Cycling fuelling calculator
This cycling fuelling calculator estimates carbohydrate, fluid and sodium needs per hour and for the full ride, from duration, intensity and temperature. Set how long you'll ride, how hard, and the expected temperature, and get rule-of-thumb targets for grams of carbs, millilitres of fluid and milligrams of sodium to aim for each hour on the bike, plus totals for the whole ride.
Carbs per hour
60g/h
How it works
Carbohydrate targets follow current sports nutrition guidance (Jeukendrup, 2014): this calculator uses a flat rate by intensity, 30 grams per hour for easy rides, 60 for moderate and 90 for hard, with no carbs needed for rides under 45 minutes.
Fluid needs rise with temperature, since sweat rate increases in the heat; the calculator adds extra millilitres per hour above 20°C to reflect that, while keeping a sensible baseline for cooler rides.
Sodium is estimated as a fraction of fluid intake, reflecting typical sweat sodium concentration, though individual sweat rate and salt loss vary widely between riders, so treat this as a starting point rather than a precise target.
Frequently asked questions
How many carbs per hour should I eat while cycling?
Rides under 45 minutes need little to none. Beyond that cutoff, this calculator uses a flat rate by intensity: 30 grams per hour for easy efforts, 60 for moderate, and 90 for hard rides with well-trained gut tolerance, regardless of how much longer the ride runs.
How much should I drink on a hot ride?
Fluid needs climb with temperature because sweat rate rises in the heat, so a hot ride can need noticeably more than a cool one at the same intensity. This calculator adds extra fluid per hour above 20°C to reflect that increase, as a starting estimate.
Do I need electrolytes on every ride?
For rides under an hour in mild conditions, plain water is usually enough. Longer, hotter or harder rides lose meaningful sodium through sweat, which this calculator estimates alongside fluid needs, though individual sweat salt content varies and heavy salty sweaters may need more.
Related tools
- FTP zones calculatorCalculate your cycling FTP from a known value or a 20-minute power, free, with the seven Coggan training zones in watts.
- Watts per kg calculatorWork out your cycling power-to-weight ratio and rider category for free, using the Coggan power profile for men and women.
- Speed to power calculatorEstimate the power needed to hold a cycling speed, free, with gravity, rolling and aero components and a full speed table.
- Climb time calculatorPredict climb time, speed and VAM from length, elevation gain and power, free, with a table across a range of power outputs.
These values are training estimates. They are not medical advice.
Overload shows duration and intensity per ride
Overload logs duration and intensity automatically for every ride, so you can plan fuelling around your real training load. Free on iOS and Android.