Do I really need a sports drink?

digitaldave

So far, I'm cycling up to about 25 miles, rides usually are about 1.5-2 hours long - nothing to record breaking, but I'm building my way up. Do I really need to have a sports drink with electrolytes, cabs etc., or will water be just as good for the sort of rides I'm doing at the moment? For example, this page states that there's no benefit, but is there any more evidence to suggest that water will be just as good?

Thanks,

Dave.

will3

Water with a dab of squash in it would be fine for what you're doing IMHO

danowat

Nope, you don't NEED a sports drink for that.

At a push, maybe a bit of weak squash with a pinch of salt in it if its hot, and/or you sweat buckets.

gregster10217

I wouldn't suggest you need anything other than water or squash for those kind of distances. I use them for rides of 40+ miles, especially in the weather we've been having recently, when you need to replace salts etc lost through sweating, and to rehydrate/keep hydrated. I carry two bottles, one with a Zero tab in it, and the other with water or lucozade sport or similar.

softlad

you might want to think about specific electrolyte & carb replacement drinks for rides over 2/2.5 hours - but I would suggest that under two hours then a regular fruit squash or even water would be ok....

Having said that, taking a sports drink with you on a shorter ride will not do you any harm anyway...

will3

softlad wrote:

you might want to think about specific electrolyte & carb replacement drinks for rides over 2/2.5 hours ...

on the other hand nothing really bad will happen if you don't in my experience.

digitaldave

Thanks for all the feedback everyone . I guess I'll just go with water / squash for now on the shorter rides.

Dave.

desweller

will3 wrote:

softlad wrote:

you might want to think about specific electrolyte & carb replacement drinks for rides over 2/2.5 hours ...

on the other hand nothing really bad will happen if you don't in my experience.

You might get cramps if you're doing hills in my experience.

Over distances of up to 30 miles I would just take water. Beyond that I'd be thinking about packing some Nuun tablets as I do suffer from cramps especially if the weather is hot, but YMMV.

kettrinboy

up to about 40 miles i just take water but i always keep a gel in my back pocket just in case i end up going further than i expected or i have a bad day but ive never needed it yet, if the rides get much over 40 miles i always take two bottles with one of water and one of energy drink

paulorg

Water and a packet of Ready Salted will do you fine. I managed 70 miles at a steady pace before I "felt funny" and I was using nothing more than water and jordans muesli bar thingy's upto then. Stopped at a pub, ate a bag of Ready salted and got my second wind then did another 20 miles before arriving home.

Rich Hcp

I just take water/squash below 40 miles

Its worth sticking a cerial bar in you back pocket as a treat.

I use the cheapo Asda ones, they do a benoffe one!

squigs

Upto 40 miles, juice and a good carb based breakie. Anything above, Accellerade 4:1 energy drink in one bottle, nuun in the other.

Anything around 60 to 100 miles, previous day- pasta salad for lunch, lasagne, garlic bread, salad for dinner before 7pm. In morning, Teacake x2 Granary toast x2 Chocolate muffin x 1 banana x1 Black coffee x 2, then energy drinks on bike plus 3 hob nob flap jack bars for every 25 ish miles.

First 1.5 hours is normally still using up the carbs from previous day, then the rocket fuel kicks in and the legs just go on and on and on.

Rouge Penguin

Tesco has 4x loserade's on at half price at the moment.

As said, unless youre really sweating, shorter distances should only need water or squash. If you want DIY sports drink, half fresh orange juice, half water (fizzy if at home) and a pinch of salt does the same thing

StillGoing

The heat and distance I'm doing will decide if I take one or two bottles, but I always use Zero tabs. I also carry a couple of Jordan bars and a gel for use on 40+ rides. I've bonked once and had to call the wife to come and get me, so now I don't take the chance. A colleague who competes in iron man competitions here and abroad has recommended that you should take a gel every hour on long rides to keep you going. I just take one if I feel the energy starting to sap.

simon_e

Based on your description I'd say you don't need anything other than water. Some people prefer plain water, I like a fruit juice & water mix.

If you want to try an energy drink most cycle/outdoor shops sell single sachets of SiS, High5 or Torq energy powders. You can get lucozade or similar from the supermarket but it's basically a sugary sweet drink with a hefty dose of marketing.

Hydration tablets don't have calories but are fizzy tabs that you drop into a bottle water. I wouldn't choose High5 Zero because they have 3 artificial sweeteners but I may give Nuun a try sometime.