Revvies Starter Pack

The Revvies Starter Pack contains a selection of caffeine energy strips which are easy to take and give a big enough jolt to prepare you for exercise – or keep you going while you're training or competing.

I've used caffeine on the bike for many years, whether that be before my fasted commute to work every morning for years, using caffeine tablets before races when I was time-trialling, or grabbing a can of emergency Red Bull from a petrol station if I get in trouble on a big ride. My body seems to respond well to it, and I use it as my main source of energy.

By that I mean I rarely drink on the bike, even on four-to-five-hour rides (unless it's peak summer heat) and I never rely on energy drinks or gels for carbs. With this in mind, the Revvies actually really suit my cycling lifestyle.

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In the Starter Pack you get four cardboard pouches, which each contain five strips. Each strip is contained in a foil sachet which you pull apart to open.

Each strip is tiny – about 40mm x 25mm, and around half the thickness of a piece of chewing gum. You pop the strip on your tongue and let it dissolve, which takes a matter of seconds.

The only active ingredient is caffeine. At around 40mg per strip, it's equivalent to about half a cup of coffee, while an espresso contains around 60mg and a 250ml Red Bull has about 80g.

I found the hit of caffeine arrives quickly, and they can be taken prior to exercise or during to keep yourself topped up.

Bike friendly?

The only thing I will say is that the packaging isn't that easy to open with one hand, so they aren't as easy to use whilst competing as, say, an energy gel.

Revvies come in three flavours: Cola Lemon Sparks (my favourite), Arctic Charge (mint) and Tropical Hit which you no doubt can guess is tropical fruit flavoured. In the Starter Pack you get two packs of the Cola Lemon and one each of the others.

Revvies are vegan/vegetarian friendly, gluten free and have been accredited through the Informed Sport quality assurance program.

Value

Given the £9.50 price, per strip you're looking at 47.5p, which is a cost-effective way of getting your caffeine hit (though admittedly without the pleasure of a freshly brewed coffee).

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We haven't really reviewed anything like the Revvies before, and the various products out there vary massively in terms of caffeine content, which makes comparisons tricky.

Overall, I think they are a worthwhile investment though, and the fact they take up so little room means you can stash a pack in the saddle bag just in case. The fact they aren't as heavily caffeinated as a lot of sports products gives you useful extra control over your intake, too.

Verdict

Simple and effective way to get a quick shot of caffeine, on or off the bike