electrolytes, whats your preference?

[Catrin]

My stomach doesn't care for real food on long rides - outside of bananas (as long as I only have ONE) - outside of that Cliff bars, shot blocs, Hammer Heed, Accelerade all do well by me. I am unsure why I can tolerate Cliff bars, but my stomach accepts them. PB sandwiches also go down well if I can keep from smashing them - on a banana is even better.

[Becky]

Vitalyte if I need to drink my carbs. Nuun or Elete if I don't. I love the little Elete dropper bottles for keeping in my jersey pocket on long rides.

[Owlie]

I can't do real food on rides, and can't do Clif bars if it's hot and humid. I probably need a longer break for food--you know, eat at a leisurely pace, wander around a little, then hop back on the bike. I'm basing this on my experiences with riding right after breakfast.

I'm going to have to try Nuun or something else, as I don't generally need the sugar since I carry at least one package of shot blocks in hot weather.

[nscrbug]

As of this season, I am a NUUN/ZYM/GU electrolyte tablet convert. On hot, long rides I will carry 1 bottle of NUUN (or other type of tablet) and 1 bottle of plain water. I also carry a few extra tablets wrapped in foil in my bento box. I actually prefer the taste of the orange ZYM tablets over all the others, but NUUN is easier to find in my area. I don't like strongly flavored beverages while on the bike, so I tend to dilute mine a bit more. Aside from that, I generally always carry with me (but don't necessarily eat): 1 Luna or Lara bar, and a pack of Shot Bloks, Luna Moons, or Honey Stinger Chews (my personal fav!). On longer rides, I will sometimes also bring an Uncrustable (PB & Honey flavor). Depending on how I'm feeling, I may also share a banana (bought at a gas station) with my DH.

[marni]

I usually carry a Bottle of FRS which gives me fruit based energy, some electrolytes and doesn't get funky tasting when it gets warm. I carry a bottle of plain water for dumping on my head, drinking with endurolyte/sports legs tablets. When both are empty I stop and refill, I carry extra FRS tubes with me and mix up one bottle at a time. I also carry gu and cliff shot rocks along with a couple of luna bars. If the ride is over 50 miles I stop somewhere for a banana and some chips or other real food.

several years of distance of riding have taught me to step down for a moment or two every 20 miles or so take a deep deep drink and nibble something, even if it's just a gu shot or a cliff blok, and also to eat more real than not. Cn't stand gatorade, gives me a stomach ache. I tend to be a rut sort of person anyway, so having found something that works for me, I stick with it.

I do like Nuun tablets as well and will use them if I can't get FRS.

marni

[ivorygorgon]

I am another Nuun convert. I start out with two bottles of Nuun. When I stop I usually fill one bottle with half water and half Gatorade (I can't stand full strength Gatorade) and the other bottle with water. I think I am going to start carrying Nuun tablets with me though, as I really am not a huge fan of the Gatorade.

I take 1 Payday and 1 Cliff bar or Luna bar, and I usually eat - er - choke them down. I try to take a bite every 20 minutes to a half hour, but I am not super good at remembering to do this. This is for a 50 mile or so ride. If I am going longer, I like some real food - like a turkey sandwich, chips, and banana.

[Sky King]

Another Nuuner here and also an Ultima user but Nuun tablets are so easy to carry. As I am a "pootler" love that and not a racer, I carry a Zimbale Top Rack bag and can put my PB and Honey sandwich in there. Depending on the length of the ride, I stop every 15 to 20 miles, stretch and have a small snack. I also carry an emergency supply of JellyBelly electrolyte jelly beans. Those things save my butt when doing rim to rim of the grand canyon (hiking not biking) a great treat when the mantra in my head starts saying "no you can't" instead of "i think i can"
I am allergic to soy and most energy bars give me stomach cramps too.

[TsPoet]

Another NUUN vote. I put 1 NUUN tablet in a 24 oz bottle (it's supposed to be 1 tablet/16oz) and I carry another 24 oz bottle with water in it.
I bring some sort of food with me, depending on the ride and temperature. Fig newtons are good, cheese crackers...
I also often carry 1 tiny bag of Sports Beans. But I suspect that's mostly because I like them and I love the excuse to eat candy.

Sandy Earl, who just broke the women's 12 and 24 hr distance records, likes pizza. She says that someone can hand her a pizza as she pedals by and she can hold it and it gives her a punch.
Don't know what she likes on her pizza

[Chile Pepper]

I have never liked sports drinks--I don't want the sugar, and I don't use any artificial sweeteners, so NUUN is out as well. I also dislike the taste. I just found a recipe for a homemade alternative, based on lemon juice for potassium plus a pinch of salt:

Just mix together:
1 cup (8 oz) water (not carbonated)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
small pinch of salt
Flavoring and sweetener to taste

Has anyone tried something like this? I think I'll mix some up for my ride this weekend, maybe with just a bit of honey to smooth it out.

[Susan Otcenas]

I went through FORTY (yes, that's four-zero) bottles of Hammer Perpetuem mixed with Hammer Powdered Endurolytes on Paris-Brest-Paris last month. That accounted for about 1/3 of my calories consumed.

Hammer Products in general seem to have lower electrolyte levels than many other sports nutrition products. Add electrolytes to a hammer nutrition plan via their powdered Endurolytes, the pill-form endurolytes, or the Fizz tablets (similar to Nuun).

Susan

[soprano]

I have never liked sports drinks--I don't want the sugar, and I don't use any artificial sweeteners, so NUUN is out as well.

Put 1/8 tsp lite salt in 1 liter water. Sounds yucky, but if you can taste the salt, you aren't low on electrolytes.

Bananas are my favorite.