Caffeine Free options?

[Resumer]

I'm doing the AIDS Life Cycle this June and am trying to find a way not to rely solely on Clif bars for nutrition and energy on the ride -- love 'em, but 7 days of it is a recipe for needing human drano, if you know what I mean.

I looked at all the bloks, gu, gels, etc this week at the bike shop when I went in for a tune up and bike fit, and I was shocked to see that virtually ALL of them have caffeine! I quit caffeine a few years ago, and while I'm not completely adverse to it, I really don't like the idea of pumping a lot into my system during the ride because if I take any after about noon, I am definitely up at night. That's the LAST thing I need...to exhaust myself every day riding and then be buzzed beyond slumber at night.

Does anyone know of any caffeine free alternatives to the most common brands? I've searched on this Forum for other related threads and haven't seen any so if you can point me toward something if it's here, I'll appreciate it.

Thanks, in advance!

[Blueberry]

Sportbeans!!

[KnottedYet]

There are only a couple Clif Bloks with caffeine, the rest don't have it.

My favorite is the Cran-Razz blok, but I used to like the Cran-Razz shot ('cept I'd get all sticky no matter how neatly I tried to eat it!)

Clif Nectar bars and Lara Bars are nice long-lasting energy, and don't have oats or caffeine.

I was under the impression that on ALC you have access to pretty good food. Is there a reason you won't be able to eat what is provided?

[Resumer]

I'm a newbie, so I guess in part I'm wanting to be sure I have handy stuff to keep me from bonking -- and the food they provide may well be sufficient, I just haven't done the long cycling the ride will require before so I'm thinking ahead...too much?!!

I believe they do provide fruit and stuff at the rest stops, and I know their sport/energy bar of choice is Clif so that's why I was thinking I might experiment with other options while training so I can have some of my own stuff along just in case. Am I over doing it?

Thanks for the clarification on the bloks...by the way!

[KnottedYet]

Let's get Trek420 over here to tell us what's up with supplies on ALC (she's done it a few times and lead training rides, too.)

Paging Trek420 to the thread!

[Trek420]

I'm a newbie, so I guess in part I'm wanting to be sure I have handy stuff to keep me from bonking -- and the food they provide may well be sufficient

My first ALC I really tried to forgo the evil drug . "Coffee bad, coffee dehydrates, don't drink it on epic ride" seems to be the party line.

First off if your blood type like mine runs Peets French Roast positive it's hard to go cold turkey. So on ALC 3 I drank juuuuuust enough to keep from getting a headache. There is coffee in camp, it's not strong nor the greatest and that seems to be purposeful but it's there.

But you will see Peets addicts plot out local coffee shops to stop at outside of camp (some towns really don't have one) or even the unsinkable Molly Brown brings a French Press coffeemaker each year.

So I tried to go without but round Day 4 that year I ran into some Cliff Choco Mint bars which have caffeine and I felt soooooooo much better that just said "sod it, I'm drinking coffee the rest of the way " and have done so since.

Just be mindful, lots of things dehydrate and if you do drink coffee take extar care that you're drinking ..... lots!

One way to tell is if you or your tentmate do not get up to pee during the night you're dehydrated.

Eat before you're hungry, drink before you're thirsty and pee before you gotta go. (sorry TE but it's good advice on a multi day tour).

I'm wanting to be sure I have handy stuff to keep me from bonking -- and the food they provide may well be sufficient

The food is plentiful and excellent with lots of choices especially breakfast and dinner. Take a look on the ALC site for copies of the daily news and see the menus. I think you'll be pleased.

Lunch is generally a box lunch type, good overall but not gourmet.

There are rest stops and water stops about every 20 miles, they are never out of food. And some ALC veterans, and families of riders even set up unofficial rest stops with red whips, m&ms, water ..... watch for the cookie lady Day 2 and stop for artichokes at a stand.

ALC is no time to diet nor would you want to.

When I trained for it I pay a lot of attention to nutrition, admittedly more than I do now. I eat food .... that's made from food. Whole grains, no junk. But on ALC I eat anything they put in front of me. ALC 4, my 2nd ride I learned to pay more attention to my body, after going through the line in the dinner tent once, if there was something on the menu that appealed to me and I felt hungry I went back for 2nds. I stopped skipping desert on the ride.

I figured if my body was saying "yum, I want more stuffing and then cheesecake" maybe I needed that. And I had my best ride ever.

So find out what fuels you. Is there a favorite breakfast, recovery meal. Do you like gu? Or not? My "secret weapon" is oatmeal. Normally I don't like it, but on ALC I ate a huge bowl every morning, it keeps me fueled and energized through the 1st rest stop or longer.

Unless you have special dietary needs you do not need to bring your own grub. The one exception is if you have a favorite pre ride breakfast bring it to Day 1. The "no coffee" police are out in force, there will be plenty of juice, bagels, normal ride fare but if you can't ride up 92 and then Skyline without oatmeal in the morning bring a scone or too.

I didn't bring my "lucky TJ's oatmeal scone" last year and had a hard time

[Di bear]

Hammer Gel doesn't have caffeine, AND it's all natural!

[flash]

Agreed ... cran-raz clif blocks are tasty & caffeine free. Likewise most hammer gels (including my fave - raspberry). And I believe Gu vanilla gels are available without caffeine.