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!!
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 )....

[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.