Electrolyte drink

Nuun hydration tablets have been around for a few years (in fact, they're the original electrolyte-only tab) and recently some new flavours have been added to the range. Dropping a Nuun tab in a bottle of water creates a refreshing drink with added minerals to help keep you hydrated and avoid cramp when cycling.

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.

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.

Just wondered if I could use this space to get some expert opinions from the cycling world on the use of sports nutrition products.

I habitually use electrolyte drinks when I ride, and get carbs from more solid food, like bananas, bars, and so on. On really long rides I may add carbs to my drink too. I sweat a lot so drink a lot, so it is important that what I put in the drink is good stuff.

Whether or not you believe the claims made for them, these Zym Electrolyte tablets are certainly convenient. You get 10 of them in a neat little green tube and all you have to do is pop one or two in a bottle of water and wait for the fizzing to stop.