrition plan is an endurance fuel. Many triathletes swear by real food, PB&J sandwiches and the like, but for some people this is a bit too involved.

Hammer Nutrition produces many familiar fuels and supplements for triathletes and Perpetuem is one of their most popular endurance fuels. Perpetuem has classically been a powder that you mix with water before consuming. It’s pretty thick and can be a bit gritty, but it works. We’ve used Perpetuem in our training and on our half-IM distance races before and were pleased with the performance. However, there are some logistical challenges to using Perpetuem powder, the main issue being that it cannot be mixed more than about three hours before use, depending on the weather. There are no preservatives in the powder so the fuel breaks down quickly in the heat.

Hammer has recently released a new product, Perpetuem Solids, to make taking Perpetuem easier. Thanks to Hammer for providing a few samples that we used at Beach2Battleship.

About Perpetuem Solids:

The solids are made from the same product as regular Perpetuem, only in a convenient tablet form. You can purchase the solids in bulk or in a 6 tablet sleeve. Perpetuem Solids are designed to stay fresh and usable even in the heat. The formula used in Perpetuem is designed to mitigate muscle cannibalization. The tabs are available in Strawberry-Vanilla, Orange-Vanilla, and Caffe Latte which also contains caffeine. The solids retail for $29.95 for a 90 tab container or $3.15 for a 6 tablet tube.

The serving size, 3 tablets, contain 100 calories and a little less than a gram of fat. There are 20g of carbs and 3g of protein in each serving.

Testing the Perpetuem Solids:

After receiving the samples, we also purchased a few additional packs to test before the race. We didn’t want to make any sudden changes to our nutrition plan without testing them first.

We used Hammer Perpetuem Solids on our last few 6+hour rides before Beach2Battleship. We included one serving of Solids in our special needs bike bag, one in our Bike to Run transition bag, and a third serving in our Special Needs Run bag. Generally, it’s a bad idea to go more than three hours without consuming protein during a race. Adding protein at these points helps reduce muscle tissue cannibalization.

Final Thoughts on Perpetuem Solids:

It’s impossible to discuss Perpetuem without discussing the taste. Remember, you’re not eating a Frosty here, you’re trying to keep your body from shutting down during the longest race of your life. When we used regular Perpetuem, we were pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t horrible. The flavor was great, especially the Caffe Latte version, and it wasn’t the most grainy supplement that we’ve tested. That being said, it was still not something you want to drink for breakfast every day.

The Perpetuem Solids were a completely different experience. First, they’re huge. About the size of a stack of 8 quarters. The smell is a bit chalky and the solids are normally a bit powdery after storage and movement. Popping the first one into your mouth, you better have some water ready. They will absolutely dry your mouth out. The second one was easier because we expected the drying sensation. Once you take a drink of water, the tabs dissolve pretty quickly, but they do leave a bit of an aftertaste. The tabs aren’t very grainy when you chew them, but they are a bit chalky, so they dissolve, but they need quite a bit of water to wash them down.

Performance wise, we noticed no difference between the regular Perpetuem and the Soilds. Both products provided a boost of energy and helped keep us full, but not stuffed. Both products helped us avoid muscle cannibalization. The balance of carbs and protein also assists with recovery, which is important since your body will start to recover from each sport before you finish the next discipline.

At the end of the day, an Ironman is a balance of less bad choices. Perpetuem Solids aren’t the most fun thing in the world to eat, I’d rather have a bacon cheeseburger, but that’s not practical. We don’t buy much of the hype surrounding supplements, but we found that Perpetuem is a great addition to your training plan. If you are comfortable using the powder, then you can include a bag of powder and add water as needed. If you want a less complicated plan, there has to be a tradeoff. In this case, the tradeoff is the consistency of the Solids. They’re not horrible, but they are a very different experience. Don’t wait until the day of the race to test these and you’ll be fine. On balance, we prefer the Solids to the powdered Perpetuem because of the ease of use and the limited planning required to use this product.

Rating of Perpetuem Solids Endurance Nutrition
Packaging
6 Tablet tubes are easy to pack and use.

Flavor
Caffe Latte is a personal favorite and includes caffeine.

Consistency
Chalky, but drinking water eliminates the dryness.

Performance
Mitigates muscle cannibalization and helps recovery.

Value
Very reasonably priced. Good Value.

Overall
Great product. Ease of use trumps chalky flavor.

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Giro Bravo Men’s Gloves-Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:32:37 +0000

Today, we’re going to take a look at the Giro Bravo Road Cycling Gloves for men. These gloves retail for 24.99, which puts them squarely in the middle of the pack of Giro’s offerings. The Bravo’s are fingerless and feature a details that you might not expect on a lower priced glove.

About Giro:

Giro is based in Scotts Valley, Californian and is a part of the Easton-Bell Sports company. Easton-Bell has a number of other product lines focused on cycling and other outdoor sports. In addition to the gloves we review today, Giro is well known for their helmets and shoes.

About the Giro Bravo Men’s Gloves:

As we mentioned above, the Giro Bravo Gloves are priced at a entry to mid level point and are widely available online or in local retail stores. The Giro Bravo gloves are available in five colors to suit most people’s preferences. The gloves are available in men’s sizes from small to XXL.

These gloves use what Giro calls the Super Fit design. This design features a three panel palm to ensure a tailored fit. The palm of the glove is made from Clarino synthetic leather which provides durability at a reasonable cost. In addition to the synthetic leather, you’ll find additional padding under the leather to make the gloves more comfortable.

The uppers are made of a stretchy and breathable mesh. There is a patch of microfiber that is highly absorbent for wiping sweat or other things… The closure on the gloves is a small tab of Velcro.

Testing the Giro Bravo Gloves:

We picked these gloves just before our Ironman training peaked when our old cycling gloves finally bit the dust. We purchased these gloves online at the retail price of 24.99.

We used these gloves during the last two months of our Ironman training program and during Beach2Battleship race. We used these gloves during our longest and toughest rides, in excess of 6 hours and 100 miles, and also on our 6:22 112 mile IM distance ride in Wilmington, NC.

The peak of our training was during some of the hottest days in a long South Carolina summer. The mercury hit 95 at least twice during our long training rides. During these hot rides, we appreciated the wicking abilities of the Giro Bravo gloves. It would have been impossible for the gloves to keep our hands completely dry, but the wicking properties of the Bravo gloves were noticeable.

We also appreciated the padding and the synthetic leather in the palm of the glove. The combination of the padding and the thick faux-leather provided enough padding to keep our hands in good shape for most of the rides. By the time you hit 100 miles, your hands are going to be sore, no matter what glove you’re wearing. However, the Bravo gloves did a great job mitigating the soreness and pain that always arises on these long rides.

Final Thoughts:

Our tester was pleased with these gloves. At this price point, you generally don’t expect too much in terms of design and padding. These gloves look good, fit well, and wick moisture. If you’re currently using a $50+ pair of gloves, you’ll probably be disappointed with the performance of these gloves. However, at the under $25 price point, you’ll have to search a bit for a pair of gloves that combine a reasonable fit, well-padded palms, and a good design. The Giro Bravo Cycling Gloves are the best gloves we’ve tested at this price point and we have no hesitation in recommending them to our readers.

Rating of Giro Bravo Men's Cycling Glvoes
Appearance
Multiple colors available, clean design.

Function
Well performing gloves. Wicks moisture and keeps you cool.

Comfort
Well padded palms with synthetic leather. Lightweight and cool

Durability
Still in great shape after 500 miles and many washings.

Value
Best glove we've tested under 25 bucks

Overall
Good performance at a bargain price.

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