Does anyone have any recommendations for hydration mixes. I like to have have a mix electrolytes and potassium while riding. Nuun has worked well for me, but it also could be more affordable. Nuun is also nice to pack when I am outside, but that isn’t an issue indoors. I thought maybe someone here would have some recommendations for easy homemade drink mixes, or know of some deals for mass produced products. I prefer options without simple sugars, caffeine, or artificial food colouring. Ideally it would also taste good.
Very individual.
“Precision Hydration” were a sponsor of Haute Route Alps 2019 and I tried their dissolving tablets on that event, they were very, very good. Not extra sweet, agreeable taste and no stomach side effects.
I also don’t like the ones with caffeine and I’m fairly fussy with drink mixes and also quite picky when it comes to gels.
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Agree with Chris - very individual.
If I do anything over 2-3hrs (Zwift, RGT or IRL), I just chuck a bit of salt, sugar (and maybe squeeze a lemon or lime in the bottles if I have them on a trees) and keep a bag of Jelly Beans handy if its quite a long ride. Not really into all the commercial solutions only because I prefer a more natural choice if available (and I’m a tight a***). Under that, just H2o and good diet works for me.
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For electrolytes I use SaltStick Fastchew tablets or Hammer Endurolytes tablets, and then drink either plain water, or water + white sugar. I do sweat a lot (3 fans and still soaked) but I usually don’t bother with electrolyte replacement during rides unless it’s 2 hours or more. I think pretty much all of the drink mixes that contain any calories will include fairly simple sugars, since that’s what works to provide readily accessible calories.
I’ve tried “all of them.” (ORS, NUUN, Skratch, All-Max Carbion+ etc)
I’m back to using Gatorade. It’s cheap and does the trick - I see no reason to spend more on frou-frou, bougie stuff that’s heavily marketed to gym-bros.
If you find Gatorade too sweet, a cheap option is simple Maltodextrin powder. Dissolve and sweeten to taste, but you’ll probably want to add some electrolytes to the mix too.
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I rotate water w/lemon, Nunn, Gatorade, Organika depending on my workout intensity.
I tend to use Skratch because I like the taste–some days I can’t take the sweetness level of Gatorade like things. Plus the Skratch macha green tee, and the coffee recovery drink, and fantastic. Honestly taste very good.
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This is what I do. I buy the bulk packs of gatorade powder and mix those. I don’t bother with them on rides under 1hr unless they are so intense I need some mind tricks to get through them. If they are super long rides I prep some gatorade and maybe some chewy bars. That said I am not a nutritionist, this is just what seems to work for me.
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I just buy cheap High 5, powders n also tabs from either EBay or from a web site called Dolphin Fitness UK.
It’s so much cheaper n they are good drinks which go down easily.
I use Kool Ade. I add 6 tsp sugar plus 1/4 - 1/3 tsp of salt per water bottle.
Add flavor powder to taste. I get 5-6 water bottles per packet
Lots of flavors to choose from.
Just store the unused open mix in a zip lock bag so it does absorb moisture and turn hard.
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I find drinks with large amounts of simple sugars hard on my teeth, but it is nice to get the carbs. Most dentists will tell you the same thing, that the high concentration of sugars and acidity in sports drinks are bad for tooth enamel. I don’t really love that some things like Gatorade Zero have corn starch as well. If I can I prefer to also avoid artificial colouring, but it’s not easy to do. My understanding is that I should be trying to get a mix of sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphate, and magnesium. Carbs are also obviously something that can be essential, but I usually get that through various whole foods. Although I understand that gels and liquid carbs can be quicker to digest.
Something I have been enjoying lately is watermelon slushies made with coconut water. I sometimes make my own drink mixes, but I find it difficult to get the proportions right so it doesn’t taste like I am drinking ocean water. I have been trying out mixing in Lorann Oils for flavouring lately, there is a place where I live that carries them. Some days I also like to have green tea while on the bike.
This is more about food, but I thought this episode of Eat for Endurance I listened to earlier this year with Lael Wilcox had some good information about nutrition.
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maltodextrin and a tiny pinch of salt. you can add anything you want for flavour, or nothing. i have yet to die of dehydration so it works well enough for me
i do have like a bunch of sachets of high5 tablets i got given from an event organiser who had them left over. i use them for outdoor rides where i need to refill at a cafe
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