There are a ton of energy products out there. Bars, pills, gels, drinks, etc. If you need a sugar or caffeine fix, there's plenty to choose from. But over the years, I've found that many products are more hype then anything else. I'm left wondering "where's that promised kick?"

After trying several products, GU is the first gel I've found that lives up to its promise. The result? A good 20 minute pickup without a harsh crash at the end.

I was first introduced to GU as a snack I would take on long fun rides. As I got into racing I found the benefits of GU amazing.

When you're on the last lung-busting climb of a back and forth race, you want to make sure a pack of GU is near. Ideally you'll rip off the top and down it just as you enter the grinding climb. Within 3 to 5 minutes the weariness begins to fade. Your focus sharpens and life comes back to your legs. Breathing is easier. In fact, it's time to make your move because the next 20 minutes are going to make or break the race. With a packet of GU, there is just a little bit more energy to tap into.

The GU package is compact and easy to handle while on the bike. I've found that taping the top of a GU packet to my stem makes for the perfect way to carry a tube. Grabbing a packet carried this way will immediately open it and allow me to down it all with one hand all in one quick motion. Then I toss the empty in my jersey pocket and I'm off!

GU has a very smooth texture that makes it easy to swallow when breathing hard. Also, the flavors are sweet, but not overly so. I've found most energy gels are so sweet that they make me extremely thirsty for the next several minutes. GU slides down easy and with one gulp of water I'm done.

There are several flavors and each one has its own loyal following. I personally love the Just Plain flavor. If I you can call the lack of flavor a flavor. Vanilla Bean is another top palate pleaser. Others also enjoy Chocolate Outrage, Tri-Berry, Orange Burst and Banana Blitz. No matter what your flavor preference, you'll still get the same bang from each tube.

For you aspiring chemists, here are some of the ingredients that give GU its punch. I'm not going to go into detail explaining what each ingredient does, as all I can do is repeat marketing rhetoric since I don't know the first thing about most of these. So rather than pretend to be some know-it-all, here's a list of what makes GU go: Maltodextrin, Fructose, Ginseng, Caffeine, Leucin, Valine, Antioxidants, Histidine, Potassium, Sodium Citrate, Pectin, Sea Salt, and Calcium Carbonate. None of it sounds tasty, but combined they make a powerful team.

Each 1.1oz packet provides 100 calories of pure energy.

Who's it for:

Anyone looking for the needed energy to make it home after a long ride or push hard to the end of a race

Who isn't it for:

Anyone who would rather sleep than ride