Few things are more disappointing than being on a ride and seeing discarded gel packets trailside or in the gutter. Most of us are responsible enough to take them home or dispose of them in a bin. However, that means stowing a sticky foil wrapper in a pocket or tucked inside the leg of your shorts.
DualFuel’s clever bottle and reusable gel pouch could be the answer to this problem.
The £24.99 / £23.99 (750ml / 500ml), DualFuel bottles have a unique twin-chamber lid with a flip switch. The first open position gives you access to your water bottle chamber. The second switches to a screw-in 120ml pouch, which houses the equivalent of two energy gels. That’s sufficient to deliver around 90g of carbs when using DualFuel’s own gel-mix powder.
On the bike
Being able to switch between water and gel from the same bottle saves fumbling around in your jersey pocket, then trying to rip open a packet with your teeth without losing any of the contents. Getting it ingested without ending up with sticky fingers or a sticky pocket is transformative.
I may not be able to get the gel in my favourite flavours, but the lack of mess and the simple neutral flavour of the DualFuel gel mix have made me something of a convert.
The gel mix formula delivers a 2:1 glucose-to-fructose mix and 30g of carbs per serving. One £24.99, 1kg bag is good for about 30 servings, working out at around 78p per serving. In comparison, my current favourite Torq 1:1 gels are £2.65 each.
I’ve also tried decanting a couple gels into the pouch pre-ride and it works well.
Bento box mount gel carrier
DualFuel also offers a wearable pouch, designed for runners. Hidden inside the £15.99 pack is a bento box (top tube) mount compatible quick-release bracket. That also comes with twin neoprene straps, so it can be attached to a bike without mounts.
This nozzle-tipped pouch, designed for gels, has become a favourite. It enables you to carry 150ml (or there’s a larger 220ml option), which is the equivalent of two gel packets, that you can take on as you ride.
So, if you're concerned about the litter your rides involve, or prefer to take your gel fuelling a little at a time, I’d recommend giving the DualFuel system a try.
