Fuelling During Your Gravel Ride
Best Cycling Energy Gels for Gravel
Many sports nutrition products, like PF 30 Gels that are made up of glucose and fructose, fit the description of ‘quick carbs’. Each 30 gram dose is neutral in flavour and palatable enough to consume even when working hard, a stark contrast to some strong tasting, gunky textured gels out there.
PF 90 Gels are an easier way to pack three of our 30g gel servings in one. The resealable cap means they don’t have to take it all at once either, which is especially helpful for those working on gut training.
PF 300 Flow Gel is a perfect fit for athletes who ‘decouple’ their fuel and hydration; since their fuel isn’t mixed into their drinks, they’ll need a lot of carb coming in from somewhere else. Carrying all of that fuel is made easy with Flow Gel, and it still has the same easily digestible formula of our regular Gel.
Caffeine is a well-studied, low risk (and legal) performance enhancer. Athletes often use PF Caffeine Gels as a pre-race boost thanks to both the carb and caffeine contents. They can also be incorporated into a strategy, such as midway through a long race, to deliver another caffeine dose and help mask fatigue.
Best Energy Chews for Cycling
Sometimes you need the same nutrition content as a gel but in a chewable format to attenuate the dreaded flavour fatigue. It’s a great way to include variety without risking GI distress from incorporating a harder to digest fuel source.
PF 30 Chews come in two flavours – Original is the mild, neutral option with the same taste as our gels, while Mint & Lemon delivers a refreshing change of pace. This product is perfect for those who prefer to chew their fuel to feel satiated or long distance athletes who need variety to alleviate flavour fatigue and keep energy coming into their system. Each piece delivers 15g of carb, making it easier to hit specific nutrition targets compared to trying to estimate half of a Gel!
If you like the chews but need more carb, try the PF 60 Chew Bar. It can also make for a great pre or post workout snack without feeling heavy and bloated from a large volume of food. 60 grams of carb in just 68 grams of weight is the perfect example of an energy dense option! Plus, it’s easy to open and bite into, so even on a bike it’s a fuel-able source.
Best Energy Drinks for Gravel Cycling
Most of Precision Fuel & Hydration products separate out fuel from hydration (carb from sodium/fluid) so that an athlete can have more control over each element of their strategy and adjust according to their needs. However, sometimes in shorter and/or milder weather races, it’s appropriate to get everything from your bottle.
That’s where drink mixes shine. Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix is a good ‘combo’ product, delivering an average carb content and relative sodium concentration based on the typical needs we see across athletes. It’s a good starting point for someone who doesn’t quite yet know their specific targets, or for athletes who are working in a moderate climate, have a moderate sweat sodium concentration and need a logistically straightforward option.
Similar to most of our products, this drink mix has a neutral, mild flavour making it easy to consume even while working hard. The ‘average sodium concentration’ of athletes is actually higher than most other sports drinks, especially ones with carb, but our Drink Mix actually meets these typical needs.
For higher carb needs, try Carb Only Drink Mix as it delivers only carbohydrates and allows you to use more or less scoops to create the right carb concentration depending on how much fuel and fluid you need. Then you can pair it with PH tablets or Electrolyte Capsules to tailor your sodium intake to your individual losses.
