Science in Sport GO Isotonic gel pineapple

Science in Sport (SiS) is a British company that's been in the sports nutrition business for over two decades, with a large range of products for cyclists and other athletes. The flagship Go Isotonic Energy Gel is available in various flavours, including the new pink grapefruit flavour, and the pineapple flavour tested here. These gels slip down easily and provide a good mix of fluid and carbohydrate to keep you going — and they taste good too.

There are numerous energy gels on the market these days, and the choice can be bewildering. The SiS Go Isotonic Gels are designed to combine carbohydrate and water in a specific ratio (22g of carb in a 60ml gel), so you don't need to drink from your bottle to help swallow the gel. More importantly, say SIS, this mix of carb and fluid makes Go Isotonic gels more effective as a source of energy.

As well as water, the main ingredient is maltodextrin (from maize) to provide the carbohydrate, plus various flavourings, preservatives and a sweetener. And that's about it.

Despite — or perhaps because of — the relatively short ingredients list, on test rides I found these SIS gels very effective, with a refreshing taste. They are easy to consume on the go, and easy on the stomach, and on that basis I'd recommend them as worth a try.

It's worth noting the size of these gels, however, in relation to the amount of carb they provide. As a rule of thumb, most cyclists have enough energy reserves to keep going for about two to three hours of hard riding before needing to top up, and after that most of us need about 50 to 90g of carb per hour – depending on the type of carb, the type of riding, our own physiology and other variable factors.

On that basis, the 22g of carb in an SiS Go gel will keep you going for about 20 minutes to half an hour, which means you'll need to carry quite a few if you're doing an 100-mile sportive and don't want to rely on the feed stations. In contrast, gels from some other brands are high on carb and low on fluid (for example, ZipVit ZV7 gels contain 51g of carb in a 60ml gel), although this latter option is more 'chewy' and definitely needs to be washed down with a drink.

Which option you go for will be a matter of personal choice and depend on the type of cycling you do. If you're a rider that prefers to reduce unnecessary weight in the jersey pockets — especially on long sportives when you'll be carrying food for several hours — you may go for gels that are high on carb, and get your liquid from the bottles on your bike. On the other hand, if you want to ensure you stay hydrated and you don't mind extra bulk in your back pocket, or you just prefer a lighter texture in your mouth, then gels such as these Go Isotonic Gels might be the option for you.

On price, Go Isotonic Gels cost £1.29 each, with a box of 30 costing £38.70 from the SiS website (and less than £30 from some online discount stores). This compares to gels from other manufacturers such as the aforementioned ZipVit's ZV7 (a box of 24 x 60g gels costs £30 to £40, depending on supplier) or Mulebar's Kick (a box of 24 x 37g gels costs around £35), making the SiS gels fair value.

Verdict

High performing gel with carbohydrates for energy and fluid for hydration; tastes good, slips down easily, and is fair value