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Running out of energy during a ride or a race because you haven’t eaten properly is easily done. Even if you don’t completely bonk, or get the ‘hunger knock’ as Sean Kelly prefers to call it, if you’ve neglected to take on sufficient fuel your performance levels will suffer.
Eating and drinking little and often is your best defence. But what happens if you’re competing in an event such as road race or time trial, where chewing anything more than the metaphorical handlebars can become a chore? That’s when the humble energy gel comes into its own.
In essence, gels provide a carb heavy calorie kick designed to be quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. These sachets of gloopy paste are ideal when you need a quick hit or can no longer face the thought of eating any more real food or chewing away on one of the best energy bars for cycling (opens in new tab).
Due to their small size they can also be handy on longer rides, easily stored in a jersey pocket, leaving more room for a gilet, rain cape and tools. However, if you’re not racing or competing in a gruelling gran fondo or sportive we’d suggest opting for normal food where possible as it’s gentler on both your stomach and your bank balance.
We’ll start off with our recommendations for some of the best energy gels for cycling. We’ll then offer some advise on how and when to best use them to help you get the most out of your ride.
The Best Energy Gels for Cycling: Our top picks
Energy gel favourites will be dictated by subjective personal preferences around consistency and flavour – but we’ve picked five popular brands based on inclinations within Cycling Weekly’s HQ.
The High5 energy gel comes in 40g sachets, with each containing 23g of carbs. Some gels aren’t that palatable due to their consistency and taste. High5 have sought to address both these issues by opting for a light consistency that’s designed to go down smoothly combined with the use of real fruit juices for improved taste. Flavours include berry, orange and banana.
In our review we felt it delivered on both accounts. The banana flavour was authentic and avoided the sickly sweet taste that…
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