Hopefully you’ve gotten the word by now that on long rides you need to consume protein in addition to carbohydrates if you want to avoid muscle and brain fatigue (better known to cyclists as bonking). To paraphrase a familiar verse of the Bible, “Cyclists do not live by carbohydrates alone.” One of the easiest ways to get the needed protein is to buy a carbohydrate gel with protein already in it (or make you own gel for use in a HomeGOO flask). Unfortunately, most energy gels that include protein taste rather dreadful. PacificHealth Laboratories (the creators of Accelerade) recently introduced 2nd Surge Ultra Energy Gel and it not only tastes great, but has carbohydrates, electrolytes, proteins, caffeine and antioxidants.
2nd Surge Ultra Energy Gel
Last month I purchased a box (an 8 pack) of 2nd Surge and have used the gel on some of my longer bike rides. I was hooked when I tried the first package! The chocolate gel is very smooth and has a rich chocolate flavor. Most of the other chocolate gels I’ve tried over the years tasted like artificial chocolate, but 2nd Surge is the real deal. Each package of 2nd Surge has 90 calories and includes 18g of carbohydrate, 3g of protein and 100mg of caffeine.
2nd Surge is an all-natural energy gel. I hate giving a long list of ingredients in a product review, but the ingredient list in 2nd Surge is rather impressive. The ingredients include: Agave Syrup, Brown Rice Syrup, Evaporated Cane Sugar, Water, Whey Protein Isolate, Glycerin, Pea Protein Isolate, Cocoa, Natural Flavors, Green Tea Extract, d-alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Salt, Grape, Pomegranate, Mangosteen, Goji Berry, Blueberry, Chokeberry, Cranberry, Apple and Bilberry Extracts.
At the moment this product is only available in two flavors: Chocolate and Double Expresso. I loved the chocolate gel and have already ordered another box. For the record, I did not try the Double Expresso, mainly because I have never been a fan of any food product that has the word expresso (or espresso) in the title. I hope PacificHealth Laboratories adds a few new flavors before long.
A box of eight packages of 2nd Surge retails for $16 and is available on the PacificHealth Laboratories Website. The best price online I’ve been able to find is at Performance Bike—they have it listed at $13 a box. However, if you “Like” the PacificHealth Laboratories Facebook page you can get a 20% discount on your next order (I don’t know how long this offer is going to last).
