Regular cola can contribute carbohydrate to a longer ride if you count the amount on your can and have tried drinking it during training. British Cycling suggests 30–60 g of carbohydrate per hour for indoor sessions lasting over 90 minutes; zero-sugar cola does not serve that fuelling purpose. Plan fluid and electrolytes separately where your ride requires them, rather than treating cola as a complete sports drink.
If you ride for more than 90 minutes, the carbohydrate stated on a can matters more to your fuelling plan than the word ‘regular’. British Cycling’s guidance for indoor sessions of this length is 30–60 g per hour.
A zero-sugar cola can be a choice for flavour around a ride, but it needs to be kept separate from any carbohydrate you plan to consume during the session.
If you count caffeine from coffee, gels and drinks, check whether the exact cola is caffeine-free. ‘Zero sugar’ and ‘no caffeine’ describe different features.
Decide whether the cola is meant to contribute carbohydrate, then check caffeine, your fluid plan and whether the fizz suits you during exercise.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | Read carbohydrate per can, not just ‘regular’ or ‘zero sugar’. Coca-Cola Original Taste is listed at 35 g per 330 ml can by Joybuy; Pepsi UK lists 15 g for Pepsi Classic, and Tesco lists 14.8 g for Tesco Classic Cola. British Cycling suggests 30–60 g per hour for indoor rides over 90 minutes. | For a longer session, I want to know how much of my planned carbohydrate comes from the can and what else I need to take. |
| Fluid and electrolytes | Plan the drink’s carbohydrate contribution separately from fluid and electrolytes. British Cycling advises adding electrolytes to fluid for indoor cycling; a cola label alone does not establish that it meets that need. | I need a fluid plan for the conditions, rather than expecting one cola to do every job. |
| Caffeine | Check the exact variant for caffeine and its stated amount. Pepsi Max No Caffeine and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine are distinct from caffeinated zero-sugar colas. | If I am counting caffeine from other drinks or gels, I want to avoid adding it unintentionally with my cola. |
| Fizz during exercise | Try the chosen drink and serving size in training at a relevant riding intensity. A study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found no effect of carbonation on gastric emptying under its test conditions; that result does not establish how every rider will feel drinking cola. | Before an event, I want to know whether the amount and fizz are comfortable for me while riding. |
| Current can label | Check serving size, carbohydrate, sugars and ingredients on the purchased pack. Pepsi UK lists 15 g carbohydrate per 330 ml for Pepsi Classic, while a Joybuy Pepsi Regular listing states 34 g per can; do not use those figures interchangeably. | When a ride plan depends on a particular carbohydrate amount, I need the figure for the cans I will actually carry. |
Joybuy lists 35 g per 330 ml for Coca-Cola Original Taste, while the current Pepsi UK and Tesco pages list 15 g and 14.8 g respectively for their classic colas. The difference changes what a can contributes to a planned intake.
Use the carbohydrate figure on your purchased can when working out what else to carry.
Pepsi UK lists 0 g carbohydrate per 330 ml for Pepsi Max. It cannot fill a carbohydrate allowance in the way a carbohydrate-containing drink or food can.
If your ride calls for planned carbohydrate, arrange another source rather than counting a zero-sugar can towards it.
Carbohydrate content does not tell you whether a cola fits your fluid and electrolyte needs. British Cycling advises adding electrolytes to fluid during indoor cycling.
Decide what you will drink and whether you need electrolytes separately from your choice of cola.
Pepsi UK lists 15 g carbohydrate per 330 ml for Pepsi Classic, but a Joybuy Pepsi Regular listing states 34 g per can. Using the wrong figure would change a ride-fuelling calculation.
Read the physical can’s nutrition label before relying on its carbohydrate amount for an event.
These labelled variants illustrate different carbohydrate and caffeine choices; a brand name alone does not identify the formulation in a particular can.
Joybuy lists 35 g carbohydrate per 330 ml for Coca-Cola Original Taste, while Sainsbury’s lists 0 g sugars per 330 ml for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine.
Pepsi UK lists 15 g carbohydrate per 330 ml for Pepsi Classic, 0 g for Pepsi Max and 0.2 g for Pepsi Max No Caffeine.
Tesco lists 14.8 g carbohydrate and 14.5 g sugars per 330 ml can of Tesco Classic Cola.
These options cover a regular cola that can contribute carbohydrate, two named alternatives for drinking cola without relying on it as fuel, and another regular cola whose pack label is worth checking before a fuelling calculation.
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For a longer ride where you intend to count cola towards carbohydrate intake, Joybuy lists 35 g carbohydrate per 330 ml can for this variant. Try the drink during training, and plan fluid and electrolytes separately where needed.
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This named caffeine-free variant is a choice when you want cola without adding caffeine to your drinks plan. The pack contains 24 × 330 ml cans; check the can’s carbohydrate label rather than counting it as ride fuel by name alone.
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For cola flavour without counting the drink as carbohydrate fuel, Joybuy lists 0 g carbohydrate and 0 g sugars per 330 ml can. This variant contains caffeine; check the pack if you are keeping track of your intake.
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If you want to include this cola in a ride-fuelling plan, read the carbohydrate value on the can before calculating its contribution. The multipack contains six 330 ml cans; check the caffeine information too if you are tracking intake.
Not automatically. British Cycling suggests 30–60 g carbohydrate per hour for indoor rides over 90 minutes and advises adding electrolytes to fluid for indoor cycling. A regular cola can contribute its labelled carbohydrate amount, but work out your fluid and electrolyte needs separately.
It varies by product: Joybuy lists 35 g for Coca-Cola Original Taste, Pepsi UK lists 15 g for Pepsi Classic and 0 g for Pepsi Max, and Tesco lists 14.8 g for Tesco Classic Cola. The Joybuy Pepsi Regular listing differs from Pepsi UK’s Classic figure, so use the label on the can you buy for a ride calculation.
Not as a meaningful carbohydrate source: Pepsi UK lists 0 g carbohydrate per 330 ml for Pepsi Max. If you are planning carbohydrate for a longer ride, count it from other drinks or food instead.
You cannot tell from carbonation alone how a particular drink will feel during your ride. A study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found no effect on gastric emptying under its tested conditions, but that does not establish individual comfort. Try your chosen serving during training before relying on it at an event.
Not necessarily. Pepsi Max and the separately named Pepsi Max No Caffeine are different variants. Check the exact can; if you are pregnant, NHS guidance says to have no more than 200 mg caffeine a day from all sources, including cola.