What to take/put in you bottle

GT_TDI_150

guys,

I dont understand this electrolytes business at all, I currently take water(with cordial) on my cycles. should I be looking at specific products aim at people that 'train'?

Any recommendations?

DirkVoodoo

Try and pick up a few sample packs to get an idea of what you might like. It's a good idea to have a carbohydrate drink with some electrolytes, but it depends on the type of training you have planned. Lots of people stay hydrated with just water and a bit of juice.

Don't be swayed by the marketing! Lucozade has never let me train longer at anything, just quicker at beating a hangover.

Lumen

In Ireland, in September, you'd have a hard time reaching the limits of fluid absorption.

A pinch or two of salt isn't a bad idea.

Khannie

Lo salt > salt. I checked the filthy dioralite gear and it has potassium chloride + sodium chloride (table salt). Lo salt has both too, though not in exactly the same ratio, it's grand.

Electrolytes = salts basically. Sugary drink + salt = isotonic drink. Just helps speed of absorption, retention and replaces some of the salts you sweat out. Not an issue for most punters but when you're sweating like a pig on a hot summers day in the slaughterhouse (as I tend to), replacing lost salt can be a thing.

Sugar too. Sugar's good in your bottle IMO.

skerry

I used to get shocking bad headaches a few hours after returning home from a 4+ hr spin, especially on warmer days. Started to bring one of those Powerade ion+ drinks in my jersey and it helped. Use Nuun electrolyte tablets now, one in a bottle and a bottle of something else and find I don't get headaches anymore.

insinkerator

I used to take two bottles of plain water. Just recently started taking one bottle of water, and one bottle of the SIS powder stuff. Have yet to notice the difference, but I assume it does some good...

maloner

skerry wrote: »

I used to get shocking bad headaches a few hours after returning home from a 4+ hr spin, especially on warmer days. Started to bring one of those Powerade ion+ drinks in my jersey and it helped. Use Nuun electrolyte tablets now, one in a bottle and a bottle of something else and find I don't get headaches anymore.

+1 on nuun. Fab stuff. No carbs, just salts/electrolytes.

Beasty

Khannie wrote: »

Sugar too. Sugar's good in your bottle IMO.

Dentist told me the other day to stick to water, as we both suspect sipping sugary drinks regularly on the bike contributed to the 2 hours I spent with him on Monday (and 90 minutes the previous Monday). TBH I think when not racing 1+ hours water is fine.

Rew

GT_TDI_150 wrote: »

guys,

I dont understand this electrolytes business at all, I currently take water(with cordial) on my cycles. should I be looking at specific products aim at people that 'train'?

Any recommendations?

How much cycling are you doing at what intensity? What your drinking now is fine if your doing high intensity stuff then a different additive might be appropriate and help you move on from a fitness/preformace plateau.

GT_TDI_150

Rew wrote: »

How much cycling are you doing at what intensity? What your drinking now is fine if your doing high intensity stuff then a different additive might be appropriate and help you move on from a fitness/preformace plateau.

I'm only doing about 01:30h, as hard as I can manage. But I'm looking to build on this, wanna aim towards doing some 100s or 200s next year.

Thanks to all for the replies

Tenzor07

GT_TDI_150 wrote: »

I'm only doing about 01:30h, as hard as I can manage. But I'm looking to build on this, wanna aim towards doing some 100s or 200s next year.

This will keep you going...prob not best for evening spins though

www.usnireland.ie/acatalog/cyto-power-hp.html

Lumen

Beasty wrote: »

Dentist told me the other day to stick to water, as we both suspect sipping sugary drinks regularly on the bike contributed to the 2 hours I spent with him on Monday (and 90 minutes the previous Monday). TBH I think when not racing 1+ hours water is fine.

Isomaltulose/Palatinose.

http://www.myprotein.com/uk/products/palatinose
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isomaltulose

Rew

Id say what you have with a dioralyte thrown in would be fine. You should try some of the recovery drinks out there I use a Science in Sport one and find it great for muscle recovery. Drank about 3 pints of it after Gaelforce West and I was out running and cycling the Monday after no problems.

Recently I got some High 5 4:1 (http://www.highfive.co.uk/energy_endurance_drinks/energy_source4_1.htm) which I found good for during long sessions.

I did a bit of reading leading up to Gaelforce and a lot of the carb and isotonic drinks are more important the longer your going for with the benefits being quantifiable at 2hours+ but obviously water is very important in any before during and after exercise.

Khannie

Lumen wrote: »

Isomaltulose/Palatinose.

http://www.myprotein.com/uk/products/palatinose
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isomaltulose

Expensive enough. Looks good though. I particularly like this bit in that wikipedia page:

isomaltulose can increase the amount of fat used as energy, thus enhancing performance endurance

Khannie

Beasty wrote: »

TBH I think when not racing 1+ hours water is fine.

Maybe if you've eaten some carbs just beforehand or on the bike. Otherwise you'll probably* be hitting glycogen depletion (and therefore reduced performance) an hour in.




*haven't done the numbers / may be rubbish

Lumen

Khannie wrote: »

Expensive enough.

Cheaper than dentistry!

Khannie

Lumen wrote: »

Cheaper than dentistry!

Hahaha. Less painful too. My dentist always tells me I'm a legend. Might add that stuff to my next order mind you.