Let’s face it. Gels are EXPENSIVE! If you cycle a lot (and ride hard) using big brand gels can quickly empty your wallet as you pay top dollar for what are essentially packets of liquid sugar. Many also contain a bunch of unnecessary artificial ingredients. I’ve been using SiS Beta Fuel gels for a while now and they’re great no doubt. A standard 60ml Beta Fuel gel packs 40 grams of carbs, but the retail price is AUD $5.50 per gel.
Three SiS Beta Fuel gels, that’s AUD $16.50 right there!
Recently I’ve been trialling DIY homemade energy gel recipes. Not only does the recipe below contain a similar amount of carbohydrates to Beta Fuel, but it will give you that same energy hit for a fraction of the price. The only catch is that you do need something to store the gel in. I’ve got a “soft gel flask” that will store around three gels. The recipe below is tailored to three gels, but you can adjust it to suit your needs.
You can get different sizes, but this 200ml flask is easy to stash in a jersey pocket.
Ingredients for 3 gels:
120g white table sugar
1 pinch of salt (or sodium citrate powder)
Hot water
Flavouring if desired
Flavouring options:
The base gel will be very sweet as it’s just concentrated sugar water. You might find you need a flavouring. I usually go with 1 teaspoon of instant coffee mixed in. This adds flavour and also reduces the sweetness. The options are limitless, but a few good flavours include…
Instant coffee
Vanilla extract
Cocoa powder
Peanut butter powder
Juice (substitute out some water)
Caramel syrup
A teaspoon of instant coffee. One of the few things instant coffee is good for!
Method:
Making these gels couldn’t be simpler! All you really need is a kettle for boiling water, a small bowl to mix the ingredients, and of course something to store your finished gels in.
- Measure 120g of sugar into a bowl
- Add a pinch of salt and flavour of choice
- Pour boiling water to the 180ml mark
- Stir! Stir! Stir!
- Let the mixture cool, then pour into gel flask
Boiling water is best. Stir until ALL the sugar has dissolved.
Nutritional value:
Beta Fuel gels claim “a 1:0.8 maltodextrin-to-fructose ratio, designed to optimize carbohydrate delivery.” Table sugar contains a 1:1 ratio, which is close enough! Leaving aside any of the additional flavours you may have added, each serving packs a near perfect 40g of carbs, which is 160 calories (670kJ). This is almost exactly the same as a SiS Beta Fuel gel.
Note that depending on your gel flask it can be easy to “overindulge” and chug down more than one serving, so bear that in mind when you’re using this out on the road. It may take a little bit of practise.
Ride hard, my friends!
Three gel servings, 120 grams of carbs, less than a dollar. Job done!
Two Wheels with TC 