Which gels for cycling

Choose the wrong gels and you could end up forcing down chemical gloop at the critical point in a race, suffering rush-and-crash energy rollercoaster or worse , having an enforced mid-ride pit stop. So before you fill your jersey pockets to the brim, however, these eight tips should help you find the best energy gels for cycling.

When you exercise hard or for longer durations, these stores deplete, resulting in an energy slump, fatigue and, in some cases, the old crash and burn. However, gels are a good option to have to hand. Gels come in handy on endurance rides too, when you might want to mix up your fuel sources, alternating between drinks, gels and real food, to prevent palate fatigue. Finding the quantities you personally need to refuel is also a case of trial and error but as a general rule:.

British Cycling recommend taking on around one gram of carbohydrate per kilo of bodyweight per hour during racing — so if you weigh 70kg, this would be around 70g of carbs. The American College of Sports Medicine recommend g carbohydrates per hour for moderate level cycling and up to 90g during ultra-endurance events.

These carbohydrates can come from any source — real food, drinks, gels etc. A mistake many newer cyclists make is to take on as many carbs as possible in the hope of getting an extra energy hit. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Your body can only absorb around 60g of carbohydrate per hour. Check out our FAQs too if there are any burning questions you need answered.

Cycling is an activity that requires a lot of energy just like any other sports. Therefore, you require energy giving foods like the carbohydrates.

However, carbohydrates require a lot of time to get absorbs in the body which means that they are not the best if you need to boost your energy instantly. This is where energy gels come in. These gels helps in fueling your mind and they also allow you to stay focused when cycling. The brains usually run on glucose that is normally stored in your blood. When cycling, the muscles absorb more glucose and this leaves the bran with insufficient food supply. As the supply gets depleted, you will start experiencing fatigue.

Therefore, you should always carry energy gels especially when cycling for long hours. Nutrient Levels — The first thing we considered when comparing different energy bars is the level of nutrients. What you need to know is that energy bars are of no use if they lack the required nutrients. Apart from boosting your strength when cycling, energy gels should also add more value to your health.

Again, the ingredients should not have any negative effect to your health. Taste — The taste is another important aspect we checked. No one wants a gel with a bitter taste.

When comparing different products that we have reviewed, you will find that all of them have great flavors because they are made of tasty ingredients. Side effects — It is also important for you to note that not all energy gels are great for your health. Some may have harmful components which means that you need to be very careful when buying.

What we did is that we carefully examined the ingredients used you produce these gels to ensure that none of them is dangerous to your health. Price — Just like any other product, energy gels comes with different prices. To make your work easier, we only considered the affordable ones. Do energy gels work for cycling? Energy gels are very important because most of them contain carbs sugars which means that they provide the fastest form of energy. How long do energy gels take to start working?

This depends on your body because people absorb carbohydrates in their bodies at different rates. The period may vary from minutes. It depends if you are also taking on energy drinks. If you get 40grams of carbohydrate from a ml energy drink, one additional energy gel of 25 grams will take you up to the 70g target.

It is important to know where the energy in your gels is coming from. Caffeine is a quick source of energy and is used in many gels.

Some energy gels also use honey as a sugar energy source. It is important that you read the ingredients before purchasing these gels. Energy gels are also known to replenish your electrolytes when they have been exhausted from the training, or before exercise.

These gels also have calories and you will need calories during training sessions for energy. Another big benefit of energy gels is that they delay the onset of glycogen by increasing the amount of quick energy release glucose in your body. If your body starts depleting all glycogen, it starts feeding on fat which is very less efficient than carbohydrate, hence a good supply of glucose is always vital.

From all the energy gel manufacturers we took a look at today, a lot focused on providing the maximum amount of energy while keeping the taste good. Keeping the taste good is an important requirement. Some manufacturers also had less sugar in them to keep it heathy while others tweaked with the viscosity of the gel so that it can be consumed quickly and without the use of water. Pricing was amazing on all of them, for the value we got out the box.

Every gel mentioned above is worth your time and consideration. Alex is a cycling expert at Pedallers and focuses on reviewing bikes , accessories, and general cycling. He searches for the most up to date products that match the needs of cyclists across the world. Whether it's recent news or the best bike set-ups, Alex is a trusted source for anything around cycling.

Last Updated on June 18, For this test, we choose the Strawberry Yoghurt, which is actually dairy free but still has a sweet and mild yoghurt taste. As it first hits the tongue, the gel is intensely sweet, with a strong, luxuriant strawberry flavour shining through. What they say: Designed, tested and made for immediate energy and fast recovery. Organic brown rice, agave syrup and Himalayan crystal salt provide electrolytes and a full spectrum of 80 trace minerals. What we say: Rich and deep in flavour, the Salted Caramel number from British brand Mule is a prince among energy gels.

Its full-bodied texture means this gel is thicker than most on test but sits well on the palate. Using agave, brown rice syrup and cocoa, the flavours are really brought together in a consummate finish that lights up the taste buds.

Using Fairtrade ingredients, compostable packaging and being made in the UK, Mule are not just great tasting but environmentally and socially nifty, too. Sign up for our newsletter Newsletter. Secondary menu. Energy gels tasted and rated. BikesEtc 21 Sep How do energy gels work?