by hattenburrow | Apr 19, 2014 | Kit Reviews, Nutrition
This high performance energy drink which comes in powered form, is mixed with water to create a sweet orange tasting drink.
The Cyto Power HP from USN has key electrolytes and 40 grams of carbohydrate to help your body refuel and sustain high intensity training.
I used the 50g servings with 500ml of water (as directed) and drank whilst out on a training ride over the course of 1 hour 45 minutes.
I found that although this product is highly sweet it is easy to drink and has a really nice orange flavour.
I didn’t, as suggested, start taking 20 – 30 minutes before my training ride but took at regular intervals during training, this seemed to work well for me.
I have been recovering from a elbow injury and this was my first proper training ride out on single track. I felt a bit nervous and didn’t eat much because of this.
Arriving at the trail I felt a bit shaky and put this down to a mixture of nerves and not eating enough I had some of the Cyto Power HP just before we started to ride. About 20 minutes into the ride I noticed that I felt more energised and focused on my riding instead of the jelly leg feeling I had, had previously.
Overall I think USN Cyto Power HP is a great training aid to refuel and energise you.
It would be good in races as long as you also carried water as I think personally I wouldn’t want to drink it continually during a race as it is rather sweet so being able to alternate between this and water on longer races would be advisable.
I will certainly be using it during Ride London this year!
Check out my other reviews here.
by hattenburrow | Apr 13, 2014 | Nutrition
Cross country mountain biking is fast paced and the ground is often rough with roots, rocks and other obstacles which make opportunities to refuel few and far between.
Races last around 1 hour 30/40 minuets so taking on board fluid and energy is very important for maintaining race pace and also not feeling like death afterwards!
My go to snack for during races is energy gels. They are really handy because you can bite the top off, hold it (usually squirting it all over yourself and your bike) and drink/swallow it when ever possible.
My first ever gel was a sticky sweet mouth drying disaster! It was like trying to swallow superglue, not pleasant and distracting in a race!
Since this first experience I have tried a variety of different makes of gels from Holland & Barrett and other stores with no real luck.
Then I tried the Science in Sport energy gels which have a more jelly like consistency and are not as sweet they contain 22g of carbohydrate and mostly are caffeine free. They are easy to digest and during a race can be swallowed easily. During an average race of 1 hour 30 mins I would eat two or three of these to maintain my energy levels.
The other gels I have found work really well are High Five these gels have 23g of carbohydrate and are as easy to use as the SIS ones. The big difference is actually something simple and that is the packaging design, I have had a couple of issues trying to rip the tops off and cycle at the same time with the High Five gels. Once the top is off however the High Five gels are brilliant and give a great tasting energy boost. My favourite flavour has to be the Mojito although you really have to drink after taking this as its slightly too sweet.
As with all performance products especially gels I think some of the energy they give you is phycological! However in a race if this works then that is all that matters.
I would recommend trying out a couple of different brands during training and see how they sit with you, this is the best way to pick your race energy products.
Happy Racing!
by hattenburrow | Apr 10, 2014 | Kit Reviews
The Trail 42 vacuum thermo flask is made from double walled stainless steel with a screw in heavy duty leak proof lid and flip up cap.
The flask is a good size (0.33L) for packing in a bag if your going out for the day to hold either hot or cold drinks. It’s lightweight design makes it easy to carry.
If you had a long day on the trails you would also need at least one water bottle as this isn’t enough fluid and you would get dehydrated. This flask is perfect to carry your mid morning tea break cuppa for on the side of a mountain or forest walk/run/ride! You can then refill the flask with more tea when you get to a pub very easily ready for the afternoon ahead.
The flask keeps drinks hot easily for two to three hours, because of its size I never had any drink left after this time to test the heat.
The flask is easy to use with a simple flip top cap which shuts firmly and has never come open in my bag, however I always have it wedges standing up right just in case, but I would do this with any flask.
The flask looks and feels like it’s made of good quality materials. The surface of the flask is hard wearing and the Trail 42 logo has survived many washes, knocks and scrapes showing the quality in design.
Overall this is a really handy flask for hot or cold drinks whether your commuting or out on the trails. The other place we have recently been where the flask showed its handiness is on holiday it’s the right size for your pre flight tea then on the other side of customs you can simply fill it up for the perfect tea on the plane i.e one not it a plastic cup that cost £3.60!
by hattenburrow | Apr 6, 2014 | Kit Reviews
Unwrapping another product from Giant I was excited about trying my new Jersey. Being a girl clothes are always welcome and from past experience when they come from Giant there going to be practical, stylish and comfortable.
My new red and black women’s fit Giant/Liv jersey did not disappoint.
It fits well with a good half zip which is low enough to ventilate but not too revealing. The back is longer than the front to give more protection from spray and mud from the back wheel and to stop the jersey riding up this is a real bonus, it could do with a silicon insert to keep the jersey from riding up at the back.
The red and black is a great combination and great for mountain biking as it’s a rather muddy sport sometimes especially in the UK and the dark colours wash well and hide the dirt! It also washes really well and keeps it’s colour.
On the back there are three small pockets handy for gloves, inner tubes and a snack. A good addition would of been good to have a small zipped pocket for car keys or mobile phone as these are the two things I’m always paranoid about loosing, not being in a zipped pocket I spend a a lot of time reaching round with one hand to check they are still there after each bit of single track instead of concentrating on my ride.
The high vis strip across the top of the pockets is a good idea and a nice touch.
The jersey wicks away the sweat from your skin quickly and stays dry. The fit is snug without being too tight I have warn it with a base layer underneath and it works really well as the sleeves and body still have room to manoeuvre and steer without restriction.
I have really enjoyed my Giant/Liv jersey and would recommend them to any female cyclists whether your passion is on or off road Giant provide a great stylish product that is comfortable to wear and easy to look after.
Check out my other reviews here
by hattenburrow | Apr 4, 2014 | Inspiration, Training
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
Is a quote I have always believed in. It has become more apparent recently after dislocating and cracking my elbow it has left me firmly out of my comfort zone, both physically and mentally. I felt like the strength was being sucked out of my arm by the weight of the plaster and the simple things like opening jars seem to take great effort.
Mentally I was fighting demons who keep telling me I’ve screwed up the start of my racing season and put myself on the back foot, which is totally stupid when I know how tough the competition is going to be.
Life has thrown me a curve ball and I’ve decided to catch it, with my good arm!
I may not have been able to get out on my bike or to the gym but you shouldn’t let the present situation stop you from getting to where you want to be.
Thanks to Giant in the first week back from my holiday with my arm in plaster, I rode a total of 135 miles on my turbo trainer in the first week, working on my endurance and pedalling. My focus was on the thought that my racing season is long and apart from my arm I am fit, healthy and hungry for competition.
When I look back it’s clear that life does begin outside your comfort zone.
My fracture clinic appointments brought great news, my consultant was very happy with the progress I had made and now I’m back on my bike and starting to re-discover single track! It has been a long a painful four weeks but I am now ready to start getting back on my bike and start my season.
Tips for training with one arm in plaster:
- Try and set it up outside its far nicer!
- Drink plenty of water.
- Get a mini fan to use to blow cool air down the cast.s
- Try and cycle sitting upright with your arm hanging or in a sling as it maintains a more balanced position on the bike.
I used the 50g servings with 500ml of water (as directed) and drank whilst out on a training ride over the course of 1 hour 45 minutes.
Overall I think USN Cyto Power HP is a great training aid to refuel and energise you. 
