Carb Fueling for Long Rides & Races

The number that matters is grams of carbohydrate per hour — not the brand.

On long, hard efforts most riders are under-fueled, not over-fueled.

The rule

Match the grams to how long and how hard the ride actually is.

• 1 hour or less: Water is usually enough.
• 2–3 hours: Around 60 g/h. A single carb source is fine.
• Longer and truly hard: 90 g/h is the practical target for most trained riders. Some pros push 100–120 g/h (occasionally even higher) in races.

Reaching those higher numbers is not automatic. It requires deliberate gut training. You have to practice high intakes in training so your gut can handle the volume on race day. Jumping straight to 90–120 g/h without preparation is how stomach problems start.

Single source vs mixed carbs

Your body can only absorb about 60 grams per hour from a single carbohydrate source (one type of sugar). The transporters that move that sugar into the blood become saturated around that point.

To go higher, you need a mix of glucose (or maltodextrin) and fructose. These use different transporters, so you can absorb more total carbohydrate. A simple maltodextrin + fructose combination (plus a bit of salt) is enough. Drinks, gels, chews, or real food all count — just count the total grams.

What people get backwards

• Waiting until hungry, then slamming fuel. The deficit is already there.
• Chasing high numbers (90–120 g/h) because that’s what pros use, without training the gut first.
• Thinking the brand fixes the dose. Count the grams.

Practice it

Race fueling is a training session. Do some long rides at the gram rates you plan to use in the event. The gut adapts with repeated exposure. Skipping that step is the fastest way to blow up.

When the gut complains

Cut the grams. Don’t force it. Use the next long ride to try a modest increase.