Race Fueling Calculator

It depends on race duration, the carbohydrate content of your gel, and how much you get from your drink mix. Most cyclists aim for 60–90g of carbs per hour. For a 3-hour race using a 40g gel and one bottle of drink mix providing 29g carbs per 500ml, you'd typically need 4–6 gels depending on your carb target — around 5 at 75g/hr. The calculator works this out precisely based on your gut training level, bottle setup, and chosen products — factoring in feed zones and climb placement so you're never caught short at the wrong moment.

Current sports science recommends 60g/hr for most trained cyclists, rising to 75g/hr for those who regularly fuel during training, and up to 90g/hr for athletes who have systematically practiced high-carb intake (gut training). Going above 60g/hr requires a mix of glucose and fructose sources — which is why top-end gels and drink mixes use a 2:1 or 1:0.8 maltodextrin-to-fructose ratio. For races under 3 hours, 90g/hr is generally too aggressive even for well-trained guts; 75g/hr is a safer ceiling. The calculator lets you set your gut training level and automatically targets the right rate.

A stem card (also called a feed card or race card) is a small card taped to your bike's stem listing your feeding plan by distance — when to take a gel, when to switch bottles, which climbs to fuel before. It's especially useful for longer events where you want your plan visible at a glance without having to rely on memory. This calculator generates a printable 35mm stem card automatically. Print it, cut it out, and tape it to your stem. If rain is forecast, wrapping it in tape or slipping it into a small bag before taping it down keeps it readable.