Enervit Pre Sport Jelly

Enervit Pre Sport Jelly is, as the name implies, an energy gel intended for use before a ride. It is a thick, slightly chewy consistency and while the orange flavour isn't to my taste, the cranberry is better, and it does seem to provide a good, reasonably prolonged hit of energy.

• Pros: Slow burn product for use before an event
• Cons: Favours won't appeal to all

I tend to think of energy gels as being a convenient source of carbohydrates during a ride, but the instructions here are to consume one to two hours beforehand. The use of isomaltulose in place of other sugars is said to allow a lower increase in blood glucose compared to foods containing sugar, so it's not intended to be instant energy.

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Each sachet is 45g with 27g in carbohydrates. Enervit recommend taking a couple of them at a time.

The first thing that struck me was the texture, which is thicker than the average energy gel and presumably why it's described as a jelly. It invites a bit of chewing and I have to say I prefer this to the slippery consistency you normally get with these sorts of things.

The cranberry flavour I found sweet, but palatable enough. The orange was only tolerable. Sugary energy products can have a tendency to taste like cheap kids' drinks and the orange definitely has a bit of that going on.

In terms of performance, I'd give it a thumbs up. On one particular ride I went out and rode hard for a couple of hours and I definitely felt sprightlier than I normally do.

> Read more road.cc reviews of energy and recovery gels here

Maybe it was just one of those days and the gods were smiling on me, or maybe the Pre Sport Jelly played a part. I'd normally eat solid food an hour or so before a ride, so perhaps it was simply the benefit of getting the same volume of carbohydrates but with a little less in my stomach. That's perhaps a hint as to how this product is intended to be used.

> How to fuel right for long rides and sportives

At £2.15 a pop, Enervit Pre Sport Jelly is not cheap, but it's a slightly more specific product than the average energy gel, so you can probably justify a few extra pence on that basis. It's probably something that you'd use for specific events rather than day-in, day-out anyway.

Verdict

A light, pre-event dose of slow release energy in a convenient, easy-to-consume form