Torq might be better known to some of you as purveyors of nutrition products for use during rides – energy drinks/gels/bars/jellies etc but did they also know that they make a range of “adventure foods” too? At first glance these might look like they’re primarily aimed at bikepackers and ultradistance riders (which they are), but Olly has found another perfectly good use for them during shorter duration gravel rides too.
Every Tuesday, I start and finish work a little earlier than normal so that I can get out on my bike after work. I try and fit in anywhere between two and four hours of riding. Most Tuesdays it’s mountain bike based with a local club, but some weeks I change the plan a little and head out on my gravel bike instead. Regardless of the discipline, whatever Tuesday ride I’m doing has the same requirement – I need to eat some calorie-dense, nutritious, easy-to-prepare food before heading out of the door.
Those of you who have been paying attention will have hopefully seen the series of articles that Torq owner Matt Hart has been crafting for us over the past few months. If not, this one will give you some amazing advice into how to fuel properly for a ride. While Matt’s nutrition article was primarily aimed at riders about to take on a full day ride or a gravel event, the principle is the same for a late afternoon/early evening start too.
Back in May, my schedule for this summer had included a couple of 200km gravel rides, one of which was going to be a Shimano Rebound ride and the second was going to be taking part in the 2025 Stone Circle event. Unfortunately, some badly timed illness meant I couldn’t do either in the end, but Matt had already sent me a small box of Torq Adventure Foods which I was going to use as part of my nutrition plan for the rides. The box was sitting in a corner of my office and to be honest, I’d completely forgotten about the contents.
A few weeks back, while looking for something else, I found the box and realised that shamefully I hadn’t even tried one of them, let alone used them in anger. Fast forward a few days and I’m tucking into a Torq banana and mango breakfast pack to go with my daily dose of caffeine. While the pack didn’t look or feel that huge, the contents were delicious, simple to mix and it was remarkably filling. Breakfast test successfully completed, I realised that the other meals would be absolutely ideal pre-nightride food. They only take ten minutes to get ready (and that time is only waiting for the contents to rehydrate once the appropriate amount of boiling water has been added) and they offer exactly the right combination of flavour, texture and nutrition to set me up for a ride. While I was waiting for the contents to be ready I was able to prep my riding gear, so the meals are time-efficient as well as energy efficient.
The design of the pack is impressively well thought through as well. Whereas I was making mine up at home and had access to a measuring jug, if you’re bivvying in a ditch somewhere and have been packing light, simple things like having a thumbprint-shaped logo on the pack at the approximate point that you should fill the water to is a genius idea. The pack is designed so that when the contents are ready to eat, you can cut the top half off and it makes an approximate shape of a bowl too. Packaging aside, the ingredient list is commendably simple too. All the three breakfasts and deserts are suitable for vegetarians and two of the dinners are suitable for vegans.
For anyone interested there’s a ton of information available about the meals on the Torq website. Perhaps the most useful section is about the nutritional breakdown of the different meals:
“It’s a common misconception that meals used to fuel adventure and exploration need to be incredibly high in calories at any cost! The easiest way to pack lots of calories into a small package is to make the product high in fat, because fat contains 9 calories per gram compared with just 4 calories per gram for carbohydrate and protein. However, there is a fundamental issue with doing this, because dietary fat doesn’t deliver the useful energy the human body requires under exercise stress.”
Although my plan to use the Torq Explore Adventure Foods before a big ride didn’t work out this year, the flexible nature of them means I’ve eaten them pre/post shorter rides instead and they’ve been absolutely brilliant. While they shouldn’t replace ‘proper’ food, if you need something that combines ease of preparation with great flavour and a good nutritional balance, they are perfect.
Prices start from £6.95 and you can find all the details at Torq’s website.