Best Energy Gels for Cycling: Carbs, Cost and Gut Comfort Compared
Not another taste-test list. The same gels compared on carbohydrate per gel, glucose-to-fructose ratio, price per 30g of carbs, water needed and how likely they are to upset a nervous stomach.
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Most gel round-ups rank taste. That is not the decision you are making.
Search for the best cycling energy gels and you will find a lot of pleasant writing about flavour and texture. That is fine information, but it is rarely the thing that actually decides which gel ends up in a jersey pocket.
The more useful questions are boring and numeric:
- How many grams of carbohydrate is actually in this gel?
- What does that carbohydrate cost, per gram, compared with the others?
- Does it need water, or can it be taken neat?
- Is the glucose-to-fructose mix likely to sit well on a three-hour ride, or is it a gamble you have never tried before a race?
None of that is exciting to write about, which is probably why it gets skipped. It is exactly what this comparison is built around.
Gel comparison: carbs, cost and water needed
Prices are typical UK retail per gel at the time of writing and move around with offers, so treat them as a guide to relative cost rather than a fixed number. "Approx. cost per 30g carbs" is the figure worth remembering — it lets you compare a 22g gel with a 40g gel fairly.
| Gel | Carbs per gel | Glucose : fructose | Caffeine | Needs water | Typical price | Approx. cost per 30g carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maurten Gel 100 | 25g | Hydrogel-bound, not a simple ratio | None (Gel 100 CAF has 100mg) | No, but many riders sip water alongside | Premium, roughly £2.80–£3.50 | Among the highest on this list |
| SIS Beta Fuel Gel | 40g | Roughly 1:0.8 glucose:fructose | Available with or without | No | Mid-premium, roughly £2.20–£2.60 | Middle of the pack, better than Maurten per gram |
| SIS GO Isotonic Gel | 22g | Simple glucose-led | Optional | No, isotonic | Mid-range, roughly £1.30–£1.60 | Similar to Torq and High5 |
| Torq Gel | 20g (5 x 5.5g carb blend) | Multiple-transportable carb blend | Some flavours only | No | Mid-range, roughly £1.40–£1.70 | Similar to SIS GO |
| High5 Energy Gel | 23g | Maltodextrin-led | Some flavours only | No, some flavours are Aqua (already diluted) | Budget-friendly, roughly £1.00–£1.30 | Usually the cheapest per gram |
| Precision Fuel PF 30 Gel | 30g | Maltodextrin:fructose blend | Optional caffeine version | No | Mid-premium, roughly £2.00–£2.30 | Reasonable given the carb load |
| Gu Roctane | 21g | Maltodextrin, fructose, amino acids | Some flavours | No | Mid-range, roughly £2.00–£2.30 | Weaker value per gram of carb |
Always check the label on the batch you actually buy. Manufacturers change formulations, and "caffeine" versions sit alongside caffeine-free ones under near-identical packaging.
Best gel for the job, not "best gel overall"
This is a more honest question than a single winner. Match the row to what you are actually solving for.
Fuelling at 30g/hour
One gel roughly every hour, from almost any brand on this list. This is the easy end — gut tolerance rarely matters yet.
Fuelling at 60g/hour
SIS GO, Torq or High5 at two gels an hour work for most riders. Cheaper per gram than the high-carb options at this rate.
Fuelling at 90-120g/hour
This is where SIS Beta Fuel and Maurten earn their price — one 40g gel plus a drink mix gets there with fewer sachets than stacking low-carb gels.
Sensitive stomach
Maurten's hydrogel and Precision Fuel's blends are the two most often mentioned by riders with gut issues. Test in training, never for the first time on race day.
Wants caffeine
SIS Beta Fuel CAF, Maurten Gel 100 CAF and Gu Roctane all carry a real dose (roughly 45-100mg). Check the exact packet — caffeine and non-caffeine versions often look almost identical.
Caffeine-free by default
Torq and most High5 flavours are caffeine-free unless the label says otherwise. Safer if you are stacking several gels late in a long ride.
Cheapest per gram of carb
High5 and Torq typically come out lowest on cost per 30g. Fine for training; still worth testing gut comfort before racing on them.
Long rides, fewer pockets
Higher-carb gels (Beta Fuel, Precision PF 30) mean fewer sachets for the same total carbohydrate — worth it once a ride passes three hours.
Why the glucose:fructose ratio actually matters
A gut can only absorb glucose so quickly through one transporter. Above roughly 60g of carbohydrate an hour, a glucose-only gel starts to risk sitting in the stomach and causing discomfort. Blending in fructose uses a second transport route, which is why most gels aimed at high carbohydrate rates — Beta Fuel, Maurten, Precision Fuel — use a glucose-plus-fructose or multiple-transportable-carbohydrate blend rather than pure maltodextrin.
If you are only fuelling at 30-40g/hour, this barely matters and a cheaper glucose-led gel is a perfectly sensible choice. It starts to matter once you are trying to hit 80-120g/hour on a long or hard ride, which is the range covered in more detail in best energy gels for long bike rides.
Energy gel questions
What is the best energy gel for cycling?
There is no single best gel — the honest answer depends on the carbohydrate rate you are targeting, your stomach, and your budget. For most riders doing under 90 minutes, any mid-range gel (SIS GO, Torq, High5) is fine. For long or hard rides needing 80g/hour or more, a higher-carb gel like SIS Beta Fuel or Maurten is worth the extra cost.
How many energy gels should I eat per hour when cycling?
Most riders should aim for 60-90g of carbohydrate an hour on rides over 90 minutes, built from a mix of gels, drink mix and real food. That is roughly two to three standard 20-25g gels an hour, or one 40g high-carb gel plus a bottle of carb drink.
Are expensive gels like Maurten worth it?
They are worth it if their hydrogel formula genuinely sits better on your stomach than cheaper alternatives, or if you need the convenience of fewer, denser sachets on very long rides. If your stomach already tolerates cheaper gels fine, the extra cost is mostly convenience, not necessity.
Do I need caffeine in my cycling gels?
No — caffeine is optional and most useful in the final hour of a hard ride or race, not spread evenly through a long day. Many riders carry a mix: caffeine-free gels early, caffeine-containing ones saved for later.
Related guides
Best energy gels for long bike rides
Once a ride passes three hours, the maths changes. Here is what to carry for 4-6 hour days.
Maurten vs SIS Beta Fuel
The two gels people are already comparing before they buy. A head-to-head on cost and carbs.
Best electrolytes for heavy sweaters
Gels fix carbohydrate. They do not fix a heavy sweat rate — this is the other half of fuelling.
What to eat and drink on a 100-mile ride
Turn a gel comparison into an actual hour-by-hour plan for race day.
Best electrolyte drinks for cycling
Our original hydration comparison — sodium per serving, taste and certification.
Best cheap energy gels for cycling
The same carb-per-gram maths, ranked purely on cost.
Best energy gels for a sensitive stomach
What actually causes gel-related gut distress, and which formulas tend to sit better.
How many carbs per hour when cycling?
The single number behind every row of the gel comparison table above.