I can’t imagine that cold mashed potatoes in a tube tastes better than the low bar of flavored brown rice syrup.

You're clearly not imagining a pomme-puree, from a decent potato, dollop of butter (hopefully with some sea-salt), decent coarse grind of Tellicherry black pepper... ...I'm always bemused that consumers of "sports supplements" seem to delight in them being processed to shit (and are often eaten the same people who'll get picky over the provenance of restaurant food).

And I’m glad I’m not imagining it because room temperature butter that has congealed and separated from a starch sounds awful to eat while you’re strenuously exercising. Bemuse yourself to your heart’s delight - savory, buttery, starches don’t sound like a good idea when the blood has been shuttled from your digestive tract to your skeletal muscle and your body heat is several degrees above average.

I can’t imagine eating anything with dairy during a ride. That’s a recipe for disaster

I would much rather some cold, buttery salted mashed potatoes than the gross sweet energy gels. Taste preferences aren't uniform

you have to eat more of the potato per calorie than the gel. I'd much rather just shotgun a gross gel packet for 100 calories and taste none of it than have to slog through more potatoes.

They’ll just add enough sugar to make it taste like every other energy product

It is for cultures that prefer actual food other candy and fast food....