Motor Tabs Starter Kit

Motor tabs score over traditional supplements by coupling carbohydrates with the time honoured electrolyte replenishment to give welcome fuel on longer rides. The starter kit consists of four Motor Tab tablets and a 500ml bottle. Sold separately Motor Tabs are £1.15 each or £24.99 for a pack of 24.

Each tablet consists of 16g carbohydrate (dextrose, sucrose and maltodextrin), 250mg sodium, 75g potassium and is sufficient for larger 750ml trade bottles but you’ll need three for a typical hydration bladder. Pop a tablet into plain water and leave fizzing for a minute or two with the cap open. Once calm, close the cap, stir with a spoon until completely dissolved.

Our test samples were fairly faithful to the advertised flavours but despite thorough mixing, retained the slightly chalky taste I’ve come to associate with energy sachets, although this could have more in keeping with tap water in my region. Dissolved into boiling tap water and leaving overnight in the fridge improved absorption and went a long way to address the sullied taste.

This aside, they’re a great safeguard against bonking and could make all the difference on longer TTs and training runs. Even with sensible food levels, by fifty miles of sustained effort, I’m flagging but the motor tabs sustained my blood sugar, cadence and crucially mood in a social context. Sold singularly or in packs of twenty-four, Upgrade advise me they are deemed safe for Diabetic use in the States but there’s been no UK approval so those affected by the condition should seek further advice beforehand.

Summing up, there’s no doubting their effectiveness and they’re a vast improvement on brands I’ve used in the past but variations in regional water quality mean they taste best in bottled or tap water that has been boiled first.

Verdict

Good, reasonably tasting ride fuel best with bottled water.