Energy Gels: A Love-Hate Story From My Stomach
I will never forget my first gel experience. It was mile 45 of a 60-mile ride, I was bonking hard, and my friend handed me a packet of something that looked like alien goo. I squeezed the whole thing in my mouth at once, swallowed without water, and spent the next twenty minutes feeling like I had eaten a sock covered in maple syrup.
But then the energy hit. And I actually made it home without stopping. So began my complicated relationship with cycling gels.
Why Gels Exist (And Why I Use Them)
Here is the basic idea: after an hour or so of hard riding, your body starts running low on fuel. You have got stored glycogen in your muscles, but it does not last forever. When it runs out, you bonk—that awful feeling where your legs turn to concrete and your brain gets fuzzy.
Gels are basically sugar in convenient form. Fast-absorbing carbs that get into your bloodstream quickly. They are not magic, but they do work. When I am three hours into a long ride and I can feel my energy fading, a gel usually perks me up within fifteen minutes.
I used to try to get by on just water and whatever I ate for breakfast. That worked fine for rides under two hours. But once I started doing longer stuff, I learned the hard way that you need to fuel during the ride, not just before.
The Ones I Have Actually Tried
GU: The classic. I have probably eaten a hundred of these. The chocolate outrage flavor is weirdly good, like slightly runny frosting. The salted caramel one made me gag—way too sweet. GU is pretty thick, so I always need water with it.
SIS Go Isotonic: These are thinner and do not require water, which is awesome. I can take one without slowing down. Flavor is not as good—kind of watery and chemical-tasting—but the convenience wins. My go-to for races when I do not want to fumble with bottles.
Maurten: Everyone says these are the gold standard. They are expensive and taste like nothing (literally, they are unflavored). But my stomach handles them better than anything else. No cramping, no sloshing feeling. I use these for important events.
Honey Stinger: Actual honey-based gels. Tastier than most, but they are stickier and get EVERYWHERE. I opened one on a hot day and ended up with honey on my handlebars, my jersey, and somehow in my hair.
Homemade stuff: One time I tried making my own with honey, water, and a bit of salt. It worked okay but kept separating in my flask and was a pain to clean. I respect people who do this, but I will stick with pre-made.
When to Actually Take Them
This took me forever to figure out. The key is eating BEFORE you feel terrible, not after.
I bonked on so many rides because I would wait until I felt bad to take a gel. By then, it is too late—your body takes 15-20 minutes to actually use that energy. So by the time it kicks in, you have been suffering for another twenty minutes.
Now I set a timer. First gel at 45 minutes, then every 30-45 minutes after that depending on intensity. Even if I feel fine, I take it. The goal is to never get to that desperate, empty feeling.
Pro tip: take it with water. I know some gels say they do not need water, but I have found everything goes down better with a few sips. Plus, you should be drinking anyway.
The Stomach Issue
Look, I am going to be honest: gels mess with some people digestion. My buddy Carlos straight-up cannot use them—he gets cramps and nausea every time. He has switched entirely to real food and does fine.
I am somewhere in the middle. Most gels I tolerate okay, but if I take too many too fast, I get this sloshing feeling in my stomach that is deeply unpleasant. On really hot days, it is worse.
What helped me: training my gut. I use gels on training rides too, not just races. Your digestive system adapts over time. I can handle way more now than when I started.
Also, the caffeine thing. Some gels have caffeine, which I love for an extra boost—but it can irritate your stomach if you are not used to it. I save caffeinated gels for the last hour of a long ride when I really need the mental kick.
The Alternatives
I do not use gels exclusively. Real food works great for longer, steadier efforts.
Bananas are clutch. Easy to eat, easy on the stomach, cheap. I stash half a banana in my jersey pocket for anything over three hours.
Fig bars are another favorite. Surprisingly portable and packed with carbs. The Nature Bakery ones taste like actual food, which is nice when everything else is artificially flavored goop.
Dates are nature energy gel, basically. Sweet, compact, work great. I keep a ziplock of pitted dates in my bag for long rides.
For races or hard efforts though, gels are still king for me. When I am going hard, I cannot really chew and breathe at the same time. A gel goes down fast and gets to work.
The Environmental Guilt
I will admit it—those little plastic wrappers bother me. I have seen them littering trails and roads, and it sucks.
I stick my empty packets in my jersey pocket. Yeah, it gets sticky sometimes, but it is not that hard. Some brands are doing compostable packaging now, which is cool. I have started seeking those out when I can.
What Actually Works For Me
After years of experimentation, here is my system:
For rides under 2 hours: usually nothing, just water. Maybe a gel in my pocket just in case.
For 2-4 hours: one gel every 45 minutes, plus some real food if it is an easier pace.
For really long stuff: combination approach. Gels for hard sections, real food for steady cruising. And I start eating earlier than I think I need to.
Find what works for YOUR stomach. Experiment on training rides, not on race day. There is nothing worse than digestive drama when you are trying to perform.
