Gatorade is yucky.

[KnottedYet]

Gatorade is not the most delicious concoction in the known universe, but it does make my bod much happier on rides. And it's cheap.

I did a search for gatorade alternatives (rudimentary computer skills, but I try!) but got too many "hits".

I wanna know if anyone has a favorite powdered sports drink that is cheap and tastes ok and has minimal-to-no artificial colors or flavors. And no caffeine.

I used lemon-lime powdered Gatorade on the DALMAC, and have started using it again. Bleh.

[snapdragen]

I'm a Gatorade drinker, but I got a small cannister of Hammer Heed when I ordered my Endurolytes, so I'm going to give it a try. Natural lemon lime flavor.

[Dianyla]

I like Cytomax the best, but I've also seen electrolyte drinks made by Clif, Gu, Hammer, and PowerBar. A good LBS will usually have a variety of electrolyte drink flavors. I especially like it when they have small single-serving packs so I can try a small amount before committing to an entire vat of the stuff.

[Nanci]

I never used Cytomax until last weekend, on the 200 mile ride. It's very sweet. Seemed to work ok. Powdered Gatorade sucks. It's way tangy-er (in a bad way) than the bottles. I like the Gatorade Endurance Formula, and will buy that whenever available, but it only comes in two flavors. I like lemonade Gatorade.

[Grog]

Clif Shot electrolytes is FABULOUS.

I dilute it at about 2/3 what they recommend.

Nice lemony taste, not too sweet... Wow.

[Dianyla]

I never used Cytomax until last weekend, on the 200 mile ride. It's very sweet. Seemed to work ok.
Was this provided at the rest stops? I never like the way managed events mix up their Cytomax, either too watered down or gag! sweet.

[Nanci]

It was gag! sweet and I loved it. It was pink, not sure what flavor...I hate when they make stuff too watered down.

Nanci

[Running Mommy]

sounds like tropical punch.. Beware of peachy keen- it's NOT! Bleecchh!! I'm a citrus or tangy orange cyto girl. But I have a certain mix, I don't like mine to sweet. They have cytomax in ready mixed bottles now too but they are hard to find.
I can do gatorade endurance, but regualr gatorade gives me "gator gut" on anything over 2 hours and makes me fart. Yep, I said it... FART!!:eek:
That being said I LOVE mango gatorade when doing short stufff, or trying to survive the AZ heat..

[KnottedYet]

Yeah, I get the gator gut, too. A little tough to handle on longer rides.

[Trek420]

Somewhere we have a "mixed drinks, what to do with the leftovers" thread.

I just use whatever's on sale but like Cytomax best.

[Jones]

Gatorade just sent me coupons for 20 free bottles of Endurance Formula and a "Fuel Belt" pocket thingy to keep them in. I still haven't tried it, but I guess I will on my next twenty rides.

[Melody]

My husband and I like cytomax, however, we end up using less than what they recommend since it tends to be on the sweet side at their recommended scoops.

Our favorite mix though is made by Maxim and can be difficult to find sometimes since it's not a huge brand in the US. It's not overly sweet (which is great) and just works well for us as a hydration drink. The information page for it is at http://www.maxim.nl/products/energydrink.html

Mel

[SadieKate]

Tropical Fruit Cytomax with Pink Lemonade Crystal Lite = tart and yummy. Yes, it has artificial sweeteners, but it sure tastes better unrefrigerated and I drink more.

[Running Mommy]

ohhhh Sadiekate... I'll have to try that! Thanks!!
Oh and my newest drink option is Nuun tablets. I started out using them on my longer training rides for when I knew I would run out of my cyto/carbo pro cocktail. They were easy to carry and would get me through the last few miles if needed. Well now I use them on my shorter rides/runs. Anything 2 hours or less. They don't have the uneeded sugar or calories- just the electrolytes my salt starved desert dwelling body needs. It's so dry out here that I pretty much always need to watch the electrolytes. Plus I'm a salty sweater... ( I picture a sweater hanging in a store window with salt shakers all over it when I say that. hee hee:D )....

[maillotpois]

We get tons of free Power bar things because we're sponsored through TNT. We have been using their performance drink (powdered), and now are switching to using their "recovery" drink which has a bit of protein and more sodium/carbs.

The Power Bar drink stuff is pretty good, not too sweet, and you can easily sub in gatorade when that's all that's available. On the 600k, the Power Bar recovery stuff in my camelback went down really easily and seemed to stop the beginnings of a gatorade stomach ache.

[DrBee]

hee hee hee :D :D salty sweater - sweater covered in salt shakers :D :D That's great! Thanks for the image!

[Susie]

I've been a cytomax girl for so long, but I'm really sick of drinking sweet stuff on rides. A couple of weeks ago, I stopped by the Hammer booth at the Sea Otter Classic and asked if they had anything that wasn't so sweet. They mixed me up a bottle of Hammer Heed, flavor plain. I swear -- it tastes like water. There's no flavor whatsoever. I bought some on the spot and have already reordered online. If you're sick of drinking hummingbird water, give it a try.

Susie

[KnottedYet]

SCORE!!!!

I just ordered Clif Snot Razz Sorbet mondo bottle (16 serv) for $8. Clif lemonade electrolyte (45 serv) for $14. And Clif mango orange recovery (24 serv) for $17.50.

www.sierratradingpost.com has a bunch of Clif for waaaay cheap.

The only one of these that I haven't had is the recovery. So I only ordered one of those.

Now I gotta find one of those gel flasks. Probably REI. REI gives a discount for any 12 Clif products, so I might pick up some Nectar bars and Blocks while I'm there.

I am so looking forward to doing a better job of managing my liquid/sugar/salt when I do rides and swims!

[brittamac]

I've been using GU20 because gatorade just makes me sick. ugh. I like that its not very sweet at all, and my stomach can tolerate it for long rides. Lemon-Lime :D

[bcipam]

I've fallen in love recently with Gatorade's new product RAIN. All the flavor are delicous and its not too sweet or salty. Most markets have it and for a good introductory price. Let me know what you think if you try it.

[KnottedYet]

Got my Clif order today. Went out for an hour "skills" ride (aka learning to use my clipless pedals at the school track again) and drank a whole bottle of Gatorade (gotta use it up). I had a Clif Recovery afterwards. I'm bad at drinking when I need to, I've even given myself kidney stones, so I was proud I made myself drink a whole bottle. And, whaddaya know, I didn't get shakey after the ride this time!

Now, if only I could find a gel flask. Everyone around here is sold out because tri/run/ride season is starting.

Drink! Drink! Drink!

[Geonz]

I looked at the ingrediments on the Endurance stuff... why stick the artificials in there? The flavors don't help *that* much anyway.
I have this unamerican intolerance for supersweet 'cause I got into the habit and I don't feel like changing, so I water down the Gatorade (straight orange) and chow down on the bananas. Of course, I can think much more broadly if I'm traveling with a blender, I suppose!

[wabisabi]

I have become a big fam of the Hammer products--Heed is their powdered drink. I realized that I would anticipate a dread of the (to me) overly sweet and artificial taste of Cytomax. Heed is a very subtle lemon-lime taste, and is the one product that helps with leg cramps, which I tend to get after riding, and sometime during.

A couple of weeks ago at the Chico Wildflower century they had two kinds of Recharge, I think it was; the orange was OK but the grape was truly vile.

[Bella]

I'm probably late to this thread but I detest Gatorade. It is not made for endurance athletes.

I agree that Cytomax has been good to me. I mix less than the recommended amount or more if I feel like it. Try it with club soda in lieu of water for a recovery drink at home. Tasty.

[Lise]

A couple of weeks ago at the Chico Wildflower century ...
I read this line as "at the Chgo Wildflower century" and thought "WHAT? How did I miss this?" :eek: :p

I like the flavor of the Endurance drink when I'm riding hard and and am sweaty. Otherwise, I cannot stand the sweetness. I only tried it because they sent me coupons for 21 FREE BOTTLES and I don't pass up much that's free and useable. Last season I bought two huge cannisters of mix--one of Accelerade and the other of Endurox. The Endurox is so sweet it makes me want to puke when I mix it full strength. The worst is drinking it warm at the end of a race. Barf. I had taken to making it 1/2 & 1/2 with the Accelerade. Maybe I'll try mixing it with the Endurance. I appreciate the protein/carb thing, but ... too much sugar. Mixing it with club soda sounds like a good idea!

[Starfish]

I like Accelerade fruit punch, watered down a little. And those Nuun tablets were really great a couple years ago on a tour with 3 consecutive days of 104 degree heat and 60-80 mile/day. I found that eating real food and drinking water with Nuun tablets did the trick and helped avoid upset tummy.

Does anyone use a product called Fizz? I don't know how they spell it. It is supposed to be a nutrition drink with a little more to it...more like a liquid meal for really long events, like Ironman, etc.

I really struggle with upset stomach on long strenuous rides, and it doesn't seem to matter which products/foods.

[KnottedYet]

Is this the stuff that comes in the cute little plastic tube or tube-shaped envelope that fizzes when you mix it with water?

If it's the same thing, you can get a ton of it at Costco. I've not tried it, because it has way too much niacin for my system to handle.

I was under the impression that it was sugar-free (nutra-sweet) and heavy on the B vitamins.

[maillotpois]

Does anyone use a product called Fizz? I don't know how they spell it. It is supposed to be a nutrition drink with a little more to it...more like a liquid meal for really long events, like Ironman, etc.

Do you mean Spiz?

http://www.spiz.net/

[slinkedog]

I like Cytomax... the Canberry Grapefruit flavor is tart and not too sweet.

[kjay]

Cytomax for me! Gatorade is a "wannabe" imho. However, I shouldn't be so quick to offer my opinion, as I haven't tried any of the new Gatorades. I will stick with my lemon-lime Cytomax, though, because I still have a HUGE can. :p

[Starfish]

Do you mean Spiz?

http://www.spiz.net/

Ahh! Yes, thank you.

[Dianyla]

I like Cytomax... the Cranberry Grapefruit flavor is tart and not too sweet.
OMG, I have to find that flavor!!! I was just wishing for a cranberry or grapefruit flavor sport drink last night! :)

[Bike Goddess]

Dianyla- That makes 3 of us! I get Cytomax directly from the factory (it's made in my little town of Benicia, CA) so I get to choose from lots of flavors. The Cranberry Grapefruit flavor isn't too sweet for me and seems to agree with my digestive system (an issue on longer rides).

When I did the Santa Rosa double metric last weekend, about 40 miles into the ride,I started getting cramps in my hamstrings. I realized I wasn't drinking enough, so I literally downed a complete water bottle of Cytomax and in about 5mins they were gone! At about mile 100 I started noticing my thighs were cramping- so repeat of above. Again- cramps all gone. The best news- I didn't cramp going home nor did I cramp up later on in the night (something I tend to do after long rides). Salted water (as in table salt)helps with cramping too!

[kjay]

That's interesting, Bike Goddess. I had no idea Cytomax was made in Benicia.
Next time I'm in Benicia, I will definitely check it out. Thanks for the info!
I love Cytomax!

[slinkedog]

OMG, I have to find that flavor!!! I was just wishing for a cranberry or grapefruit flavor sport drink last night! :)

I really like it, and as you can see, BG is a fan, as well!! :)

[Dianyla]

Cool, I'll have to order the cran/grapefruit online somewhere.

Oh, and speaking of flavors, I have fond memories of an apple-cider flavored sports drink from my teen years growing up in a bikey-marathony household. I swear it was cytomax, but I don't know for sure. This would have been in the early nineties. Is that still around? :)

[Veronica]

I'm probably late to this thread but I detest Gatorade. It is not made for endurance athletes.

I agree that Cytomax has been good to me. I mix less than the recommended amount or more if I feel like it. Try it with club soda in lieu of water for a recovery drink at home. Tasty.


I disagree with your statement about Gatorade and endurance athletes. It's what I drink for the first hundred miles of a double century. Cytomax tastes like chemicals to me.

I also use Sustain Energy on my long rides.

V.

[crazybikinchic]

last year I went on a ride that only provided Advocare's sport drink. It was the worst stuff I had ever tasted. We were out in no-mans-land, and my husband found an oasis (the only convience store around) that had gatorade. I was never so happy in my life