@Thumper87, I also workout in the morning and usually only have a handful of craisins or raisins to keep my stomach quiet. For recovery rides an hour or less I try to do them fasted and only drink water. For an endurance ride up to two hours, or any ride under 90 minutes with intensity, I fuel with Gatorade at 50-75% concentration (about 100 cal). For anything longer or more intense I use a custom mix from Infinit Nutrition.
I do keep gels handy in case I really need a shot of energy, though. I’ve experimented with Precision Hydration but mostly use that now for runs in hot / humid weather.
The link below contains a few more details but also info about my custom mix.