I’ve just got the ingredients together to make some of the goop from this article. Some more complicated recipes available here as well. Anyone else tried making their own with decent results?

I use an energy powder I have imported from my man in Columbia

Bit pricey, mind.

never tried making gels but I find a water bottle containing half water,half fruit juice and a pinch of salt makes a good homemade isotonic energy drink.

Make all my stuff, drink is usually orange juice and whey protein to give me a 4:1 ratio topped up with water. Make energy bars and tried gels once or twice but don’t tend to use them much any more.

I do occasionally for longer rides. Put some brown rice syrup, a pinch of salt and some flavouring into a gel flask. Add about 10% boiling water & shake until mixed. (Or use a double espresso shot instead of flavouring and boiling water). I used the Biona brown rice syrup, which tastes ok on its own, doesn’t need any flavouring.

FWIW, the main ingredient in Clif Shot is brown rice syrup, plus flavourings and some electrolytes.

Not gel, but using a 1:2 fructose:sucrose mix at about 1.5% in water, mixed with orange squash and a pinch of electolyte powder works for me.

Where do you get brown rice syrup?

Isn’t brown rice syrup more of a complex, slower release type thing? Mixing with honey (glucose + fructose) for a mix of quick & slow release could make sense for a balanced gel.

edit..ah the interweb tells me brown rice syrup is 50% maltose, which is broken down almost immediately into glucose, so honey a moot point. Apart from the fructose though which I’ve read is useful in a 2:1 ratio (2 dextrose, 1 fructose). Makes yer head spin this stuff.

Not sure I’d really want to be eating something that tasted too strongly of honey while working hard though. What’s in the high5 gels?

I think most of the commercial gels use maltodextrin, which I presume is tasteless so they can add whatever flavouring they want.