Whether you’re Tadej Pogačar or a commuter looking to turbocharge your weekend rides this summer, fuelling has always been a key part of cycling — now more than ever, with fresh scientific breakthroughs in nutrition recently. One British brand that’s been at the forefront of this trend is turning 25, and is far from showing any signs of a quarter-life crisis.
TORQ was founded in 1999 by Matt Hart, and it has fuelled athletes with a no-compromise approach to sports nutrition since the very first Torq bar in 2003. The business has grown into one of the most respected names in endurance fuelling, trusted by cyclists, runners, and outdoor enthusiasts alike. With a focus on science-backed formulations, natural ingredients, and exceptional usability, TORQ has set itself apart in a crowded market.
TORQ is built on a foundation of research and real-world performance. From its carefully formulated energy gels and bars to its hydration and recovery solutions, every product is designed with a deep understanding of how the body performs under stress. Cyclists, in particular, have embraced the brand — not just for its effectiveness thanks to the tasty, high-carb formulations but for its commitment to ethical sourcing.
As TORQ celebrates 25 years, the brand says that it is continuing its commitment to sustainability, and passion for helping cyclists push their limits, helping them fuel smarter and ride stronger. So, how did it all begin? And what’s next for one of the most trusted names in endurance nutrition?
TORQ’s story so far
TORQ was founded in 1999 by Matt Hart, a former elite mountain biker-turned sports scientist and coach. At the time, performance nutrition wasn’t as sophisticated or widely understood as it is today. Many athletes were still relying on generic energy drinks or homemade solutions, with little consideration for optimal carbohydrate intake, hydration balance, or recovery strategies.
Matt saw an opportunity to change that. Drawing on his background in cycling and fitness consultancy, he started working closely with endurance athletes to fine-tune their nutrition strategies. TORQ was born out of these early coaching sessions, to provide evidence-based, high-performance fuelling solutions that actually worked in real-world conditions.
Its first product, the now-iconic TORQ Bar, launched in 2003 and was developed with a simple but effective principle: use natural ingredients, avoid artificial sweeteners and preservatives, and ensure that every serving delivers an optimal dose of carbohydrates for endurance performance. Unlike many energy bars at the time, it was moist, easy to chew, used natural ingredients, and provided the right balance of carbohydrates for sustained endurance.
The success of the TORQ Bar paved the way for an entire range of energy products, including gels and energy drink mixes. Since then, TORQ has expanded significantly, introducing hydration drinks and recovery solutions. Positive reviews followed on road.cc and numerous other publications since TORQ’s first products hit the shelves.
The company also launched the TORQ Mountain Bike Team in 2006, a project that not only supports competitive riders but also serves as a real-world testing ground for its products. Whether it’s fuelling elite racers or weekend warriors, TORQ has always stayed closely connected to the cycling world, ensuring its products work where it matters most: on the road and trail.
What sets TORQ apart
One of the company’s biggest selling points is its commitment to natural ingredients. Every product is meticulously designed for performance, with formulations based on peer-reviewed studies rather than marketing trends to provide athletes with clean and effective nutrition without unnecessary additives. This is why TORQ was among the first brands to adopt the 2:1 maltodextrin-to-fructose carbohydrate ratio, now widely recognised as the most efficient way to fuel endurance efforts.
Beyond performance, TORQ also prioritises usability. Energy products are only effective if they’re easy to consume, which is why the brand puts so much effort into taste and texture. Their energy gels, for example, strike a perfect balance between consistency and carbohydrate density.
Flavours like Raspberry Ripple, Cherry Bakewell and Apple Crumble are carefully crafted to ensure cyclists enjoy using them during long rides and races, without inducing the much-feared toilet stops at cafes. Any rider who has used lower quality carb-loading alternatives would unfortunately know what we’re talking about here!
TORQ also launched its proprietary Fuelling System in 2012 to ensure all its products deliver a consistent 30g of 2:1 carbohydrates per serving, allowing up to 90g/hour. Whether you’re using bars, gels, drinks, or its brand-new Jellies, the system makes it easy to track your intake and avoid under-fuelling or overloading.
Sustainability and ethical sourcing have also been at the heart of TORQ’s philosophy since the early days. The company was an early adopter of organic and Fairtrade ingredients, a rarity in the performance nutrition space. Today, its bars and flapjacks continue to be Soil Association-certified organic, and the brand has taken steps to reduce its environmental impact, from biodegradable wrappers to sustainable packaging solutions.
The road (and trail) ahead
As it celebrates its 25th birthday, TORQ’s journey is far from over. The company continues to expand its product range, recently branching out beyond traditional sports nutrition with the TORQ Explore range. This is aimed at outdoor enthusiasts looking for high-quality adventure food. The brand has also stepped into the medical space, developing a glucose gel in collaboration with GlucoRx for people with Type 1 diabetes, which is now available on NHS prescription.
Moving forward, TORQ remains committed to pushing the boundaries of endurance nutrition and continuing to improve sustainability, refine existing formulas, and explore new scientific advancements. Whether you’re tackling your first sportive or chasing a podium, the brand’s mission remains the same: to provide the best possible fuelling solutions for every ride.
Visit TORQ’s website to see the full range of products
15 thoughts on “Celebrating 25 years of fuelling cyclists with TORQ — how this British brand has grown into one of the most trusted names in endurance nutrition”
Is there a sweepstake at the
Is there a sweepstake at the road.cc HQ among staff for who gets closest to the time it takes after publishing an article about sports nutrition for something like “use jelly babies instead” or similar to appear in the comments?
…and will it be before or
…and will it be before or after the one complaining that the article labelled ‘paid promotion’ is basically just an advert?
I think you mean Wine Gums,
I think you mean Wine Gums, they are far superior to Jelly Babies as Beryl Burton would attest.
Fwiw whilst I like Torq gels
Fwiw whilst I like Torq gels alot the cost of them have been pushing me more towards jelly babies instead.
Also how on earth do you get custard flavour gels using natural ingredients?
Just make it really thick?
Just make it really thick?
Buy a bag of maltodextrin and
Buy a bag of maltodextrin and a bag of fructose from any of one of a number of retailers, from Holland & Barrett or any of a number of retailers and wholesalers. Buy a little tub of bicarbonate of soda, a container of reduced-sodium salt (a.k.a “LoSalt”, i.e. salt where they reduce the sodium-chloride content by adding potassium-chloride, typically in either a 50:50 or 60:40 mix so you get both Na and K ions), get some electrolyte sachets from where-ever (chemists, supermarket, online) and a bag of citric acid from a supermarket. Get some flavourings, if you wish.
Mix it together. Experiment with different ratios for the maltodextrin to fructose, e.g. 2:1 is a common ratio (and one Torq use). You need about 60g to 120g per hour of those carbs.
Experiment with the sodium bicarbonate, start with 1 tsp for every hour’s worth of mix. Bicarbonate acts as a buffer in your blood. About half a tsp of citric acid powder – you can experiment to taste. A bit under half of the sodium bicarbonate will react with the citric acid will react to form sodium citrate – so you’ll end up with sodium bicarbonate and sodium citrate in the mix. For reference, to fully react you need 1.2 g of citric acid for every g of sodium bicarbonate, or (by volume) about 1.6 tsps of citric acid for every tsp of sodium bicarbonate. Citrate is used in the Krebs cycle to help produce ATP, which powers your cells. Excess citrate can be metabolised back to bicarbonate if needs be, or peed out.
The reason people say “Just use …” is cause this literally is commodity stuff you can just get from a shop and mix up yourself. It’s not voodoo!
Paul J wrote:
Is this supposed to be ironic? How is that ‘just using’? 🤣🤣🤣
Who had 2:37?
Who had 2:37?
mark1a wrote:
Jelly babies? You posh git. I make do with just sugar mixed with water and rice cakes.
whosatthewheel wrote:
Rice cakes are surely far posher than jelly babies?
Or, alternatively, custard
Or, alternatively, custard creams fig rolls and bourbons from Aldi – those 3 packets for less than 1 Torq bar. Might not be as good for national class athletes on 3+ hour highly competitive events – most of us aren’t
wtjs wrote:
Yeah, they’ll be great after being crushed in your jersey pocket for three hours.
Honestly, can’t people just realise that different things work for different people, and being ‘old school’ isn’t necessarily ‘right’ for everyone?
Honestly, can’t people just
Honestly, can’t people just realise that different things work for different people
Yes, that’s what ‘Or, alternatively’ means. It’s called the English language.
I like Torq gels and drinks.
I like Torq gels and drinks.
However, I mistakenly ordered their vegan recovery drink which was utterly horrific with oat milk.
One of the reasons I like
One of the reasons I like Torq products is because they do not use Sortbitol as a sweetener. As those that are sensitive to Sorbital will know, and probably found out the hard way, Sorbitol can have an unpleasant gastrointestinal side effect.