Almost every aspect of cycling is rising in price, but if you train regularly, you’ve likely felt the sting of rising prices in the world of sports nutrition, more so than the gradual creep of average bike prices. From drink mixes to gels and chews, many riders are now paying upwards of £2–£3 per gel and even more for high-carb bottle mixes. Multiply that by three to five hours on the bike and you’re easily burning through £10–£20 a ride, just on sports nutrition. It's no surprise that many cyclists are saving branded nutrition for races only and possibly underfuelling during training. There are a few issues with this approach. Not using race nutrition in everyday training can mean your stomach isn’t “trained” to handle the specific kind of high-carb mix you use on race day. Not carbing up during your training also means your performance in training can be stunted, and it can impact post-ride recovery as you burn through muscle glycogen.

However, there is a way around this dilemma: by making your drink mixes and gels at home, you can hit the 100–120 grams of carbohydrates per hour for a fraction of the cost. There is also a nice side benefit that you can reduce your environmental impact by going homemade; instead of single-use gel wrappers, you can use reusable gel pouches instead.

Why Aim for 100–120g of Carbs Per Hour?

First off, let’s establish why we should be aiming for such a high carb consumption. For years, the consensus was that the body could only absorb around 60g of carbohydrates per hour during endurance exercise. But newer research has shown that by combining different types of sugars : glucose and fructose, you can push that number to 90g and beyond, with some pros regularly taking in 120g and more during races. The past few years in cycling has been dubbed as a “Carb revolution” as pro cyclists attribute the constant rise in their performance to ever-increasing carb consumption.

The science behind this is simple: glycogen stores deplete quickly during hard efforts, especially over multiple hours. Replacing carbs while riding helps maintain power output, reduces fatigue, and allows for more quality work during training. Their is one catch however: you need to practice this intake in training, not just on race day. And that means having access to lots of fuel consistently.

Fuelling high carb for all of your training isnt cheap. A single 60g-carb drink sachet can cost around £2.50. A gel with 25g of carbs? Around £2. Add up 3 bottles and 3 gels per long ride, and you’re spending over £15 each time. Do that twice a week and you're looking at more than £100 a month just on nutrition. This isn’t sustainable for most of us. It’s one reason why many riders underfuel during base miles or endurance sessions, despite the benefits of consistent carb intake. But just like brewing your own coffee or cooking at home, there’s a better option: make your own gels or bottle mix at home.

DIY Drink Mix (1:0.8 Glucose: Fructose Ratio)

This mix is ideal for endurance rides and allows you to fuel aggressively up to 90–120g of carbs per bottle if you tolerate it. The 1:0.8 glucose-to-fructose ratio has emerged as one of the most effective and gut-friendly carbohydrate blends for endurance athletes. While earlier sports nutrition strategies focused on a 2:1 ratio, newer research suggests the 1:0.8 ratio allows the body to absorb more carbohydrates per hour, up to 120g, without overwhelming the gut. This is because glucose and fructose use different intestinal transporters, so balancing their intake more evenly reduces the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort while maximising fuel delivery to working muscles.

I hear you asking: Is it really that simple? Can it really just be glucose plus fructose, and getting the balance right? Yes, it really is that simple. Energy products you see in the market like SIS, Maurten or 226ers rarely stray from the 1:0.8 glucose: fructose ratio and only add in some preservatives or flavouring to alter the taste and shelf life of their products they sell. The difference between the brands, unfortunately mostly marketing.

Now we have the science out of the way, let’s look at some recipes:

Basic Recipe – 60g carbs per 750ml bottle

33g Glucose (dextrose or maltodextrin)
27g Fructose
500–750ml water

High-Carb Recipe – 90g carbs per 750ml bottle

50g Glucose
40g Fructose
750ml water

Superfuel Recipe – 120g carbs per 750ml–1 litre bottle

67g Glucose
53g Fructose
Mix with ~750ml - 1 litre of water, and shake well

If you are going above 90g per bottle, ensure you test this in training. You may want to split the dose across 2 bottles or combine with gels if needed. Keeping the drink mix as simply water, glucose, and fructose can also help your stomach to process the ingredients, but if you need some flavour, you can include a splash of citrus juice, sugar-free cordial, or a flavoured electrolyte tablet for taste.

Homemade Energy Gel (Using Reusable Pouches)

The first hurdle with making gels is the storage: Baby food pouches are perfect for this they reduce waste and hold around 100–120ml of gel, equivalent to 2–3 standard gels. Many are able to be machine-washed and are easy to use and store. Amazon carries lots of options at reasonable prices

Basic Gel – 60g carbs per pouch

33g Glucose (maltodextrin or dextrose)
27g Fructose
20–30ml water (adjust for thickness)
Optional flavourings: citrus juice, vanilla extract, maple syrup, or a dash of cordial

Larger Gel – 75g carbs per pouch

41.5g Glucose
33.5g Fructose
30–40ml water, plus electrolytes and flavour

When it comes to gels, it is worth experimenting with batch-making gels and boiling down the mixture to get a consistency you are happy with. You can also add things like sodium citrate, which is a preservative to increase the life of batch mixtures, but experiment with this yourself, as it can affect the taste.

Optional: Electrolyte Additions

For longer or hotter rides its worth keeping in mind electrolytes lost through sweat. As a result, you can add the following:

Sodium: Add 200–400mg sodium per hour, depending on sweat rate
Potassium: Optional, ~50–100mg/hour

That brings us to the end of this hopefully basic science lesson! Cycling nutrition has become a premium product, but it doesn’t have to be. By making your own high-carb drink and gel mixes, you can train at the same level you race at and stay consistent without needing to ration your fuel or break the bank.

Homemade gels and energy drink mixes might not look as flashy as pulling out a Maurten or SIS gel mid-ride, but they get the job done just as well. And once you’ve dialled in your own personal recipes and flavours, you might never go back.

How to Make DIY Cycling Sports Nutrition at Home: Fuel Smarter for Less