How do you discard used gel wrappers?

Take a few deep breaths and relax a little... or get some counseling.

TD

 

Right, because heaven forbid we get a little gel in our jerseys! Just go ahead and litter, cuz I don't want a mess in my jersey. Ya know, I do that with all my garbage. I just throw it on the ground. I mean, why should I be burdened with actually having to dispose of it properly?

Some people.

 

There are some who think that it's already too late to save the earth. Recycling and other displays of concern for the environment are like quitting smoking on your deathbed (I think James Watt was one of these). Some are angry because our ancestors did whatever the hell they wanted and trashed everything and now we're expected to clean up the mess. Others marvel at the hypocracy of people who drive SUVs complaining about a little litter- it's OK to dump tons of exhaust into the air where we all have to breathe, but don't drop a gel wrapper or cigarette butt on the ground in front of them or you're liable to get your lights punched out! Others use out-of-context quotes from the bible about how God gave man dominion over all the earth to justify unrestricted use of anything and everything (except maybe stem cells!).

Back in the 70s newspapers, magazines, and television were full of stories about a coming ice age. Now they talk about greenhouse gasses and the earth overheating. It's hard for anyone to know what to believe. Either way the press gives you the idea that its all over but the crying. Is it any wonder that people don't care?

I prefer people to take their trash with them. I prefer them to drive smaller vehicles if they must drive. I prefer to breathe clean air and drink clean water. It would be nice if everyone cared about such things, so some don't. What are you going to do?

Here's a thought- what if you don't buy gel in those little foil/plastic wrappers and just put some honey in your reuseable water bottle instead?

TD

 

Save up all your money and then buy hundreds of gel things,
Buy a camelback,
Sqeeze all the gels into the camelback,
Suck a bit of gel whenever you need some,
Keep the rest for the next ride,
Am I a genius or what.

 

training rides i never litter. during a mtb race i tape the gel packs to my top tube so when i rip the pack off the top doesn't fall on the ground. i suck the gel out and throw it down at the base of something that the cleanup crew has to grab anyway. or with other trash that's already there. when i'm pounding along w/a hr of 190+ i can't hardly find the extra energy to stick the pack in my jacket/jersey instead of just chucking it down.

 

Um... I don't use gels except when I run. And even then I reserve them for long training runs over 14 miles and during marathons. Even then I toss them in the trash if nearby or put them in a pocket until later.

During rides, I'm usually cool with whatever I get from my gatorade/water mix tucked in my cages. For long rides I typically carry some food like a bagel with peanut butter or something. Sometimes when we're bad we'll stop for ice cream! "What do you mean we're 40 miles from home?!"

 

I have to admit I don't like putting them back in my jersey pocket, it just gets all sticky on the rest of the gels. I put the empty packets in the legs of my knicks, that way I remember to dispose of them and all you need is a little sweat to get rid of any stickness

 

I'm shocked too. Especially after reading some of the posts in this thread. If you don't like the sticky stuff don't use it.

There is nothing more annoying than seeing them thrown on the roadside in bike races and triathlons. It doesn't do any harm to stuff them back in your jersey or in the elastic of your nicks.

Since when is a race more important than the envrionment?

 

Yeah. My wife generally want even talk to me until I get a shower. She just just stands in the kitchen, holds her nose and points toward our bedroom!

Seriously, I try to get as much goo out of the pack as I can, and stick them back in my jersey.

And for a issue more serious than littering. Gel packs along with other organic litter, bannan peels, apple cores etc. etc. are very hazadrous to wild life. Quite frequently they come to scavenge along the side of the road and get hit by cars. Even birds of prey like owls, egales and hawks are at risk because they sit on utillity poles and hunt the rodents and small mammals that are eating this stuff. According to the wildlife rehabilitation folks I've talked to in my life, it takes a significant toll on our wildlife. So think before you toss that goo pack.....

L

 

One of those smokers tossed his butt out his car window while I was driving. It landed right in my engine bay (hit windshield and rolled right in the hood gap). I had to stop and get it out because of the fire hazard. Sorry if I am a bit off topic.

Pete

 

Since I live in a house on the Pacific Coast Highway, I'm the one cleaning up the used gel wrappers, co2 cartridges and cigarette butts in the gutter every morninng. I hate to say it but a lot of bikers are pigs.

 

Yesterday I had a flat 30 miles into a 100 mile ride. I had about a half inch gash in my sidewall. The only thing I had to use for a boot was a $20 bill which I needed for water and snacks. I looked around on the side of the road, and there was some pigs GU trash. I wiped it off and it made a great tire boot. Personally, I use a flask for my gel, it works great. No need to fuss with opening wrappers or throwing them away.

 

Sometimes I toss them (in a trash can or sewer if possible), sometimes i hang on to them. I did discover that the right flvor dropped into a warm water bottle can make a tasty drink!

 

I always put the packets back in my jersey pocket unless I'm in a race where I know there's a clean-up crew. You really shouldn't litter. Littering sucks.

Here's how to keep the mess to a minimum when you use gel packets:

1. Suck/squeeze out most of the gel to get your money's worth.

2. Roll the used gel packet up starting with the open end.

3. Insert in pocket.

4. Have a nice ride/race.

Any residual gel that comes out stays inside the rolled packet. And even when some does get out into your jersey pocket, it's no big deal. It washes out in the laundry.

Again, don't suck, don't litter.

 

The only people who should be littering on a bike ride are the ones who are famous enough to make their litter souvenirs

 

Waht gel are you talking about?

 

Please, what are these gels?

 

I sometimes stuff empty wrappers in my gloves or socks

 

must be some RICH PIG'S GU trash, 'cuz poor cyclists like me save the GU gel trash to get some free gels (but they need friggin' 50 empty gel packs to give you only 5 free gels)..... BUT THE GU TRASH IS TWOFOLD, 'cuz there the part you tear-off to open a spout, which 'yall need to stuff back into jersey pocket first, and then clean out the gel contents as much as possible..... any tiny remainder, SQUEEZE IT OUT CLEAN AFTER THE RIDE/TRAINING/RACE for some piecemeal recovery nutrition..... Clif energy gels has the smart "Litter Leash" feature that help the cyclist, runner, etc to retain the spout-tear-off part without that additional fumbling and stowing of litter.....

Johnny