sports drinks?

[Dragonfly5]

I'd like to try some sort of performance/hydration type drink mix to take along on my rides this year. Two that ive seen mentioned are Accelerade and Cytomax. I'd like something that might give a little energy boost as well. Does anyone have any suggestions/opinions? How do they taste? Thanks!

[OakLeaf]

I'm assuming that by "energy boost" you mean caffeine? The calories in all sports drinks boost your energy ...

Gu Roctane energy drink has caffeine, but I've never tried it so I can't comment. I do use caffeinated Gu Roctane gels before/during an endurance foot race - my favorite flavor is Island Nectar. I don't typically supplement caffeine during a ride.

It's all very personal what your digestive system can tolerate. I usually use HEED just because it's so widely available, though it doesn't have enough electrolytes for me personally, so I wind up drinking a lot of Nuun U Naturals and/or taking Endurolytes or Salt Stick capsules and/or being very liberal with the salt shaker at meals (my last resort, because I really don't like the taste of salty food and I can never get enough sodium that way). My preferred flavor of HEED is lemon/lime and my preferred flavor of Nuun U Naturals is tangerine/ginger.

[roo4]

I've been using Heed for the last two years and am satisfied with it. Nuun made me bloat in an alarming fashion. I don't supplement with caffeine specifically, but I drink coffee in the morning and some of my Hammer Gels have caffeine. I carry a gel more as an emergency supply than a standard fueling strategy.

Yesterday's club ride had two stops: bakery and dairy. I had a doughnut at the first, but skipped the ice cream at the second. So there's another idea for you! :laugh:

[ny biker]

I drink Gatorade because it's easy to find at rest stops and doesn't make me sick. For rides under 1.5 hours I just drink water.

[OakLeaf]

Nuun made me bloat in an alarming fashion.

Regular Nuun has sorbitol. Nuun U Naturals doesn't - just enough dextrose for flavor.

I'm pretty much okay with sugar alcohols, but that's a big reason a lot of people choose the U Naturals line, or Skratch Labs which is a little harder to find and store.

[Catrin]

I love Skratch Labs products, my body pretty much hates everything else. The hotter it gets, the pickier my body gets. Skratch can be hard to find, but I know most of the LBS in my area carries them. Perhaps there is someone in your area that carries the little individual sizes to try? Whatever you do try, do try and get single serving sizes for experimentation. It is more expensive for individual servings, but it gives you a chance to see what your body prefers. If I absoloutly can't get Skratch then my default go-to is Hammer Heed, I won't use anything else.

http://www.skratchlabs.com/collections/drinks/products/exercise-hydration-mix - check out the two drop-down menus for both flavors and sizes. The HOT apple/cinnamon is actually pretty darn yummy but I don't get a warm/hot exercise hydration/electrolyte drink. It WOULD be nice in the winter though, have a nice hot drink before heading outside. They also have a "every day hydration" mix that actually has MORE electrolytes than the exercise version meant to be used before/during exercise. I used this last summer to help me hydrate in the office if I knew I was going to be out in the heat exercising that evening - it gets pretty hot here and that was a good mix for me.

I ALSO like Salt Sticks as a good way to replace the salts - sometimes it is easier to take a pill than to drink flavored liquid no matter how mildly flavored.

[Becky]

Another vote for Skratch Labs. I also like Elete electrolyte concentrate mixed into water in my Camelbak. No sugars, so I don't have to scrub out the bladder afterwards.

The apple cinnamon Skratch is great after a long cold ride, when you need some electrolytes and can't bear the thought of another frozen bottle. But I'm with you, Catrin, I don't think I could drink something hot during a ride!

The million dollar question is, "what drink will sit well in your stomach and taste good enough to encourage you to keep drinking?". What is tolerable after an hour in moderate temps may be completely unbearable after 4 hours in the heat. Same goes for food. All you can do is experiment and see what works....

[azfiddle]

I used to like Nuun but don't like the aftertaste anymore. I liked the fizziness though. I have used GU brew and like it because it tastes very light. I had some Skratch Labs and never tried it- my husband may have used it by now.

[Catrin]

I used to like Nuun but don't like the aftertaste anymore. I liked the fizziness though. I have used GU brew and like it because it tastes very light. I had some Skratch Labs and never tried it- my husband may have used it by now.

Azfiddle, I find the Skratch to have the lightest flavor of all I've tested and have noted no aftertaste. I can't handle fizziness at all. It does cake in the container though, once it's been opened an air tight jar is best. They don't add the 'anti-caking' chemicals, whatever those are.

[amnesiac]

Skratch for me too. Doesn't upset my belly & doesn't give me sugary aftertaste yuk mouth.

[kristinkeeley]

We only use Cytomax. Never had any issues with it and the flavors taste good. My husband works at a bike shop, so we like to sample things so we can give opinions to customers if they ask. The Skratch was good too, but we actually prefer a little more flavor.

[Crankin]

I started with Accelerade, then Accelerade light, with an occasional use of Gatorade. Then I started using Nuun, and Accelerade only for really long/hard/hot rides.
It all hurt my stomach. So, this morning, I ordered the Skratch exercise hydration to test, and then a 3 pack of the Nuun r naturals. The sorbitol and other chemicals definitely affected me, now that I look back. I prefer to get most of what I need from real food or Lara Bars, so I suspect I'll mostly be using the Nuun. However, I don't do well in the heat (how did I ever live in AZ?), so I am guessing that's when I'll use the Skratch.

[Catrin]

Crankin, I started with Cytomax (raised my blood sugar at the time), then moved to Accelerade and then pretty quickly to Hammer Heed where I stayed a few years. I've tried Nuun but I just can't abide the taste of that or the other tablets I tried, I will be interested to hear what you think of it. I am starting to use Skratch for my endurance kettlebell workouts (500 or more single arm swings, or cleans, or snatches, or whatever mixed with a couple of other things), and have reminded myself just how much my body seems to like it. If you have ever tried Hammer Heed, you will find the Skratch more lightly flavored, and Heed is pretty light.

Which Skratch did you get to sample? I really like the "Pineapples". Hoping to use it on the bike during my vacation next week :cool:

[Crankin]

I got the lemon lime.
The flavors for the Nuun R Naturals are a bit different, so we shall see.