OT- or not. Hydration drink mix

[Cicli]

What do you like on the bike?
I was drinking Gu Brew then Nuun. I like the light favors that taste fresh. How are hammer products? I need the sodium and electrolytes for anything over a couple of hours or I end up with headaches a few hours after my ride.

Discuss. What do you like in the bottle?

[bcgav]

Nuun tablets, Triberry or lemon-lime.

Osmo preload hydration for centuries when it's really hot. Hammer endurolytes are good too.

[R3awak3n]

I drink Skratch labs. I like the taste and their apple cinammon is amazing for winter when drank hot.

[ariw]

Scratch

[Alan]

I really like Tailwind. It is very light and never causes me a stomach issue. They have some easy trial deals. It is not well known but quite good.

Alan

[Jgrooms]

Hammer's Heed & Perp for the long days.

[dsimon]

Any thing over 50 and I start to cramp bad especially in my quads!
Hammer is okay leaves a film on my tong and I still need sports legs,
Cyctomax years ago was the bomb now way to sweet
So right now it's scratch with sports legs and or infinit where you can make your own blend I have a custom formula and it's not. That bad I need a few tweaks but it's okay so far

[dekindy]

Skratch Labs

[fogrider]

Water.

[OtayBW]

I've been drinking Accelerade for years. Does the trick for me. Skratch Labs on occasion.

[Ralph]

http://drmirkin.com/fitness/8341.html


Dr Mirkin says it doesn't much matter. Shucks...juces, coke, snicker, salty potato chips, about any sugar water, not a lot of difference.

Since they are all about the same, might as well use the one cheapest and the one you like the taste the best. I still use powered Gatorade.

[gavingould]

skratch is pretty good for hydration, if i'm trying to get calories to replace chewy things, i use CarboRocket.

[pinoymamba]

1/4 scoop of gatorade powder + 22 oz of water.

[zmudshark]

Water, fig newtons and bite size paydays.

[swPArider]

50/50 mix of water and gatorade. No more headaches after long rides.

[aramis]

Water.

That's my Go-to. Mostly because it's easy to get, comes right out of the tap. If I did 200 mile rides it might be different though.

[jwalther]

Sword. http://www.drinksword.com/

[Birddog]

I've been using a formula of one scoop Accelerade and one scoop Gatorade to 24 oz for about ten years and it suits me fine. On long and or hot rides I'll supplement that with some Nuun tablets.

[redir]

Hot days I'll mix 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/4tsb salt in a full bottle of water.

[Walter]

Much of your decision will be based upon what tastes good to you and works for you.

Lots of marketing hype in this industry and a desire to differentiate products from one another.

I avoid the sugar-heavy powders and drinks like Gatorade, 1st Endurance and Skratch. I used GU for a long time, but have switched to the Hammer line: Heed and Perpetuem if riding more than 2 hours. Their site has some excellent articles on hydration and carb replacement.

[wgp]

Like many others, I have tried the whole gamut. Mostly stuck with Heed until switching to Skratch Labs about two years ago; that is now my go-to drink on long rides.

Whatever the marketing (ever watch Allan Lim's video on the "science" behind his drink - it's pretty interesting with his egg hydration test!), it certainly feels better for me when I'm riding more than 50 miles than other mixes I've tried.

[Steve K]

less than 90 minutes, water sometimes a electrolyte tab
90-180 minutes, Heed and electrolyte tabs, been playing with Osmo hydration
greater than 180 minutes, Heed/Prepretum/ electrolyte tabs, been experimenting with UCAN before ride and in bottle for 5+ hours along with most bottles electrolyte tabs


Biggest thing for me is limited fructose ingredients.

[rugbysecondrow]

I like a homemade drink mixes. I will puree some strawberries, pineapple or citrus, then mix in water, 1 part puree, 3 part water, then add just a pinch of sea salt and maybe honey.

In a pinch, I will mix 1:3 apple juice to water, add a little salt, then roll with it.

Easy on the stomach, no junky calories or additives, and it has the necessary electrolytes.

[LouDeeter]

Coconut water, diluted for short rides--half coconut water, half water. If I were training for centuries in hot climate, I'd use Hammer electrolyte tablets. I've used accelerade and cytomax for energy over the years and I suspect they were providing electrolytes in the proper amount as well. I like gatorade if I stop at a convenience store during a hot ride.

[weiwentg]

I know Allen Lim shot Floyd Landis up with dope but I keep finding Skratch on sale. I will probably switch to Osmo.

[ptourkin]

I know Allen Lim shot Floyd Landis up with dope but I keep finding Skratch on sale. I will probably switch to Osmo.

Lim and Carmichael built a rep on scientific training then claimed they didn't know that their clients were doping. I agree, it's silly.

That said, I like Skratch. I mix it with Carbo Pro for long rides. I've gone as high as 600 calories of CP with 100 of Skratch when there is a long gap between controls/time stations. For the first 200 miles of the 508, I was on bottles with 100 cals Skratch + 200 cals Carbo Pro and it worked well until I got tired of drinking my calories.

[veloduffer]

I have always struggled with cramps, particularly on humid days. As such, I've tried many drinks (Accelerade, Gatorade, etc). I've been trying Skratch, as it has less sugar and more sodium, and recently obtained Infinit, which is customized to you (based on survey of questions). A couple of my triathlon friends turned me on to Infinit.

[makoti]

FWIW...Skratch is on sale right now.

[kurto]

I really like nuun, and in general prefer to eat my calories. Skratch is pretty good, but it's pricey, so if I want carbs in my water, I usually use Gatorade powder: tasty and available everywhere for pretty cheap.

[gmcampy]

Hammer's Heed & Perp for the long days.

+1, just started the Moca Perpetium flavor, mixed with a hot cup of coffee on a cold ride...just the BEST!

[zap]

I like a homemade drink mixes. I will puree some strawberries, pineapple or citrus, then mix in water, 1 part puree, 3 part water, then add just a pinch of sea salt and maybe honey.

In a pinch, I will mix 1:3 apple juice to water, add a little salt, then roll with it.

Easy on the stomach, no junky calories or additives, and it has the necessary electrolytes.

Not good at all if you play hard for more than 90 minutes. Fructose is more difficult to digest and many would just well……..spend time on the pot. :butt:

For years I used GU or Cytomax-no complaints except maybe taste. Tried Skratch about 2 years ago. Tastes pretty good and goes down easy but it felt like I just wasn't getting the calories or something. Even tried adjusting the amount used.

I started using Hammer Perpetuem last summer and that has worked out pretty well. But the taste………not very good.

[krhea]

I use a 75/25 split of Skratch/Accelerade for the past 2yrs and cramping has become a non-issue. I also try and drink a can of MtDew somewhere in the middle of rides 75miles and longer.

[josephr]

Less than 40 miles, just water and maybe keep Chomps or a Clif bar for backup, but on longer rides, I have one water and one with Cytomax --- supposed to use 1 pack per 16oz bottle, but I use it in anything larger....usually a 24oz. Too syrupy/sweet to not cut it a little more.

[cp43]

I usually start with powdered Gatorade, mixed a little strong. When that runs out, refill with water, and add a Camelbak Elixr tab. I like the lighter taste, and the little bit of fizz. The Exlir tabs are similar to the Nuun tabs, but I like the taste better.

Chris

[Likes2ridefar]

Mostly water unless racing. I like mixing apple cider and water if I want some flavor or to reduce the chances of the water freezing in the winter.

When racing I usually need calories so I don't run out of gas. i usually drank first endurance mixed drink but like Heed too. tried a whole bunch. for me it was mostly finding the taste I like. they all work more or less the same, IMO.

I'm in the camp from lots of reading and experience that thinks electrolytes in most cases are not necessary.

[bluesea]

No one else jumping on the maple bandwagon?

[jamesau]

No one else jumping on the maple bandwagon?

I'll use a dash of maple syrup in a kick-ass bloody mary recipe that's been years in the making...

No maple on the bike as of yet. Currently it's, per large Polar bottle:
4 parts water
1 part 100% fruit juice (cranberry preference here)
pinch table salt
pinch Morton lite salt
1 tsp demerara sugar
chunk of peeled ginger and pinch of cayenne (optional)

[rugbysecondrow]

No one else jumping on the maple bandwagon?

Honey for me, but same premise.

[bluesea]

^ I'm moving to homemade stuff as well.

[regularguy412]

Used to swear by Cytomax for YEARS, but the last tub I bought I couldn't keep the powder in suspension in the bottle. Went back to regular ole Gatorade last couple years, but gonna give Skratch a try now, since it's on sale.

We'll see.

Mike in AR:beer:

[Charles M]

Hot days I'll mix 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/4tsb salt in a full bottle of water.

Yep.


And or just mix water and Gatorade about 3(w) to 1 during.


It's 10% of the cost and it works here in Arizona where rides start in the high 80-s to 90's and end 100-110's.


I've never seen anything as over rated as drink mixes for a cost ratio.

[fogrider]

That's my Go-to. Mostly because it's easy to get, comes right out of the tap. If I did 200 mile rides it might be different though.

most cyclist over think it and feel like they need to add something to the mix, but water is really what is needed. here's a good lecture from someone who knows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeIA261_gSw

[aramis]

most cyclist over think it and feel like they need to add something to the mix, but water is really what is needed. here's a good lecture from someone who knows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeIA261_gSw

I know it seems weird, but the more I ride - the less what I eat/drink during seems to matter. I mean I usually only do short faster group rides and short races about 1- 3 hours and on a hard 3 hour ride some gummy candy and h20 seem fine. I just eat/ drink as soon as I'm done. Races it's just mostly water and at the track I eat in between races.

[OtayBW]

I don't know....going out 4-6 times per week, I've got to have:

something easy to fix (grab it and go), and
I need calories in what I drink in addition to what I eat.

It's tough enough getting all your kit together and cleaning up afterward, not to mention even brief maintenance that might be required. Drink mix has got to be easy. Also, weekend rides are almost always >3 hours and up to 7 hours. I've got to have both the electolytes and the calories...

Recovery is another matter.

Just what works for me....

[Ralph]

Dr Mirkin says you ride faster on sugar water, even on a short ride. And he says it's been proved.
http://drmirkin.com/public/ezine101710.html

[russ46]

Water for me and stingers on longer rides for a sugar shock.

I never found a powder or drink I liked the taste of (especially warm), powders are a hassle to mix & found it a pain to keep bottle nozzles & hydration packs clean when using sugar based drinks.