water,energy drink or both

gubber12345

when out for a ride what drinks do you guys take with you....i normally take a bottle with an energy supplement in it,maybe sometimes just water and some squash in it.

is plain water every bit as good as these energy drinks,gels etc...in the sense that as long as your well enough hydrated the energy levels shouldnt drop off too much?

stinger53

i normally take water with a bit of squash in it. on long rides i will take a energy drink of some sort but thats for 50/60 + and as i get fitter the mileage will increase before taking energy drinks.

Mikey41

Plain water is good, but it is... well... plain. And tastes of plastic after a bit

Adding some fruit juice at least gives it some taste, that's what I'll normally have with me. I did try some High5 energy drink on a Sportive, and it tasted really nice, but I don't really know how much difference it made, I was still wasted at the end

jamiekavanagh

I combine the two. On shorter rides I'll have a weak squash to make the taste slightly more interesting. On longer rides I make my own energy drink by making the squash slightly stronger and adding half a teaspoon of salt and two teaspoons of sugar. Gets me through and it costs next to nothing.

bernithebiker

Squirt of lemon juice in the water is quite nice.

Don't believe all the energy drink hype. For training rides of less than 2 hours, you simply don't need it.

For longer rides I'll take some gels/banana/homemade fruit/nut lumps, etc.

According to my box of High 5, I'll be able to produce 15% more power and go 26% further drinking their stuff INSTEAD OF a competitor's........ Complete tosh.

fatsmoker

There's an article here about making your own energy drinks.

http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... ink-25744/

Hopefully that will revolutionise my rides!!

fatsmoker

Question for anyone in the know - if I want to make a beetroot juice and, say, apple juice mix, does the beetroot need to be raw when juiced or is cooked ok?

drlodge

High5 isotonic, bought from Winstanley bikes, cost about £18 for a big tub, lasts about 6 months. Gives a good combination of rehydration and carbs.

slowbike

Normal riding - don't bother - water or squash depending on how far we're going - normally have a coffee stop so that's the energy refill ... May carry a bar with me (don't like bananas) if on my own and doing a long ride.

If I was training for a long & fast ride or race then I'd probably take a bit of energy drink - not for the replenishment of energy, but for the training of it - to see how it sits ... you want to be practised at everything you need to do in a fast ride/race ...

navrig

Depends on fitness and distance but, for me, and in order of preference:

Energy
Banana
Plain cereal bar
Energy bar combined with SIS or similar energy powder in water
Gels

Rehydration
Diluting Juice
Water
Rehydration tablet(s) in water

Tend to stick with banana and diluting juice up to 40 miles, over 40 miles I'll eat a cereal bar which normally goes into my daughter's lunchbox, over 50 I'll start to consider energy bars and will carry one bottle of diluting juice and one bottle of energy powder in water BUT will consume according to how I think I am feeling.

On Saturday I did the Sportive Kinross and at the 2nd feedstation ate a large caramel dougnut filled with custard. The next bit of the ride was a long steady uphill. The first hald was dead easy with the sudden sugar rush, the latter half somewhat slower as I crashed sugar levels - well, at least, that's how it felt.

Probably all in my head!

diy

I use it but nothing like in the quantity suggested. I bung a couple of teaspoons of isoenergy from holland and baratt in a 750ml bottle or a 3/4 scoop in a 2l bladder.

its really just to get a bit of sugar salt and caffeine in the system to stop cramping.

I have probably only had 1 cramp in the last 3 years. Used to get cramps all the time on longer rides prior to that.

jonomc4

Being Diabetic - I have to take a sports drinks (isotnic and carbs) to keep me ticking over and I also always carry a large bottle of lucozade - well either that or do the bonk of all bonks mid ride potentially

AntD365

I'm also diabetic (T2 on insulin) and just trying to work out what I need in way of energy management. Going to try bananas and/or flapjacks, should give me what I need. I know I need lots of water.

gubber12345

all good replys chaps thanks for commenting.

i was using the SiS energy drink there and not sure if it was actually making any difference at all.think i might just go with the squash and water and see how that goes....i like the idea of JK's of making his own energy drink,prob thats whats in them anyway and the companys are charging big bucks for them lol

Mikey23

tesco apple concentrate squash for me... tasty and looks like ive wee'd in the bottle...;

Finlaz22

Orange juice and water!

declan1

Met a guy the other day who's an ex pro and he has cold tea - says it's really good!

bobbydazzla

I've struggled to get fuel and energy right on rides but seem to have found a workable combination recently.

1 x bottle with sachet of energy powder and water
1 x bottle with zero tab and water
Plus some slabs of home made flapjack with marzipan and banana.

Previously I was just taking water and a small amount of food and I had some unforgiving experiences - two bonks and a ride when I had constant calf twinges due to dehydration.

Think I was struggling as day-to-day I have a healthy diet but am very slim and probably don't eat enough to sustain energy on long rides and also don't drink enough fluids.

gubber12345

declan1 wrote:

Met a guy the other day who's an ex pro and he has cold tea - says it's really good!

cold tea :!: :!: :!: :!:

declan1

gubber12345 wrote:

declan1 wrote:

Met a guy the other day who's an ex pro and he has cold tea - says it's really good!

cold tea :!: :!: :!: :!:

No milk in it

jamiekavanagh

declan1 wrote:

gubber12345 wrote:

declan1 wrote:

Met a guy the other day who's an ex pro and he has cold tea - says it's really good!

cold tea :!: :!: :!: :!:

No milk in it

That's just wrong.

gubber12345

my sentiments exactly :P :P :P :P would need a few biccies with it