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/collectio...-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....