From club rides and sportives to gravel adventures and endurance races, getting your fuelling right can make the difference between finishing strong and simply hanging on. While energy gels have long been the go-to choice for cyclists, energy chews are becoming increasingly popular—and STYRKR’s new CEL50 is leading that evolution.
Rather than replacing gels, CEL50 gives riders another way to hit their carbohydrate targets, adding flexibility to any fuelling strategy. Here’s why that’s good news for cyclists.
The Truth About Gels vs Chews
It’s easy to think of gels and chews as competing products, but in reality they solve the same problem in different ways: delivering carbohydrate while you’re riding.
Energy gels are ideal when you need fuel quickly. They’re easy to consume during hard efforts, climbs or race situations where taking your hands off the bars for long isn’t ideal.
Chews, on the other hand, allow you to spread your carbohydrate intake over several minutes. Many riders find they provide a welcome change in texture during longer rides, helping reduce the flavour fatigue that can develop after several hours of eating gels alone. Research and athlete experience both suggest that variety can make it easier to keep fuelling consistently throughout an endurance event, rather than unintentionally eating less as the ride goes on.
For many cyclists, the best answer isn’t gels or chews—it’s both.
Meet STYRKR CEL50
The latest addition to the STYRKR fuelling range is CEL50, a high-carbohydrate energy chew designed specifically for endurance athletes.
Each pack contains:
- 50g of fast-acting carbohydrate
- Five individual 10g chews
- 267mg of sodium
- Soft, easy-to-eat texture
- Two flavours: Wild Berry and Citrus Fruits
Unlike many traditional energy chews, CEL50 combines a substantial carbohydrate dose with meaningful electrolyte content in a single product, making it an attractive option for longer rides where replacing both energy and sodium matters.
Why Five 10g Chews Matter
One of CEL50’s biggest advantages is control.
Instead of committing to an entire gel in one go, riders can choose exactly how much carbohydrate they want to consume.
Need 20g before a climb? Eat two.
Looking to steadily drip-feed fuel over the next half hour? Take one chew every 10–15 minutes.
Trying to reach 90g of carbohydrate per hour alongside a drink mix? CEL50 makes it simple to build a fuelling plan without guessing.
Because every chew contains the same measured amount of carbohydrate, it’s easier to monitor intake during training and racing.
A Better Option for Long Days
Anyone who’s spent four or five hours in the saddle knows that fuelling isn’t just about nutrition—it’s also about what you actually feel like eating.
After several gels, even your favourite flavour can become difficult to stomach.
Adding chews into the mix introduces a different texture and eating experience, helping break up the monotony. That small change can make it easier to continue eating enough carbohydrate late into a ride, when consistent fuelling becomes most important.
For endurance cyclists, gravel racers and bikepackers especially, having multiple fuel formats available simply makes sense.
Don’t Forget the Sodium
Carbohydrate often gets the headlines, but sodium is equally important during longer or hotter rides.
CEL50 includes 267mg of sodium per pack, considerably more than many traditional energy chews. Sodium supports fluid balance and helps facilitate carbohydrate and water absorption, meaning your fuelling and hydration strategy work together rather than independently.
For riders who sweat heavily or tackle long summer events, this can reduce the need to carry separate electrolyte products.
Where Does CEL50 Fit Into Your Ride?
Think of CEL50 as another tool in your nutrition toolkit.
A typical strategy could look like:
- High-intensity intervals or racing: Fast carbohydrate from gels when immediate intake is easiest.
- Long endurance rides: Alternate between gels and CEL50 to maintain variety.
- Gravel adventures: Chews offer a more gradual, controlled way to fuel during steady efforts.
- Sportives: Use CEL50 between feed stations to steadily top up carbohydrate without relying solely on gels.
The aim isn’t to replace your existing nutrition strategy—it’s to make it easier to stick to it.
The Bottom Line
Modern sports nutrition has moved beyond asking whether cyclists should choose gels or chews.
The real goal is consuming enough carbohydrate, consistently, from products you’ll actually want to eat hour after hour.
With 50g of carbohydrate, 267mg of sodium, and five easy-to-manage servings in every pack, STYRKR CEL50 gives riders another practical option for building a fuelling strategy that works from the first mile to the finish.
Whether you’re training for your first century ride, lining up for a gravel race or preparing for an all-day epic, combining gels and chews could be the simplest way to fuel smarter—and ride stronger.
