Torq Naked Flavourless Energy Gel x 15

This Torq Naked Flavourless Energy Gel is palatable, easy to consume and sits well on the stomach. It's one of number of 'flavours' (if flavourless can be a flavour...) that Torq offers in its large line-up of staples for getting carbohydrates and other key ingredients into your body while exercising.

If you are looking at gels, I'm guessing you are riding to a level where you need extra fuelling on the bike, and that basically means carbohydrates.

The Torq gel packs a punch of 30g of multiple transportable carbs (basically different types of single carbohydrates – here it's 2:1 maltodextrin/fructose) per 45g sachet/pouch, which it describes as 1 Torq Unit. These relate to Torq's entire fuelling product options which it says have been designed to all work together to deliver the two to three 'units' required per hour, whether that's gels, drinks, chews or bars.

> How to conquer long bike rides without getting too tired

You can see the ingredients list in the report section below.

The main criteria for me when using nutrition is how well it sits on the stomach and how palatable it is when actually swallowing it.

Basically, I haven't really got much of a sweet tooth, so sticky, sickly gels can make me feel nauseous, and the fact that I struggle to eat or drink on the bike full stop means I have to force myself to consume something either savoury or very bland.

That's probably why I've got on so well with this Naked Flavourless option, which lives up to the name. The texture isn't too thick either; with some gels you need to wash them down with a drink, but that wasn't the case here. I could easily swallow it while riding, and the shape of the tube allows you to squeeze all of the contents out of it one-handed. The pouch is also easy to open using your teeth if needs be.

> How to eat right for sportives and long rides

In terms of gains, it's a bit hard to say outside of a laboratory, but I generally know how many miles I can do and at what intensity before things go a bit pear-shaped. If I did push too far and started to bonk or feel my energy levels start to ebb away, about 10 minutes after necking one of these I could feel myself come back to life. Or if I stuck to a bit of a regime I could comfortably ride further and faster than I normally would without eating anything.

I'm basically saying that these worked well, and the fact that they taste good meant I was happy to keep using them every half hour or so on very long rides.

One thing worth bearing in mind is that these Naked versions don't contain electrolytes, so they can keep that neutral flavour. Other flavours do, though, and there are plenty to choose from, including Cherry Bakewell, Lemon Drizzle, Strawberry Yoghurt, Black Cherry Yoghurt, Orange and Banana, Apple Crumble, Raspberry Ripple, Rhubarb and Custard, Forest Fruits, Banoffee, Caramel Latte and Cola Caffeine. Those last four include guarana.

Value

The Torq Energy Gels cost £32.25 for a box of 15 pouches, and this can be made up of a single flavour or a range. Torq is showing discounts of 10, 15 and 20% off on one, two or three boxes respectively. So, without discount that's £2.15 per gel, and 4.7p per gram.

The Rawvelo gels that Suvi reviewed last year worked out around the same price, £2 a pop, and though 50g each they only contain 20g of carbs, and Suvi did find the three flavours very sweet.

Science in Sport's Beta Fuel gels come in a 60g pouch with 40g of carbohydrates, and work out at roughly the same as the Torqs, £2.33 a sachet. But you are getting a bit more in each one, so it's slightly cheaper at 3.8p per gram.

Conclusion

Overall, these do the job they are designed to do, in my eyes, and at a similar price to its competitors. The key thing for me is just how palatable this, erm, flavourless flavour is, so if you aren't one for sweet nutrition, I would definitely recommend these Naked gels.

Verdict

Smooth consistency and ideal for those without a sweet tooth