Review section

Here at road.cc we've tested various products from the strangely named Clif Bar & Company (why is the '&' in there?), including the well-known eponymous energy bars favoured by hikers and touring cyclists. The Clif team also produces a range of items under the Shot sub-brand, aimed more at the athletic end of the market, and recently we've been trying the Shot Electrolyte replacement drink in Lemonade flavour.

Some energy products emphasise their all-natural ingredients and present an image of wholesome goodness. Not so Multipower Iso Drink mix. The label looks like something from Bladerunner, and the image is one of no-nonsense scientific precision. Perhaps not surprisingly Multipower is made in Germany.

Some energy drink manufacturers offer different products for different stages of exercise, typically pre-ride, during-ride and after-ride. Bikefood’s energy drink is a one-stop shop, providing everything you need for the ride, and for recovery afterwards - you just mix different amounts depending on your needs.

This drink mix has been available in a big tub for some time, but it’s now available as a box of individual sachets too.

High 5 Energy Source Super Carbs, to give it its full name, is a carbohydrate drink mix from High 5. What makes it different? The mix of glucose and fructose at a 2:1 ratio - branded as ‘Super Carbs’ - a higher proportion of fructose (fruit sugar) compared to most other products.

Recovery is very much the buzz word in sports nutrition these days Lucozade are very much on that bandwagon with an expensive marketing campaign led by Steven Gerrard and a range of powders and bars that includes this Recovery Protein and Carb drink.

The Zero sport electrolyte drink is a new product from High5. Although I’ve used various energy gels and drinks with electrolytes included, this is the first time I’ve used an electrolyte-only product. And so far, I’m impressed.

I’ve being using High5’s Energy Source 4:1 drink mix for some time now, with positive results. Like most drink mixes, it comes in power form, which you combine with water, but unlike some other types of energy food (be it drink, bar or gel), which are solely carbohydrate based, Energy Source 4:1 drink mix is, as the name implies, four parts carbo to one part protein.

This stuff is great – our favourite product in the ZipVit range. What you’re getting with the ZV3 recovery drink is an excellent blend of carbohydrate and protein, along with various vitamins and minerals, to improve your recovery after training and maintain your immune system.

A 70g serving provides you with 20g of protein – mostly in the form of whey protein – to promote muscle repair, and 43.2g of carbs – mostly in the form of easily digestible maltodextrin – to refuel your energy tanks, essentially.

The energy in Zipvit’s ZV1 is provided by a combination of Maldex 6 (a form of maltodextrin), which is absorbed as quickly as glucose, and sucrose (plain old table sugar).

It provides you with nearly 32g of carbs and 129 calories of energy per 35g serving – you mix two scoops with 250ml of water, give it a good shake to mix it in and then top it up with another 250ml of water. On top of that, you get plenty of electrolytes to replace the minerals that you lose through sweat, including sodium, calcium and magnesium.

This drink is designed to recharge your muscles both during and after exercise, giving you 167 calories of energy in a 500ml mix (a standard water bottle), including nearly 30g of carbs. You also get 6g of protein, so it’s a 5:1 carbs: protein mix, give or take. That’s enough stats.