At Interbike last fall, I spoke with Infinit Nutrition’s founder Michael Folan about a secret project he was working on. I mentioned how I’d tried Hot Shot on a particularly long climb and that it seemed to eliminate the twinges of hamstring and quad cramp I felt coming on. He then showed me a sales sheet for TripWire, a new gel mix he was working on that would do the same thing, but using “functional flavors” to bust cramps instead of capsaicin and other unpalatable ingredients. Out of four initial flavor concepts, he’s launched with two -Dill Pickle and Grape- and they’re ready to trip up your nerves before they send you to the sidelines…
Based on what we’ve seen from Hot Shot and Pickle Power, and from talking with Folan, it’s not the electrolytes that’ll save you when you’re cramping. By that point, it’s a nerve issue, so you need a different remedy. Multiple ingredients can “fix” it, including the ascetic acid in vinegar, the heat of capsicum, or, according to Folan, the tartness of citric acid.
The latter is the active ingredient in the Grape flavor (which comes in regular and caffeinated versions), and a dried vinegar (which gets its, um, flavor, from ascetic acid) provides the Dill Pickle version with its signature flavor and effective anti-cramping. And that’s the point of TripWire, to provide cramp busting along with effective fuel and electrolytes for regular exercise performance maintenance. The product is a powder that you mix with water in a flask, so you can make as much as you need for a ride, as thick or thin as you like. Retail is $13.99 for ten 100-calorie servings.
They’ve also recently added a vegan protein powder option to their custom nutrition program, letting you create a post-ride drink sans whey while still getting all necessary amino acids. They use a 50/50 mix of sprouted brown rice and fava bean proteins to ensure all aminos are represented. Check them out at InfinitNutrition.us.
UNTAPPED
Untapped co-founder Ted King showed us his upcoming waffles at Sea Otter, but only in the Maple Syrup flavor. Now, they’re available and come in original Maple, plus Coffee and Raspberry versions. True to form, the ingredients filling them are real, with actual raspberries or coffee beans used to flavor them and provide a little boost and nutrition.
The palm oil combined with soy and rice flours should give them an appropriately crispy outer texture, and the flavors are a welcome addition to the growing waffle selection on tap. I mean, coffee, right? Retail is $10.95 for a four pack, or $35.95 for a 16-pack.
