Get ready to have your mind (and perhaps your wallet) blown!
A Canadian endurance cyclist has cracked the code to dramatically cut down on one of the most persistent drains on an athlete’s budget: energy gels.
Forget shelling out a fortune; this rider’s ingenious, simple recipe is not only a game-changer for his training, but it’s so straightforward, anyone could whip it up at home, or even on the road.
“After tons of long rides as my main fuel source, I can confirm they do work”
The Money-Saving Discovery
Meet Oliver Dowd, the mastermind behind this frugal fuelling revolution. He faced a common dilemma: the sheer volume of gels needed for his extensive long rides made commercial products prohibitively expensive.
“I wanted the convenience of gels in training,” Dowd explains, “but with the amount I was going through, I couldn’t afford to buy them”.
His solution? A DIY concoction that has slashed his weekly nutrition costs from an eye-watering $80 down to a mere $5!
That’s a saving of over $70 per week, equating to roughly $300 a month.
The Science Behind the Gel
What’s in this magic potion? Dowd’s simple mix, featuring little more than sugar, sodium alginate, and a water flavouring, delivers around 70g of carbohydrate per serving. This crucial metric places his homemade gels squarely in line with many high-end commercial options.
The secret behind its gel-like consistency? Sodium alginate, an ingredient even major brands like Maurten utilise.
The inspiration for this innovation struck while Dowd was preparing for a monumental cross-Canada cycling record attempt – a gruelling goal sadly derailed by an accident. During his preparations, he needed a way to craft gels without the luxury of a kitchen.
“I needed a way to make gels in a hotel room with no stove,” he recounts. It was a friend who pointed him towards sodium alginate, allowing him to perfect the no-cook formula.
Before his accident, Dowd rigorously tested his creations, consuming an impressive 15 servings per day over two days of back-to-back riding, with not a single stomach issue. He confidently states, “After tons of long rides as my main fuel source, I can confirm they do work”.
Make Your Own Energy Gels
Curious to make your own? It’s surprisingly simple:
- Combine 70g of sugar with a pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) of sodium alginate in a measuring cup.
- Pour in boiling water until the total volume hits 100ml, then mix until everything dissolves, topping up water if needed.
- Stir in a liquid flavouring, like Kraft Heinz’s Mio or another water enhancer.
- Once cooled, simply transfer the mixture into soft, reusable containers or silicone bottles.
Dowd himself uses refillable silicone travel bottles, noting they’re “no more messy than a regular gel” and significantly cut down on single-use waste. While he admits the flavor doesn’t quite rival his absolute favourites, it’s certainly “good enough to eat for the whole day”.
This is more than just a recipe; it’s a testament to ingenuity, sustainability, and serious savings for any rider.
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