You will need carbs to fuel your rides. Sports drinks, gels etc. are not about "fast sugar." They are formulated to be digested easily and quickly so the fuel gets into your blood, brain and muscles quickly instead of sitting in your stomach making you feel sick. They need to be consumed at regular intervals because your body is using up glycogen while you ride and if your brain requires that you replace it.

You can make your own sports drink if you want. I've seen a recipe that uses orange juice, salt, and I don't remember what all else.

You can experiment with other sources of carbs to see what your stomach tolerates and what keeps you well fueled.

Also bear in mind that you will need other nutrients such as sodium during long rides.

See Nancy Clark's Sports Nutritrion Guidebook for a good overview of all of this, as well as recipes.