2 Bottles, 35 mile ride, what to put in them?

secretsam

I'm similar to you, newbie et al

Tend to take 500ml with Zero electrolyte tablet and 750ml of Robinsons "no added cr*p" purple squash mix. Plus some grub.

But then I'm a lardass and sweat like a tsunami

lucasf09

I don't think that fitness has anything to do with sweat rate (assuming you are in decent fitness, not a fat slob, no offence). Sweat rate is very personal, and weather dependant.
For 35-40 milers I normally take two 500ml bottles, depending on day I go through between 3/4 of one to both of them and wishing I had more (however I am normally withing a few miles of my house so don't bother stopping to fill up).
Fuel wise, I take a banana and it helps, but have also done 40 milers with no banana and not missed it.

designman

What is a good electrolyte tablet to get?

bobtbuilder

Secteur wrote:

ok will have to look into these electrolyte drinks - any brand names to start with?

I use Nuun electrolyte tablets.

Secteur

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/nuun-active-hyd ... tube/#more
or

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/high5-zero-drink/#more

The High5 Zero seems better value for money.

For carbohydrate, is it better to eat (i.e. banana / flapjack) or better to have some sort of carbohydrate drink (and what would this be?)

Alibran

designman wrote:

What is a good electrolyte tablet to get?

Whatever you like (or can stand) the taste of. I use nuun citrus because they taste best to me.

jamlala

I think most excercisey type drinks taste like sickly drinks if you're on them all day, bloody revolting, but Nuun is the best of a bad bunch IMHO. For your ride I'd just go with 1 bottle of water, or maybe add a bit of squash if you want flavour. Shouldn't bonk on 30 miles, but it depends how hilly I guess....

brettjmcc

On Sat doing 45 miles I used up a serving of SIS electrolyte and 750ml of water and had to stop for more water; but then again it was hot a little windy.

I am using the SIS up as a I bought a larger tub lat year, but am now switching to High5 Zero.

I always carry two bottles up as it helps with the training for the extra weight and on longer sportives you carry that anyway (well I do, so why pretend I won't when training).

I also feel you can have different days. I had been ferrying my son around all morning on Sat and didn't eat properly and ended up using a few Shotblocks and a gel; yet the weekend before had only fluid as I had eaten properly before, and also didn't need to top up.

JamLala - I will be coming up through Brentwood Sun morning from Chafford way if you ever fancy meeting up?

jamlala

Hi brettjmcc, always an option. My cycling is always done alone or with other half. Sure you wan't kick my arse as I am a rather overweight 40 yr old who doesn't go as fast/far as he'd like!!

kieranb

You can get by with various combinations:

water in both
water in one, electrolyte in the other
water in one, energy drink in the other
etc...

What is best depends on what you are trying to do etc.

When I do a hard 35 mile ride I notice that if I drink an energy drink (e.g. SIS PSP22) during the first hour, I can still go faster at the end of the 2 hours ( as it's a hilly route!) than if I didn't. Makes little difference to the overall time, but allows you go train harder than if you didn't.

If you are doing a slow fat burning ride, you probably don't want to drink PSP22.

I don't worry about the weight of the bottles (2 750ml) if I don't use them all up (which is usual) as it's not a race situation anyway.

Secteur

I think my problem is that on longer rides (for me that's >25-30 miles) - I use up my glycogen stores and the last 10 miles is very difficult.

I have improved this by stopping at eating a banana / flapjack at 20 miles when I still feel fine, in anticipation of the drop - and it has worked well.

I wondered if a carbohydrate drink would be useful as something I can sip throughout rather than taking on a sudden load at 20 miles.

Which works best?

PS, my main priority at this point is still weight loss.

snickwell

Secteur wrote:

I think my problem is that on longer rides (for me that's >25-30 miles) - I use up my glycogen stores and the last 10 miles is very difficult.

I have improved this by stopping at eating a banana / flapjack at 20 miles when I still feel fine, in anticipation of the drop - and it has worked well.

I wondered if a carbohydrate drink would be useful as something I can sip throughout rather than taking on a sudden load at 20 miles.

Which works best?

PS, my main priority at this point is still weight loss.

If your priority is losing weight, I'd maybe think about stopping loading up on carb drinks and food during rides, particularly for 30 milers. I guess if you have a carb drink rather than food, that might help?

I'd also try a 'fasted ride' in the mornings. No food, done before breakfast. Absolute killer, but helped me no end.

MattC59

I use water or weak electrolyte drink. I don't bother with squash as I always end up with it all over my face and don't like the sticky mess.

Cue the comments from Aggie or DD !!!

meanredspider

snickwell wrote:

If your priority is losing weight, I'd maybe think about stopping loading up on carb drinks and food during rides, particularly for 30 milers. I guess if you have a carb drink rather than food, that might help?

I'd also try a 'fasted ride' in the mornings. No food, done before breakfast. Absolute killer, but helped me no end.

Wish I'd kept the reference but I recently read that exercising "fasted" is a big mistake.

To the OP - I find it hard to think that you've run out of glycogen stores after 20 miles. That's nearer the marathon "wall" distance when running. I'd have thought you should be able to go considerably further than that on a bike. It may just be that you're knackered and need a rest to help clear lactic acid etc (so it's the stopping that helps rather than the eating).

Andywyre

Secteur wrote:

I think my problem is that on longer rides (for me that's >25-30 miles) - I use up my glycogen stores and the last 10 miles is very difficult.

I have improved this by stopping at eating a banana / flapjack at 20 miles when I still feel fine, in anticipation of the drop - and it has worked well.

I wondered if a carbohydrate drink would be useful as something I can sip throughout rather than taking on a sudden load at 20 miles.

Which works best?

PS, my main priority at this point is still weight loss.

Hi, if you run out of glycogen at 20 miles go and see a doctor

The fast ride (ie no food) the idea behind this is to teach your body how to swap between carbs/ glycogen burning and fat burning you only need to do it maybe twice and your body will have learnt how to do it.


Best thing for weight loss don't eat/drink so much Simples

Secteur

The weight is falling off (2.5stones in 3 months so far), and I eat very very very healthily & sparingly there's no problem there, plus doing 80-90 miles cycling per week, but I just dont want to overload on excess sugar / carbs whilst riding yet at the same time I have bonked home twice and it was horrible.

Maybe I was wrong re: 20 miles & out of glycogen - it's probably lactic acid build up/

Will have a play with the above suggestions and see waht works out - thanks for the advice.

Peddle Up!

After battling the recent winds, I'm opting for gin and tonic next ride.

Herbsman

Water. Emergency banana for energy.

EV!lution

i use Zero's high, tast isn't great but they seem to work, and water in the other

Secteur

Have just bought the High5 Zero - cheaper than Nuun and makes 20L (versus 12L) - seems to have essentially the same ingredients.

I plan to take water+electrolyte in one and water+grape juice in the other (66 cal per 100mls, so will drip feed a small amt of energy), plus my usual flapjack and banana for rides over 30 miles.

Cheers.

sparkins1972

I tend to use water plus a banana half way round for anything up to 35 miles, any longer than that I use High5 4:1 which seems to work OK - I start off with one bottle plus a small container with enough powder to make a second should I need it. The one question I have never got to the bottom of is when to use energy gels - should they just be kept in reserve should the energy drink run out or is it just the same stuff in a different and expensive packaging?

I have started to cramp a bit on longer rides recently so am experiemnting with Nuun tabs which I am hoping will get to the bottom of that problem.

P_Tucker

Secteur wrote:

I think my problem is that on longer rides (for me that's >25-30 miles) - I use up my glycogen stores and the last 10 miles is very difficult.

Unless your 20 miles is up an Alpine Col or you've been fasting for a few days beforehand, you won't be emptying up your glycogen stores on such a short ride.

P_Tucker

Secteur wrote:

Maybe I was wrong re: 20 miles & out of glycogen - it's probably lactic acid build up/

No, it's not that either. You need to spend less time half-reading training information and more time riding your bike.

TanukiRider

I bought one of those sample packs form HIgh 5 a couple of weeks back, with a free water bottle (same price as a bottle so why not? )


I did a 75 mile ride and used the 2:1 energy dring in one 500ml bottle and the 750ml had a High5 Zero tablet in - wird taste, takes some getting used to!

Have to say though that I felt like I had more enrgty at the end of that 75 (and all the climbing was in the last 20 :shock: ) than i did on a flattish 50 a couple of weeks before.

Out on a short ride, I almost always just take water.

Secteur

P_Tucker wrote:

No, it's not that either. You need to spend less time half-reading training information and more time riding your bike.

Haha - very true!

Did another 45 miler today - no major probs (1 bottle water, 1 bottle fresh grape juice + flapjack & banana half way around)