How to use it
Fuel by the clock, not by feel.
Your body stores enough carbohydrate for short, easy sessions. Go harder or longer than about an hour and the tank runs dry. Here is when to take this gel, for four lengths of effort.
sip water with every gel →
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0–1 h
One before you start.
For sessions up to an hour the work is done beforehand: arrive hydrated and with full energy stores. Take one gel about five minutes before you set off, with a few sips of water, and you rarely need anything more until you stop.
Tip: Up to an hour, one gel before the start is usually the whole plan.Energy gel 101 -
1–2 h
Then one every 20–30 minutes.
Past the hour mark you need to refuel as you go. Take one gel every 20–30 minutes and keep drinking alongside it; water helps your body absorb the carbohydrate. Liquid Energy carries some water of its own but still needs fluid with it.
Tip: Set a 25-minute alarm. Fuel on the beep, not when you feel flat.Marathon gel strategy -
2–3 h
Add electrolytes to the carbs.
The longer you go, the more your body asks for. Keep the gel rhythm and add electrolytes to your fluids, especially in heat and humidity. Roctane carries up to 3x the sodium of Original, which makes it the easier pick for a humid Mumbai morning or a long climb in the Western Ghats.
Tip: Hot and humid? Reach for Roctane, or add electrolytes to your bottle.Energy vs hydration -
3 h+
Take in what you can comfortably process.
On really long days you cannot replace everything you burn. The goal is to take in as much as your gut will comfortably handle, steadily, from the first hour. Rotate textures (a Liquid Energy Gel goes down easier late in a hot race) and lean on Roctane, with 3x the amino acids of Original to help protect working muscles as the hours add up.
Tip: Practise the plan in training for 6–8 weeks before race day.Train your gut
Compare the three
Not sure which one? Start here.
All three gels share the same dual-source carbohydrate blend and about 100 calories a packet, so they slot into the same 20–30 minute rhythm. What changes is texture, sodium and amino acids.
Original Energy Gel
The default. Quick, dependable energy for training runs, rides and race days, in 17 flavours.
Shop Original
Liquid Energy Gel
The same fuel in a thinner, sippable form. For early starts, sweaty sessions, transitions and a change of texture late in the day.
Shop Liquid Energy
Roctane Energy Gel
For long, hot and high-intensity days: up to 3x the sodium and 3x the amino acids of Original, plus taurine and beta-alanine.
Shop RoctaneOriginal Energy Gel
The default. Quick, dependable energy for training runs, rides and race days, in 17 flavours.
Shop Original- Packet
- 1.1 oz (≈31 g)
- Texture
- Smooth gel
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Sodium
- 60–125 mg
- Amino acids
- 450 mg
- Caffeine
- 0, 20 or 40 mg by flavour
- Best for
- Everyday training, any distance
Liquid Energy Gel
The same fuel in a thinner, sippable form. For early starts, sweaty sessions, transitions and a change of texture late in the day.
Shop Liquid Energy- Packet
- 2.11 oz (≈60 g)
- Texture
- Light liquid
- Calories
- 95 kcal
- Carbs
- 23 g
- Sodium
- 75 mg
- Amino acids
- 450 mg
- Caffeine
- 0, 20 or 40 mg by flavour
- Best for
- Hot days, sensitive stomachs, transitions
Roctane Energy Gel
For long, hot and high-intensity days: up to 3x the sodium and 3x the amino acids of Original, plus taurine and beta-alanine.
Shop Roctane- Packet
- 1.1 oz (≈31 g)
- Texture
- Smooth gel
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Carbs
- 21 g
- Sodium
- 125–180 mg (up to 3x)
- Amino acids
- 1,425 mg (3x)
- Caffeine
- 0, 35 or 70 mg by flavour
- Best for
- Efforts over 90 min, heat, race pace
Questions
Before you add to cart.
Five common questions about the gels themselves. Timing questions are answered on the How to fuel page.
Which gel should I buy: Original, Liquid Energy or Roctane?
All three deliver about 100 calories of dual-source carbohydrate per packet, so there is no wrong choice for a training run. Original is the default for most sessions and race days. Liquid Energy is the same fuel in a thinner, sippable form: easier before an early start when you cannot face food, in a sweaty gym session, through triathlon transitions, or as a change of texture late in a long day. Roctane is built for long, hot or high-intensity efforts, with up to 3x the sodium and 3x the amino acids of Original, plus taurine and beta-alanine.
Still unsure? Choose the right gel walks through it.
How quickly does a gel work, and how long does one last?
Right away. The maltodextrin converts into an energy molecule your muscles can tap within minutes, and the fructose takes several minutes longer. That staggered arrival is the point: the two carbohydrates use different absorption pathways, so you get a steady stream of energy instead of one sugar rush and a crash.
One packet covers roughly 20–30 minutes of effort, which is why the interval is one gel every 20–30 minutes once you are past the first hour.
Why is each packet only 100 calories? How many can I take in an hour?
Because small, frequent doses are kinder to your stomach. During exercise blood flow moves to your working muscles and away from the digestive tract, so a big hit of calories at once raises the risk of gut trouble. A 100-calorie serving lets you take in energy in smaller amounts, more often.
Aim for 200–300 calories an hour from all sources and keep drinking. The body can process roughly 300–400 calories an hour at the very most; beyond that the extra is wasted, or worse.
Do I need water with it, even with Liquid Energy?
Yes. Take every gel with a few sips of water; it speeds absorption and helps your body process the concentrated carbohydrate.
Liquid Energy is drinkable, but it is not a hydration drink. Keep drinking roughly 470–890 ml (16–30 oz) of fluid per hour of activity, more in heat and humidity, and adjust to your own sweat rate.
Are the gels vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free?
Yes. All three lines are vegan (so vegetarian too), gluten-free and dairy-free, and they are tested for banned substances. Original and Roctane are also kosher-certified; Liquid Energy is not.
Caffeine is the one thing to check by flavour: it ranges from 0 to 40 mg in Original and Liquid Energy and 0 to 70 mg in Roctane. If you are giving gels to active kids, stick to the caffeine-free flavours. The flavour and caffeine chart lists every one.
Stock the kit bag.
Run the plan.
Pick a flavour, put a box where you pack from, and practise the schedule on your next long session so race day is just execution.