# Hammer Perpetuem Solids - Anyone tried them?



## Brad the Bold (Jun 8, 2010)

In my most recent long race, Centurion WI, my bowels rebeled about 3.5 hours in. Got bloated and gassy. GU and Gatorade became intolerable. A Ginsting Honey Stinger kept me from bonking but being off my feed definately hurt. I think it was the Gatorade, (handed of at all the aid stations) that was the x-factor. A buddy said it was likely the simple sugars.

So I'd like to try something different for a longer race.

Has anone had experience with Hammer's Perpetuem products. They are supposed to be a feed product for 3+ hour eduro events. I bought a sample size and they taste decent.

Has anybody had good or bad luck with them on a long race?


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## pmt (Aug 4, 2009)

Yep, used them for many 200k+ rides. The Solids are fantastic, especially in summer when the liquid would get warm and not be so good.

For all endurance riding, I use HEED, Hammer Gel, Perpetuem Solids, Endurolytes, and Endurolytes Fizz. No problem doing 200k, even in the heat we had recently on the East Coast.

Even on the occasion that I do a supported ride, I eschew the products supplied by the organizer and carry my own Hammer stuff. I'm not interested in guesswork on a ride like that; I need to know precisely what I'm consuming and how it works.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

I've tried solids. They are kind of like giant chalk tablets. When you chew one it you get a mouthful of very dry material. They would be difficult to get down during a race unless there's a long lull in the action.


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## cyclesport45 (Dec 10, 2007)

Have used Perpetuem for several years now. No more symptoms that the OP described. Just a steady energy replacement. The solids work. Just make sure you have plenty of liquids to wash down. And, yes, I dont see them working for an intense race. . . .


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## Brad the Bold (Jun 8, 2010)

ericm979 said:


> I've tried solids. They are kind of like giant chalk tablets. When you chew one it you get a mouthful of very dry material. They would be difficult to get down during a race unless there's a long lull in the action.


I'm on a learning curve with them. 

The first couple times I popped the whole thing in my mouth and it is a tough dry chew.

Now I'm trying biting off half, washing it down with one swallow and then popping the other half. It seems way faster and much easier than choking down the whole thing at once.


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## Brad the Bold (Jun 8, 2010)

For my next "race" I'm riding with my club in a 90 mile pro/am race called Race the Lake, in Fon du Lac, WI. It's a flat windy course around Lake Winnebago with a huge peloton to draft with. The real racers finish at over 27mph average. I think I can manage in the 23mph+ range if I can stay in contact with guys in the first 20% of the field. (the back of the front, if you will)

So here is my plan for a - 
stay on the bike, no pit stop, don't get dropped, draft like a bandit, keep hydrated, don't bonk, keep it simple, finish 90 miles in under 4 hours, *F#$% yeah* race!

Hydration:
2 - 20 oz bottles in the frame cages. Just water. Extra disposable bottled water in jersy pocket. -Take water bottles as need at "Dine and Dash" support stations. Refill frame bottles on the fly as needed. Toss empty dissposable bottles entering support areas. (Avoid Gatorade)

Electrolytes:
Endurolytes capsules in poptop container (opens with one thumb) in bento box on the top tube. (Avoid Gatorade)

Feed:
Perpetuem Solids in bento box. Hammer gels and honey stingers in the jersey pocket.

*Suggestions?*


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## Stumpjumper FSR (Aug 6, 2006)

Brad the Bold said:


> For my next "race" I'm riding with my club in a 90 mile pro/am race called Race the Lake, in Fon du Lac, WI. It's a flat windy course around Lake Winnebago with a huge peloton to draft with. The real racers finish at over 27mph average. I think I can manage in the 23mph+ range if I can stay in contact with guys in the first 20% of the field. (the back of the front, if you will)
> 
> So here is my plan for a -
> stay on the bike, no pit stop, don't get dropped, draft like a bandit, keep hydrated, don't bonk, keep it simple, finish 90 miles in under 4 hours, *F#$% yeah* race!
> ...


Why not just make a muti hour bottle of Perpetuem and forget the solids, gels and stingers? I would have to eat 6 solids an hour to get the 200 calories Hammer recommends, doesn't seem to practicle to be trying to eat solids while racing my bike.


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## Brad the Bold (Jun 8, 2010)

Stumpjumper FSR said:


> Why not just make a muti hour bottle of Perpetuem and forget the solids, gels and stingers? I would have to eat 6 solids an hour to get the 200 calories Hammer recommends, doesn't seem to practicle to be trying to eat solids while racing my bike.


That was my first plan, but it ties up a waterbottle cage and I'm worried I might run low on water. So that's why I started considering the solids.


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## pmt (Aug 4, 2009)

Well, you have to know how to eat them. Pop it in and chomp it in half, then sort of chew a little bit, getting it all stuck in your teeth on either side. Then suck on the bits slowly and it'll absorb on down. They're just not meant to be immediately chewed up and swallowed.


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## PMacAZ (Apr 4, 2010)

ericm979 said:


> I've tried solids. They are kind of like giant chalk tablets. When you chew one it you get a mouthful of very dry material. They would be difficult to get down during a race unless there's a long lull in the action.


Same experience with me; I have used only 1 of the Perpetuem solid tabs I bought months ago. Took a good 10 minutes to consume it all after fishing if out of my teeth on a ride, very chalky and no appeal to me whatsoever. I HAVE become a great believer in other Hammer products, though. I love the Heed powdered mixes and also use the Perpetuem drink mix on longer rides, along with the Heed. Endurolytes also seem to help on especially hot rides here in Phoenix. Camelbak Elixer tabs dropped onto a water bottle also help.


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## chuckice (Aug 25, 2004)

Perpetuem solid...bite...break into bits...swig of water...work it smaller...another swig. Done. Works great.


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## Stumpjumper FSR (Aug 6, 2006)

Brad the Bold said:


> That was my first plan, but it ties up a waterbottle cage and I'm worried I might run low on water. So that's why I started considering the solids.


Its simple...
According to your plan you should be on the bike about 4 hours, you will need 25 - 28 oz of water per hour which is about 5 bottles for the entire race. Use one bottle cage for a 4 hour bottle of Perpetuem, the other cage for water bottle # 1 and a second water bottle in your jersey pocket. You will have to get 3 water bottles from the "Dine and Dash" support stations and thats it. If your worried you can always add a 2 bottle cage mount to your saddle.....according to Hammer they suggest using Perpetuem Solids NOT as a sole source of calories, but rather to augment your use of liquid Perpetuem or any of the other Hammer fuels. Also have you tried Endurolytes Fizz tablets?, Race Caps, Endurence Amino Caps, Anti Fatigue Caps , Mito Caps? I take them hourly as suggested by Hammer and have had my strongest year ever...


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## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

I haven't tried them, but this thread backed up what some of the others here are saying;
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/en...age-questions-243708.html?highlight=Perpeteum


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## Schmack (Mar 25, 2009)

I use them all the time. It took me a while to get it down, but here is what I do. I put two in my mouth and suck on them. Every so often, I chew a little bit off and keep going. 

Them seem to work pretty well as a part of a larger nutrion program.

As a side note to the OP, I have used Hammer products almost exclusively for the last 4 years. I rarely have issues, but this year I noticed some cramps and gas in the belly when I used HEED on a more or less empty stomach. And only at hard efforts. I still use it, I am just more careful about what is in my belly when I do.


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## Brad the Bold (Jun 8, 2010)

Thanks for all the input guys. It is all very helpful. Especially the different ways of eating the solids!

I think I'll approach it based on the weather. If it's cool, I'll go with a feed bottle of liquid Perpetuem. (No chance of spoilage, and there is less need for water carrying capacity.)

If it is very hot I'll take the solids and use the extra water bottle cage for water or HEED.


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## Brad the Bold (Jun 8, 2010)

So just an update: I got back from Fond du Lac a little while age. Race the lake was awesome. 

I ended up going with solids even though the weather was in the low sixties at the start, since that is what I had. Water was no problem and I easily restocked at the aid stations. So here are the parts of the plan as laid out:

No stop - Check! 90 miles in the saddle straight through.

No bonk - Check! 

Didn't crack - Check!

Draft like a bandit - Mostly, I stayed with a big group most of the way and I always pulled through.

Finish 90 miles in under 4 hours - Check!

3 hours 47 minutes, 23.5mph! Not bad for a middle age club rider. Just two years ago I averaged 19.9. 

Stomach was fine. The Perpetuem solids were easy on my stomach and not hard to use.


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