I won some skratch lime at a race years ago and it was so sweet it tasted unnatural. Was gross
+1 (or maybe it’s -1) for SIS Caffeinated Berry gel. Yuck!
The grey area in all this are the lumpy SIS gels that you’ve had too long. As far as I can tell, they’re not spoiled (yet), just a weird texture for keeping them past their best-by date. Didn’t notice much change in taste (for the ones I can stomach), just the weird texture.
My son and I were in Costco a bit ago and they had samples of Liquid IV Pineapple. We both tried it and agreed: Also yuck. Other than the marketing, I don’t understand the enthusiasm for Liquid IV.
The name is what bothers me…every IV is liquid
LMNT’s ‘Lemon Habanero’, ‘Mango Chili’ and ‘Chocolate Salt’ electrolyte flavors are all pretty rough on the palate.
Might have been the conditions under which I tried them. Nothing like swigging a spicy hydration drink on a very hot and humid August training ride.
Yup…see above comment re: Ginger MapleAid from Untapped. Just don’t get it at all….
SiS like surge was honestly rank, and probably better for degreasing a cassette.
But the number worst thing has to be Spring Energy Speednut gel. I took it mid climb… what a mistake! They have a whooping 250kcals
My brain just hurts thinking about it. Oats in water as mid-ride nutrition or do you mean before the ride?
Wow, every day is school day .
Tab in mouth, body in hand. That’s how I open all gels.
I am convinced that the only reason this thread is continuing is because not everyone here has tried the SIS menthol products.
Here is my evidence:
i got a box of the menthol SIS gels too and i can say i am not a fan. I don’t need to try the other stuff on your list to relate. They suck.
I have not. Tbh, I can’t imagine what would posses anyone to WANT to drink or eat menthol.
For me it’s
- Old school / original (1980s) PowerBars - rock hard and basically inedible
- Precision Hydration - I just can’t stomach the flavor
- Gu Roctane - just vile for my taste buds and stomach

Precision Hydration - I just can’t stomach the flavor
That is an interesting one. I almost consider the Precision 1000 and 1500 to be unflavored it’s so subtle to me.

LMNT’s ‘Lemon Habanero’, ‘Mango Chili’ and ‘Chocolate Salt’ electrolyte flavors are all pretty rough on the palate.
YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!! Mango Chili is the best! the chocolate is pretty horrific.
GU liquid gel in coffee flavor, I just can’t do it after barfing it up in a race. Always loved the roctane coffee flavor, but not the liquid.
Clif did the solidish food gels for like a year, I liked the beats and bananas, but the pizza one was pretty gnarly.
I’ve had a single sip of the menthol SiS crap and it is a big no for me, their apple gels are pretty close to that for me as well.
I don’t know what to say. Maybe it’s a weird genetic thing like how cilantro tastes like soap to some people
Base bars were horrible. Even the store staff wouldn’t eat the free expired gels. Ucan gels are uneatable as is Hammer Perpetuem IMO.
I like it! I mix it slightly dilute on hot days, but otherwise really like it at full-strength.
I don’t remember the brand, but it was a chia seed-based bar my wife received at a race. I ate it as I rolled out and forced it down despite the taste falling somewhere between sweet cardboard and old oatmeal, with a texture akin to fine-grit sandpaper. Twenty minutes later I had to pull over as it came back up. Truly disgusting.
It’s 8 years since I tried this gel, and I am still having nightmares about, here’s what I wrote at the time
“I have just discovered the most amazing of sports energy gels, rhubarb and custard zipvit 52 gram of quick acting carbs in a slightly thick, chewy by but not crunchy gel,despite no e numbers and the use of natural flavours the designers have somehow managed to capture the taste of all the chemicals in the world, which lasts until a strong rhubarb and custard flavour cuts in, this is swiftly followed by a strong aftertaste of socks, this is a good fast acting gel, which I recommend to everybody who wants to distract from pain in their legs (and I don’t like)”
I can handle many foods and sports nutrition products on a ride, and am not sensitive about taste, but I could barely get down a Named Sport gel, and its aftertaste stained the tastebuds badly