Whether you're preparing for a cycling event, a triathlon, or a long mountain-biking session, choosing the right energy gel can make all the difference to your performance and help prevent fatigue. In this article, you'll learn how to use energy gels at the right time, optimize your energy intake, and ensure digestive comfort with natural formulations specially designed for endurance.
Energy gels and cycling endurance
At Mulebar, we create 100% natural, ultra-fluid energy gels that are easy to swallow during exercise. Perfect for endurance sports such as cycling, mountain biking, and triathlon. Our gels provide a mix of fast-release carbohydrates (rice syrup) and slow-release carbohydrates (agave syrup) for instant energy that lasts over time. Unlike energy bars, they digest much more quickly, so you feel the boosting effect within just a few minutes.
Energy gel or energy bar during prolonged exercise?
Thanks to its liquid texture, an energy gel is absorbed in just 5 to 10 minutes, making it the ideal ally before a climb or sprint. Bars, being more solid, take around 20 minutes to release their energy. To preserve your muscle glycogen stores and maintain your performance, aim for 30 to 60 g of carbohydrates per hour—the equivalent of one gel every 30 to 60 minutes.
Splitting up servings significantly improves digestion: take one-third of a tube every 10–15 minutes rather than consuming a whole gel at once. This technique minimizes insulin spikes, reduces post-exercise fatigue, and extends your endurance. Try our natural energy gels to easily adopt this gradual approach.
How can you consume them without digestive discomfort?
The key to using energy gels comfortably? Always take a sip of water immediately after each serving. This aids absorption, cleanses your palate, and prevents digestive issues—particularly important in hot weather. Never take an energy gel without water, regardless of the intensity of your sport.
Always test your products and strategy during training before competition: every athlete reacts differently to textures, flavors, and carbohydrate concentrations. Some tolerate one gel every 30 minutes, while others prefer to space them 45–60 minutes apart depending on their metabolism, the outside temperature, and the effort involved. That is why it is also advisable to consume a gel in several servings, provided it can be resealed.
Be proactive with your energy. Don’t wait until you feel tired or have heavy legs before taking a gel. Consume them regularly and 10–15 minutes before a challenging section so that the carbohydrates are available precisely when the effort intensifies.
Choose natural ingredients
Choose simple, transparent recipes: brown rice syrup for immediate energy, agave syrup for sustained energy, and fruit purées/concentrates for their polyphenols. Avoid preservatives, colorants, and unnecessary additives (vitamins, BCAAs ...), which are useless when consumed occasionally and may disrupt your digestion during exercise. These additives are generally present in much larger quantities in your sports drink.
Energy gels: how to choose the right one
To select the ideal energy gel for cycling, focus on four essential elements:
- A consistency that is fluid enough for easy consumption. There is nothing worse than a gel that is too thick or paste-like, gets stuck in your throat, and requires you to drink more water than necessary.
- A sufficiently high carbohydrate content to provide optimal energy according to your personal needs. Every athlete is different, so you need to create your own nutrition plan through training.
- The presence of electrolytes such as sodium helps maintain hydration and replace mineral salts lost through sweating. A mineral-enriched salt, such as Himalayan pink salt, provides more trace elements than ordinary table salt, promoting better electrolyte balance during exercise. This nutritious alternative effectively supports the body while boosting the performance of committed athletes.
- Practical packaging suited to sports activities. Easy to open without cutting your lips, resealable tubes for consuming in several portions...
These features ensure effective nutrition, improve performance, and meet the specific needs of every runner, whether road cycling, mountain biking, or other endurance sports such as triathlon.
Carbohydrate dosage and caffeine use
Choose gels containing 20 to 30g of carbohydrates per serving, combining fast-absorbing sugars for an immediate effect with slower sources for lasting energy. This blend provides a steady energy supply without spikes or sudden drops, maintaining performance throughout the course.
Regarding caffeine, start with caffeine-free energy gels, then move on to doses of 50mg or 100mg toward the end of the race, depending on your tolerance. The caffeine in some gels boosts alertness, reduces the perception of effort, and delays muscle fatigue. Its effect is noticeable even at a low dose. Always test this approach during training, as every athlete reacts differently to caffeine.
Use the 50 mg caffeine gels for a boost in the middle of a race, and save the coffee gels with 100 mg for the end of an event or when you experience a major slump. This approach optimizes the effects without overdoing it. However, be careful when combining them with coffee and other sources of caffeine: exceeding 400 mg/day can cause adverse effects.
Practical packaging and eco-friendly refill format
Choose resealable tubes to split up your intake and avoid blood sugar spikes. One-handed opening is also a real advantage for cyclists and other endurance athletes. Did you know that Mulebar tubes are reusable? It's an excellent way to put an end to single-use plastic tubes and sachets, which are still too often found along the roadside.
The large-format refills and reusable silicone flasks reduce plastic waste while lowering the unit cost of energy gels. Mulebar eco-refills cost 33% less than 12 individual tubes. Fill your containers before each outing, consume exactly the amount you need, and combine environmental responsibility, nutritional efficiency, and comfort during exercise. Easily carry 2–3 60 ml silicone flasks in your jersey—the equivalent of 4 to 6 gel tubes. Open, consume a dose, then close it with one hand.
Energy gels: when to consume them
To maximize your performance during a race or training session, the timing of your energy gel intake is crucial. Knowing when and how to take these energy gels, especially those containing caffeine, directly affects your endurance and resistance to fatigue. A good nutrition strategy can make all the difference during exercise.
Planning your intake during exercise
During a long outing lasting 3 to 5 hours, consume an energy gel every 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the intensity. Take it in small portions with a few sips of a drink to aid absorption. Do not wait until you feel tired: anticipate key moments such as a climb or a difficult section by taking your gel 10 to 15 minutes beforehand.
For efforts lasting more than 1.5 hours or in hot weather, combine your gels with an electrolyte-rich drink. Some athletes even dilute a gel in 500 ml of water to create an isotonic drink—a practical tip that provides a steady supply of carbohydrates while maintaining muscle performance.
Energy gels: practical benefits and taste
Mulebar energy gels provide not only a steady energy supply, but also a simple and enjoyable user experience. With their antioxidant- or caffeine-rich formulas, reusable packaging, and delicious recipes, they transform sports nutrition into a tasty, eco-friendly experience, perfect for any athlete facing prolonged exertion.
Natural antioxidants and great taste
Our Mulebar antioxidant energy gels contain cherry or apple juice concentrate, naturally rich in antioxidants such as polyphenols. These compounds help combat exercise-related oxidative stress, promote muscle recovery, and improve performance in cycling, mountain biking, triathlon, or any other demanding endurance sport.
Innovative flavors such as Coffee, Lemon-Ginger-Guarana, and Salted Caramel add variety and encourage regular consumption of these gels during exercise. This habit helps prevent fatigue, maintains a steady energy supply, and helps athletes perform through to the finish line.
The energy compote alternative
To vary your nutrition during endurance exercise, energy compotes offer an excellent alternative to energy gels. Their thicker texture and less sweet, fruitier taste are particularly appealing to athletes looking for a compromise between solid foods and liquid products. They provide a rapid energy boost thanks to their carbohydrate content, which is essential during long-duration activities.
Compote versus gel for endurance
With their naturally fruity texture, compotes have a less concentrated sugary taste than energy gels, creating a more satisfying “real food” sensation, especially appreciated during rides lasting several hours. They begin to be absorbed 10 to 15 minutes after ingestion, thus providing energy just as quickly as a gel.
When to choose an energy compote
Compotes are particularly suitable during the first few hours of an endurance event such as an ultramarathon or cycling tour, when intensity remains moderate. Their practical packaging makes them easy to consume, but the screw cap is less convenient when riding uphill or during intense efforts such as a pursuit.
Instead, choose energy gels for intense phases when you need an immediate energy boost. Their rapid absorption instantly provides the carbohydrates your muscles need.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best energy gel brand for cycling and endurance?
The choice of brand depends mainly on your needs: a preference for natural ingredients, an easy-to-swallow texture, electrolyte content, or practical packaging. MULEBAR stands out with its 100% natural gels made from brown rice syrup, agave syrup, and fruit concentrates packed with antioxidants, enriched with Himalayan pink salt for an optimal mineral intake.
Their resealable tube allows for gradual consumption, while their eco-friendly refillable format reduces plastic waste—ideal for cycling, mountain biking, or triathlon. We recommend testing several products during training to find the one that best suits your digestion, taste preferences, and resistance to fatigue during exercise.
How often should you take an energy gel while cycling?
How often you consume one depends on the intensity of your effort: plan on one gel every 30 minutes at a demanding pace, every 45 minutes at moderate intensity, and every 60 minutes during an endurance outing. This strategy provides 30 to 60g of carbohydrates per hour, maintaining muscle glycogen stores and preventing fatigue crashes.
For better digestion, divide your intake into small portions every 10–15 minutes, and remember to drink a little water after each serving. This promotes nutrient absorption, helps maintain electrolyte balance, and reduces any lingering sweetness in your mouth. An essential tip for long cycling or trail-running outings!
When should you take a caffeinated energy gel during a long ride?
Reserve caffeinated gels for strategic moments: before a difficult climb, during a race acceleration, or in the final kilometers before the final sprint to combat mental and muscular fatigue. A 50mg dose provides a moderate boost, while 100mg is better suited to very intense efforts at the end of an event.
Avoid consuming it too early during your ride so that this stimulant remains effective when you really need it. Test your tolerance during training, as sensitivity to caffeine varies from cyclist to cyclist. Feel free to favor gels containing natural antioxidants to support your body during prolonged exertion.
