Back when I was first debating the pros and cons of switching to tubeless tires on my mountain bike, one big concern was dealing with punctures. I knew that the Stan’s NoTubes sealant would take care of little leaks and thorn holes, but what if I had a big nail hole or something?

Normally I’d just replace the tube and things would be fine, but that’s not an option with tubeless. With a tubeless system, you have to make sure the tire is perfect or else it won’t hold air very well.

So you have a few basic options. Option #1 is to just replace the tire. That can be pretty expensive though, with most tubeless tires costing about $50 each. Option #2 is to go back to running tubes. That’s totally lame, though, and not really a solution. Option #3 is to patch the tire itself, hoping to make the tire usable and air-tight once again. Patching the tire itself is great for normal tube setups, but with tubeless systems, taking everything apart and doing the cleaning necessary takes a lot of effort. (And even then, you’re riding on a compromised tire.)

You don’t really want to get inside a tubeless system do you? With all that sealant in there? You’ll have to take the tire off, clean things up, patch it, then put it back on again. Not fun, especially if you remember how hard it was to set-up in the first place.

But what if you could patch the tire without even taking it off the rim?

Enter the Genuine Innovations Tubeless Tire Repair Kit.

Boring name aside, this is an interesting product. There is not much to it, just a specialty sewing needle and soft rubber plugs, but it lets you fix a tubeless tire from the outside. No mess!

All you do is wind a rubber strip onto the special needle and stick it into the hole, then pull the needle out, leaving the rubber strip to plug the leak. The process takes only a few seconds.

The problem is, it’s not a miracle cure…

Testing the Tubeless Tire Repair Kit

My tubeless setup consists of regular rims and tires converted to tubeless using the Stan’s NoTubes system (their special rim strips and sealant.) That’s what I’m testing with today…

[Note: Actual UST tires are tougher in the first place and may even be easier to repair, but I like the light weight and low price of regular tires.]

The test involved me riding over a nail, then shoving the nail into the tire and twisting it around to widen the hole some more. (I had to make the hole big enough that the Stan’s sealant alone couldn’t fix it.)

To fix it, I stuck one rubber strip into the tire and pulled the needle out… and the rubber strip came right back out with it.

On my second try, I picked up the technique and got the strip to stick in the tire. However, it wasn’t even close to being airtight. So I inserted a second strip into the hole, and that seemed to help quite a bit. (Sometimes you might have to use 3-5 strips in one hole, if it’s big enough.)

For this repair, the two strips seemed to plug the leak pretty well, and excess Stan’s sealant helped it hold. That’s pretty impressive. (Make sure you have enough sealant in the tire, because that will help make this repair as airtight as possible.)

But it leaves a funny looking brown lump sticking outside your tire! You can’t really cut it off, since it’s sticky rubber. My big worry was, “will it get snagged and rip out while riding??”

But after riding it a few times, the plug seems to stick fairly well, and it squishes down and starts to blend in. Even with the plug sticking up in the tire tread, it didn’t get ripped out from trail riding!

There was a problem though… the tire lost all its air within 24 hours. I could ride just fine if I pumped up the tire before each ride, but I’d rather not have to do that. Because of this, I’d say these plugs are still a temporary solution.

On Video: Genuine Innovations Tubeless Tire Repair Kit

Want to watch me screw around with these things for ten minutes before I get them to work? It’s all on video, right here…

 

My final verdict is…

For XC racing, I don’t think I’d bother carrying this kit. However, if I was going on an epic ride deep into the forest, I’d definitely carry one of these kits. It won’t take up too much space in your pack, and at $4, it’s worth getting the kit for “just in case.”

It doesn’t seem like the best long-term option, as it’s not totally airtight and you’re still riding a compromised tire, but it would be a good temporary solution to get you home. I wouldn’t head out for a serious ride or race on a tire that was plugged with these, though. That’s just a little too risky!

Official website: www.GenuineInnovations.com (Tire Repair Kit page.)

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[Click here if you would like to get your product reviewed on CoachLevi.com.]

Whenever I first started running more than a couple miles at a time, the question of “how do I carry food and water with me?” really boggled my mind. I no longer had the luxury of a cycling jersey with pockets in the back, a backpack would be way too big, and I sure didn’t want to carry water bottles in my hands!

But I didn’t want to die of dehydration, either! So I had to do some testing and some shopping, and here are the six different methods I’ve found that actually work:

1. The Fuel Belt

The Fuel Belt is the “go to” product when it comes to carrying food, water, and other essentials while running. With a Fuel Belt you can carry small water bottles, a gel flask or packets, keys, and more (depending on the model you choose.)

The best part is that everything is carried around your waist, making it comfortable and stable. Yes, you’ll know it’s there, but it’s much more convenient than getting dehydrated!

Shortly after I started running, I began to see these for sale at shops and race expos, but I could never justify the $35 to buy one. In hindsight, I don’t know what I was thinking! This is essential for all endurance runners.

 

 

2. Shorts with Pockets

If you just need to carry a few gels, and maybe your car keys, there are some running shorts out there with little pockets made for this very purpose. The shorts pictured are from Race Ready, who make numerous articles of “race ready” clothing with those little pockets.

However, I also have a regular pair of Nike split shorts with a tiny mesh pocket in the back, just big enough to squeeze in a couple gel packets. Just make sure the pocket has a flap, Velcro tab, or zipper, because you don’t want anything falling out!

 

 

3. Water Bottle Glove

Want to keep your water bottles off your waist, but don’t want to waste energy gripping them in your hands? Then consider this product (the Nathan Quick Draw Plus is pictured,) which is almost like a glove that holds your water bottle in place. You still have to deal with the weight of the bottle, but you don’t have to waste your hand strength keeping a firm grip on it.

Another neat thing with this is that it also has a pocket for your keys or an energy gel.

 

 

4. Hydration Pack (Camelbak)

If you’re venturing out into the jungle or desert and need more than 20oz of water (which you could carry with a Fuel Belt,) you might need to step it up to a full hydration pack.

Packs from Camelbak, Deuter, and other brands are small, lightweight backpacks that contain a reservoir that holds 20-100oz water. You can drink from the pack by way of a tube and bite valve that hangs over your shoulder.

You just have to get one that is small, lightweight, and ergonomic, so that it doesn’t interfere with your running stride.

The trade-off for carrying more water is that these packs are heavier than a Fuel Belt, and they can make your back uncomfortably hot if they aren’t well ventilated. Some packs don’t have built-in waist belts, which means they might flop around, too.

 

 

5. Bottle Carriers

Another option is this cross between a water bottle glove, a Fuel Belt, and a hydration pack. This is a lot like a typical Fuel Belt (and is usually made by the same company,) but it carries full-size water bottles.

You get the benefit of carrying a larger quantity of water around your waist, without the extra heat and weight of a hydration pack. And if you have a favorite brand of water bottle, you can easily swap that in, in place of the standard bottles.

 

 

6. Safety Pins

Doing a race where there is plenty of water on the course, but you still need to carry your favorite energy gel? Then skip the fancy products I’ve listed here and go back to basics - safety pins!

Yes, you can use safety pins to attach gel packs directly to your running shorts. I used this technique during my first marathon and it worked marvelously.

I take GU gels and safety pin the tab to the outside of my shorts along the waistband, then fold the gel pack over inside my shorts. Then I just tear off a gel as needed. It works marvelously!

(Here are full instructions for pinning gels to shorts.)

 

So get whatever you need, whether it be a Fuel Belt or just some safety pins, and from now on you’ll stay properly fueled and hydrated while running!

I’ve always liked the idea behind Accelerade. It’s a sports drink, so it’s high in carbs for energy and packed with electrolytes we need, but it has something special - a little protein.

According to various research studies, consuming carbohydrates and protein in a 4:1 ratio promotes optimal muscle performance and recovery. (Read Optimal Muscle Performance and Recovery for more information on this concept.) So, Accelerade contains this proven 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein.

That’s great, but I really love that you can put about 360 calories into a single water bottle (via three scoops of Accelerade powder.) That is really awesome in situations where you can’t use energy bars, like during a mountain bike race on technical singletrack, when it’s extremely hard to hold an energy bar and eat it.

For years though, I always stuck it out with Gatorade and GU energy gels. Accelerade was just a bit too expensive for my liking… until now.

This summer I got a sweet deal on Accelerade - it was on sale for about 60% off at Nashbar.com, making it roughly 36 cents per serving. That’s even less than Gatorade! (It looks like Accelerade changed their labels and were severely discounting the old style bottles! Good news for me!)

So I grabbed canisters of Lemon-Lime and Blue Raspberry, and here is what I found…

Accelerade Taste Test

Arguably the most important factor in a sports drink is taste. If you don’t like it, you won’t drink it. And you need to drink it for it to be of any use!

So, let’s start with a taste test:

Lemon Lime

At first, I was none too pleased with the smell of this stuff. Actually, I’ve been using it for a while now and I still think it smells crappy. (So don’t take a whiff of this stuff.)

I mixed some up before a ride, and it didn’t seem to taste very good at first (before getting on my bike.) Once I started riding, my first sip wasn’t good, either. But after 30 minutes of riding, this lemon-lime drink started to taste pretty darn good!

As I rode longer, the flavor actually got better. The best part - it tasted just as good as it warmed up! (Considering most drinks taste terrible once they get warm, this was very pleasing.)*

On subsequent rides, I didn’t mind the taste at all, even the first sip. I definitely wouldn’t consider this a good tasting drink, but it’s not that bad. I have no problems drinking it while riding.

The lemon-lime flavor ended up a little stronger than Hammer Heed but much weaker than Gatorade, but more similar in taste and texture to Heed.

Blue Raspberry

I always loved blue raspberry ’slushies’ and ’snow cones’ as a kid, and I was hoping for that great blue raspberry flavor in this… and I wasn’t disappointed! The blue raspberry Accelerade is very sweet and pretty close to the blue raspberry flavor I know and love.

It’s like a mix of the sweet blue raspberry flavor with a slightly tart taste (like Fiva has.) In any case, it’s good! Yes, it’s actually good enough that I drank it a few times while sitting around watching TV.

Overall, both flavors were palatable, but blue raspberry was way better than lemon-lime. I’ll certainly be looking for another canister of blue raspberry Accelerade when this canister runs out!

But with either one, you get the benefit of Accelerade remaining palatable after it warms up.

For example, Gatorade tastes great cold, but once it gets warm, it’s pretty bad. Accelerade tasted almost as good warm as it did cool. That right there is what will keep me buying this, because it’s just too hard to keep a drink cold when you’re out for three hour rides in 90 degree heat!

Accelerade In Action

Accelerade has passed the taste test, but let’s see how it actually works. First, we have to mix up the powder…

Accelerade is fairly easy to mix. My strategy was to dump three scoops into a water bottle, add about 4-6oz water, and shake. Then I’d add the rest of the water and ice. (While riding, sometimes I’d shake the bottle before sipping, just to be safe.)

A little more important though, does it keep me filled up with enough calories?

Yes! On my rides, I can eat much less if I drink Accelerade. The extra calories do a good job at keeping me full and providing the required nourishment.

Here’s how my first ride with Accelerade went down:

8:00 AM - Consumed a small bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats cereal.
9:00 AM - Started riding, and kept riding for almost three hours. I consumed a 22oz bottle of Accelerade (1.5 scoops) and 16oz water, for about 180 calories. I also ate a 180 calorie granola bar at the end of the ride, although I could have easily finished without it.

I felt great! I didn’t even need the granola bar. Normally I’d get a little hungry if I only averaged 120 calories per hour on a long ride, but I think the protein in the Accelerade helped keep my feeling strong.

Did I feel better and recover faster from the protein?

I don’t have scientific evidence, but in general, yes. It could just be the extra calories, I can’t really tell for sure. But I don’t as feel wiped out after my rides when I use Accelerade. (While FRS will keep me from feeling worn out, Accelerade helps prevent my body from becoming so worn out.)

Health and Nutrition

Accelerade appears to be on par with most other sports drinks in this regard. The first ingredient is sucrose, otherwise known as table sugar. Normally I would limit my sucrose intake, but while riding, I don’t care, I just want the sugar. Fructose and maltodextrin (two other types of sugar) are also listed, although further down the ingredients list.

The second ingredient is whey protein concentrate, which is the source of protein. The rest of the ingredients are vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.

Overall, it’s basically a typical sports drink mix but with some protein. It’s not super healthy or natural, but there’s nothing that worries me.

One thing I do like, and think is worth noting, is how it’s low in fat. Sometimes protein sources are also high in fat, but Accelerade keeps the focus on what we really need to ride fast: carbohydrates and electrolytes.

Complaints about Accelerade

I mentioned Accelerade seems to mix fairly easily, at least when compared to similar drinks. But the problem is, it’s still pretty thick and chunky when it’s mixed well.

That means it leaves a nasty film inside my water bottle. It’s a royal pain to clean off, because you really have to wipe out the inside of the bottle. (I would never put this in a Camelbak!)

Even worse, it clumps and sticks up in the nozzle, requiring a toothpick to clean the gunk out before it turns to mold! Because of this I’d really recommend that you mix the stuff up in a separate container (like a big Rubbermaid container) and let it sit in the fridge for a day before using it during a ride.

Also, Accelerade does get a bit foamy when mixed (and when sloshing around on the bike.) That’s kind of annoying because drinking warm foam isn’t that refreshing.

My final verdict is…

I was a fan of the idea behind Accelerade, and now I’m a fan of using Accelerade. I have no problem drinking it while riding, and it keeps me full, so it’s great for mountain bike races where eating an energy bar is damn near impossible.

However, be warned that the taste is a tad weird. It doesn’t bother me, but I’m willing to bet some people won’t like it. Best bet - see if you can try a serving of it from someone that already has some. Or at least opt for the blue raspberry flavor, which is pretty close to a blue raspberry slushie.

In the end I feel the positives outweigh the negatives though, and this will probably be my drink of choice for long mountain bike races where I’d rather not consume solid food.

Official website: www.accelerade.com

Buy online: www.PerformanceBike.com or www.REI.com

I’ll admit, I’ve hopped on the social networking bandwagon. I’ve been on Myspace and Facebook for years. But after just a few days, tons of spam messages and software glitches, and a lot of idiots that make fun of and/or annoy everyone else while hiding behind a screen name, the whole thing gets old.

I mean, I can’t even remember the last time I logged-in to my Myspace page. But social networking isn’t gone, it’s just improved.

That’s why I wanted to share a few thoughts about a new social network for fitness enthusiasts, aptly named FitConnect.com.

FitConnect is “the health and fitness community for everyone.” It’s a lot like Myspace, but it’s made specifically for athletes and people interested in health and fitness.

The first thing I noticed is that the site has a clean design which looks good, loads fast, and best of all, it works properly! I remember getting numerous errors every single time I logged-in to Myspace, but I have yet to see one error in FitConnect.

FitConnect has the obligatory social networking features: adding friends, sending messages, leaving comments, uploading photos, blogging, groups, video clips, etc. It also has sections for tips and recipes, and the most innovative part (in my opinion) is the Supplements section.

The Supplements section in FitConnect lists the most popular bodybuilding and sports supplements, and you can click “I use this.” That will put you in the group with other people who use the same supplement. Then you can rate the supplement and write a review. (If you’re considering a new supplement, check out the reviews in FitConnect.)

Also, there are groups based around local fitness centers, so you could even find someone that goes to your local gym! Very cool.

You know what the best part is though? The people who make up the community.

All throughout FitConnect, you’ll find a friendly and helpful vibe. Plus, everyone has something in common - love for fitness! From fitness beginners to certified trainers and everyone in between, they’re all there, and they get along nicely!

(Don’t forget my profile… www.fitconnect.com/coachlevi)

Here is another screenshot - this is from when I’m signed-in:

The only small drawback is that the Google Adsense ads are kind of annoying, since they’re bright red and basically in the middle of the page (on some pages.) I guess they have to make money somehow, though, and bright red ads in the middle of the page is how they do it.

(I don’t mind the ads, it’s just that the red looks so ugly on an otherwise beautiful gray and blue website.)

My final verdict is…

FitConnect is a pretty good website, and it’s way better than Myspace when it comes to making new friends and having a good time online.

I wouldn’t say I spend any more time at FitConnect than I do on other social networks, but it’s definitely the most enjoyable one when I am on there. If you have the time and inclination, sign-up and make some new friends in the fitness community.

Official website: www.FitConnect.com

If you remember earlier this summer, I reviewed a new website known as Cyclo-Club (yes, it’s from the same people that brought you Cyclo-Core.)

It looked pretty good overall, and presented a good value, but there were still a few areas where it was lacking. Well, a few months later, I must say that the “Club” has filled in nicely.

Here are just a few additions from the past few months:

• IN 5′ workouts - 11 different workouts, all 5 minutes in length, so they fit your schedule. (Check it out.)
• Cyclo-IMPOSSIBLE - This is a nearly “impossible” workout for those of you who are tough enough! (Check it out.)
• Cyclo-CLIMB Tuscany - Battle 2200 feet of elevation gain in 23 minutes of pure muscular endurance in Cortona, Italy, in this trainer workout. (Check it out.)
• 7-day Climbing Bootcamp - A specific, 7-day “bootcamp” designed to dramatically improve your climbing. (Check it out.)
• Recovery: Home Spa Treatment - How to get the full spa treatment, at home, for the ultimate in recovery from your hard training. (Check it out.)
• Cyclo Descend - Descending Mt. Lemmon with Graeme Street, featuring legendary cyclist John Howard. (Check it out.)

And you can still get most of the club’s offerings for $9.99 per month. But, if you want all of it, including one-on-one phone consultations, you do need to join at the Platinum Membership level.

And in that case, you have to prepay for a year in advance, which is now at $225. Personally I think that’s an even better value than the regular membership, especially if you’re in the situation where you need all the help and advice.

(Really, there is A LOT of good advice in there, plus you get to download like $1300 worth of workout videos. If you can put that to use, it’s a killer deal.)

Here’s the catch though: Platinum Membership is closing tonight (August 24th) at midnight!

So if you want the personal consultations and exclusive workout downloads, now is the time! (And www.Cyclo-Club.com is the website.)