Fueling FAQ
Straight answers about carb and hydration strategy for long rides.
- Why can't you absorb more than ~90g of carbs per hour?
How mixing glucose and fructose raises your gut absorption ceiling.
- What actually happens when you bonk — and how to see it coming
The gap between carbs burned and carbs delivered, and how to watch it.
- Planning bottle refills on a long ride
Where to place shop stops so you never run the tank dry.
- Maltodextrin + fructose: why a transport blend beats glucose alone
Plain maltodextrin is still just glucose to your gut — here's why adding fructose changes what you can actually absorb.
- How many carbs per hour do you actually need?
A practical guide by intensity and ride duration, from easy spins to multi-hour efforts.
- Training your gut: how to safely raise your carb tolerance
A progressive plan for handling more carbs per hour without the bloating and cramps.
- Bottle or gel? When and what to choose
Comparing bottles, gels, and solid food for getting carbs in during a ride.
- How much water per hour? Hydration, heat, and sweat rate
Why fluid needs swing so much between riders — and how to estimate yours.
- Sodium on the bike: when extra electrolytes actually make a difference
Sweat sodium losses vary a lot between riders — here's when supplementing is worth it.
- Honey or table sugar instead of a store-bought mix — does it work as well?
The science behind DIY carb mixes, and how they compare to commercial isotonic powders.
- How heat changes your carb plan (it's not just 'drink more')
Why hot-weather riding shifts what and how much you should take in, not just how much you drink.
- Fueling a 100 km ride vs. a 300+ km ride: what actually changes
Why strategy shifts as rides stretch from a few hours to all day and beyond.
- Does your pace or power affect how much you can absorb?
Demand and absorption capacity aren't the same thing — until intensity gets extreme.
- DIY flavor additives: simple ways to make the contents of your bottle or gel taste better
Flavor drops, freeze-dried fruit, hibiscus, and other easy ways to fix a boring bottle.
- What the chart actually shows: from bottle to bloodstream
A line-by-line walkthrough of the simulation — intake, gut, absorption cap, and deficit.
- Running vs. cycling: how carb needs and absorption really differ
Your gut's absorption ceiling doesn't change between running and cycling — but your practical target should. Here's why.
- Homemade rice cakes: a real-food recipe for when gels get old
A simple rice, coconut, and date bar — the carb count per piece, and why real food beats another gel late in a long ride.