For gravel racing, choose a carb drink that works with the bottles you can carry, the time between refills and the food you can eat on the bike. Motion suits a plan that counts 25 g carbohydrate servings while handling sodium separately. Skratch Sport Drink Mix offers more sodium per serving when you want that contribution in the bottle. Motion label Skratch label
Which bottle setup are you building?
Choose the drink after deciding how the bottles and food will work together. Motion's 25 g carbohydrate and 34 mg sodium fit a plan with separate sodium accounting. Skratch's 19–20 g carbohydrate and 400 mg sodium fit a different balance between the drink and the rest of the supplies. Motion label Skratch label
| Your priority | Option to consider | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| A carb bottle alongside separately planned sodium | Motion | 25 g carbohydrate and 34 mg sodium per serving. Motion label |
| More sodium from each drink serving | Skratch Sport Drink Mix | 400 mg sodium and 19–20 g carbohydrate. Skratch label |
| Long or uncertain gaps between refills | Plan supply against elapsed time | Count all bottle and food carbohydrate before the next reliable stop. |
| A two-bottle Motion setup | Count the full prepared amount | Two one-serving bottles contain 50 g carbohydrate in total. Motion label |
What is in a serving of XWERKS Motion?
XWERKS Motion provides 25 g carbohydrate, 3 g BCAAs and 34 mg sodium per serving. Read the carbohydrate and mineral quantities separately when comparing drinks. Motion label
| Per labeled serving | Amount or ingredient |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | 25 g from Cluster Dextrin (highly branched cyclic dextrin) |
| Calories | 110 |
| Sodium | 34 mg |
| Calcium / magnesium | 80 mg / 35 mg |
| BCAAs | 3 g in a 2:1:1 ratio |
| Supply / caffeine | 30 servings; no caffeine listed |
What should you decide before choosing the powder?
Decide which bottle holds carbohydrate, which holds water and where the next dependable refill will be. Motion contributes 25 g carbohydrate per serving; that is the useful unit for the powder, while bottle volume describes the liquid you will carry. Motion label
Write the setup in ordinary terms: the mixed bottle, the water bottle and the food in the pocket. After a partial refill, record what changed. A clear starting plan makes it easier to estimate what was consumed during slower technical sections or unexpected stops.
How much carbohydrate do two bottles actually provide?
Two bottles containing one Motion serving each provide 50 g carbohydrate in total if both bottles are fully consumed. The calculation is 2 × 25 g; pouring the same amount of mix into larger bottles changes the concentration, not the total carbohydrate supplied by the powder. Motion label
Plan mixing according to the product directions and the setup already rehearsed in training. Bottle capacity alone does not establish carbohydrate intake. A full bottle that returns home half-drunk delivered only part of its contents, assuming the drink was evenly mixed.
Why does the time between refills matter?
The same 50 g bottle supply provides different hourly averages depending on how long the rider takes to drink it. Fully consuming 50 g across 1.5 hours averages 33.3 g/hour; across 2 hours, 25 g/hour; across 3 hours, 16.7 g/hour. These are arithmetic examples, not fueling targets. Motion label
For a gravel course, calculate supply against plausible elapsed time between refills rather than distance alone. A slow technical section or a mechanical stop changes the time calculation. Add food carbohydrate separately instead of assuming the bottle total represents the whole plan.
| Time to consume both bottles | Average from the bottles |
|---|---|
| 1.5 hours | 33.3 g/hour |
| 2 hours | 25 g/hour |
| 3 hours | 16.7 g/hour |
Which drink fits a higher-sodium bottle plan?
Skratch Sport Drink Mix contributes more sodium per labeled serving than Motion: 400 mg versus 34 mg. Skratch's carbohydrate contribution is also different at 19–20 g per serving, depending on flavor. A rider choosing between the products should compare both quantities. Skratch label Motion label
Motion can fit a plan with a separate sodium source, but the source and amount need to be counted rather than assumed. Review the full combination of drinks and foods in training. Avoid increasing drink concentration solely to chase a mineral amount without considering the rest of the preparation.
What should a gravel-race rehearsal record?
A useful gravel fueling rehearsal records what was consumed, when refills occurred and whether the plan remained practical on rough sections. Note bottle access, food handling and any leftovers. Keep those observations separate from claims about one ingredient improving finishing time.
For budgeting, Motion's one-time price checked September 25, 2026 is $64 for 30 servings. A two-serving bottle allocation therefore represents about $4.27 of powder before delivery, tax or discounts. That is a cost allocation from the bag, not the price of a separate two-serving product. Motion label
Does a larger bottle contain more carbohydrate?
A larger bottle contains more carbohydrate only if more carbohydrate is added. One Motion serving contributes 25 g whether the finished bottle is larger or smaller; follow the product's preparation directions. Motion label
Does Motion replace every electrolyte lost during a ride?
Motion lists 34 mg sodium, 80 mg calcium and 35 mg magnesium per serving. Those amounts describe the product and do not establish that the drink replaces an individual rider's sweat losses. Motion label
Can Motion be combined with ride food?
Motion's carbohydrate can be counted alongside the carbohydrate in familiar ride food. For example, 25 g from Motion plus a food portion labeled 25 g gives 50 g total; the appropriate plan still depends on the rider. Motion label
What is Motion's carbohydrate source?
Motion lists Cluster Dextrin, a highly branched cyclic dextrin, with 25 g carbohydrate per serving. Motion label
How many servings are in a Motion bag?
Motion lists 30 servings per bag. The one-time price checked September 25, 2026 was $64, or about $2.13 per serving before tax, delivery and discounts. Motion label
Which product should you choose?
Choose Motion when its 25 g carbohydrate serving works with your food and separate sodium plan. Choose Skratch when a higher sodium amount in the drink is more useful. Match the supply to time between refills, and rehearse the actual bottles and food on terrain similar to the course. Motion label Skratch label
Where can you read more?
For more detail on the ingredients and training choices around XWERKS Motion, see Sports drinks for indoor cycling, Compare carbohydrate and electrolyte drinks, Understanding Cluster Dextrin.
How were these options compared?
We compared manufacturer labels, full serving amounts, prices and the practical needs described in this article. Sources were checked September 25, 2026. Prices are one-time purchases before delivery, tax and discounts; calculations and planning examples are identified in the text.
The linked research provides ingredient context. This comparison does not report original product testing.
