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Cycling Drinks

New to this forum - is there no search facility?

What are your preferences for drinking while cycling? I normally drink Isostar Lemon but having just run out finding availability online very difficult, not sure if there are import problems related to Brexit.

The best option I can find is a site called sport-max.co.uk that will ship 1500g bags from Poland but are there now tariff implications?

Or what alternatives would you recommend?

Thanks,

GT

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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40 comments

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Jetmans Dad | 2 years ago
0 likes

Generally find if I don't replace electrolytes I get cramp quite easily (possibly something to do with cutting way back on salt consumption since being diagnosed with hypertension). 

Ultima Replenisher works really well for me, as it is low in sodium, but also has good amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium. It is pretty expensive though, especially in the back pocket sized sachets. 

Beyond that ... choose from bananas, home made flapjack, occasional cold press fruit/nut bars for convenience and/or peanut butter/jam butties in bite size pieces. Also, anything above 100km a few chunks of Kendal Mint Cake for emergencies (much nicer than any brand of gel ... although you can apparently get Kendal Mint Cake energy gels. Why would you do that to yourself?). 

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hawkinspeter replied to Jetmans Dad | 2 years ago
0 likes

Jetmans Dad wrote:

Generally find if I don't replace electrolytes I get cramp quite easily (possibly something to do with cutting way back on salt consumption since being diagnosed with hypertension). 

Ultima Replenisher works really well for me, as it is low in sodium, but also has good amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium. It is pretty expensive though, especially in the back pocket sized sachets. 

Beyond that ... choose from bananas, home made flapjack, occasional cold press fruit/nut bars for convenience and/or peanut butter/jam butties in bite size pieces. Also, anything above 100km a few chunks of Kendal Mint Cake for emergencies (much nicer than any brand of gel ... although you can apparently get Kendal Mint Cake energy gels. Why would you do that to yourself?). 

Have you tried pickle juice?

https://www.healthline.com/health/pickle-juice-for-cramps

(though maybe not so good for a low-sodium diet)

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Jetmans Dad replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
3 likes

Nigel Garrage wrote:

If you're cramping you're likely just trying a bit too hard - try backing off. I tend to get cramping in my feet arches which are really annoying, but it isn't caused by a lack of electrolytes. Also try stretching more.

I know my own body and I know what is going on with it, and how to deal with it. Is there any topic on here where you don't think you know more about it than everyone else?

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Owd Big 'Ead | 2 years ago
1 like

Guinness!

Newky Brown!

If needs must, water.

Works for me.

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Captain Badger replied to Owd Big 'Ead | 2 years ago
0 likes

Owd Big 'Ead wrote:

Guinness!

Newky Brown!

If needs must, water.

Works for me.

Newky Brown. That would be one that I miss...

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Mark B | 2 years ago
3 likes

I like a cup of tea with my cake at the first stop and a beer with my lunch at the second.

 

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Elco | 2 years ago
0 likes

Done all the K's mostly on water and a extra 500cc of isotone ..any isotone...will do.
After_ i now updated to protiën...it's fast and works wonders i'd use natural cannabis seed protiën with milk "awesome ..
And nuts...lot's of nuts and dried fruit...

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don simon fbpe | 2 years ago
2 likes

Water, always have done.

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pockstone | 2 years ago
3 likes

On the bike: Water.

At the shop stop: A pork pie and a pint of milk.

I scandalised a whole train carriage full of cyclists by partaking of this pre -ride delicacy on the way to the Dunwich Dynamo. (To be fair they were Spar cocktail pies in a six-pack. Possibly not the quality aspired to by the wheelers of VCNorwich. In my defence the artisan pies at the butchers in Halesworth had sold out. )

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Steve K replied to pockstone | 2 years ago
0 likes

A pork pie is often my recovery snack of choice after a long ride.

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mdavidford replied to Steve K | 2 years ago
1 like

I take a scotch egg on my long rides. Which is fine, until your ride coincides with a heatwave and 32°+ for much of it. Went hungry on that one. 

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Elco replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
0 likes

Ohw it's hard not being to empty on the bike...i'd use cooked rice ..
Or dried currants/ fruit easy to take along.
Bars of protiën wil take your appitite later in the day and that can't be healthy..

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pockstone replied to Steve K | 2 years ago
2 likes

I'm sure I read somewhere that a pork pie is the perfect combination of carbs, fat and protein. Probably in 'Growler* Monthly' or the Melton Mowbray Chamber of Commerce Annual Report.

(* Other definitions are available. Apparently.)

 

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Daveyraveygravey replied to pockstone | 2 years ago
0 likes

pockstone wrote:

I'm sure I read somewhere that a pork pie is the perfect combination of carbs, fat and protein. Probably in 'Growler* Monthly' or the Melton Mowbray Chamber of Commerce Annual Report.

(* Other definitions are available. Apparently.)

 

 

I too am partial to a pork pie on a longer ride.  The Coop do packs of 2 small ones, so they go easily into a jersey pocket and if you aren't really hungry, one is fine, but if you are starving, polish both off! I have a terrible sweet tooth when not on the bike, but riding makes me crave more of a balance.  

For drinks, on longer rides I take two 950 ml bottles, one with water, one with the SIS tablets you dissolve. Again, it's good to have a choice/mixture.

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Simon E replied to pockstone | 2 years ago
0 likes

pockstone wrote:

I'm sure I read somewhere that a pork pie is the perfect combination of carbs, fat and protein.

On the packet?

Pork is one of the hardest foods for the body to digest so I'd avoid it completely before or during a ride (I learnt this the hard way in my youth). The pastry is unlikely to have much nutritional value. The same applies to sausage rolls.

Anything with high fat content will take much longer to digest than carbs so it's not ideal if you're likely to be riding hard but it's not so bad if it's all low intensity.

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wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
4 likes

I just drink water, no need to worry about what is going on inside the valves of the water bottles then.

Salt replacement and calory intake from proper food.  Works OK on rides of any distance.  

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Captain Badger | 2 years ago
6 likes

Tap water. 

The soft drinks industry is a health and environmental catastrophe

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GrandTourer | 2 years ago
0 likes

Thanks for all the replies.

In the absence of my usual beverage (one isotonic bottle and one water) I will try a bottle of squash and a bottle of water and see how it goes on the longer rides.

GT

 

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Drinfinity | 2 years ago
2 likes

I like a high protein drink. Try a SPAM smoothie. 

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Captain Badger replied to Drinfinity | 2 years ago
0 likes

Drinfinity wrote:

I like a high protein drink. Try a SPAM smoothie. 

Eeeeww

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pockstone replied to Captain Badger | 2 years ago
0 likes

I could maybe combine my recommended mid-ride snack (see above) into a delicious shake. Thanks for the culinary inspiration.

Was it Timothy Spall in a Mike Leigh movie who had 'Liver in Lager' featured on his restaurant menu? That could work, but the bubbles may not survive the liquidiser.

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Captain Badger replied to pockstone | 2 years ago
0 likes

pockstone wrote:

I could maybe combine my recommended mid-ride snack (see above) into a delicious shake. Thanks for the culinary inspiration.

Was it Timothy Spall in a Mike Leigh movie who had 'Liver in Lager' featured on his restaurant menu? That could work, but the bubbles may not survive the liquidiser.

Stop it

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Chris Hayes | 2 years ago
0 likes

Some basic rules for the Forum, GT:

1. Don't mention the B(rexit) word.... several weeks of heated exchanges will follow - none of which will answer your question: 

2. Do mention the B(rexit) word if you want to see your post blocking more interesting discussion threads for several weeks;

3. You can search for reviews in the Reviews section, or you can just google Road.cc [Torq electrolyte drink] for example (others are available, they're just not as good....with the possible exception of Skratch stuff but it's American and difficult to get hold of sometimes so you'll need a dealer).  I also use a mix of apple juice and water.  It's much cheaper.  You can add generic bulk carbs to it too. 

It looks as if you've got away with it so far, but its the internet and you put things up there forever....Could therefore go off the rails at any time...

 

 

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jaymack | 2 years ago
2 likes

Water and some jelly babies, famously good enough for Beryl Burton. For a modern update you may want to read Chrisie Ashwanden's excellent book 'Good To Go' which thoroughly debunks many if not all sports nutrition myths. The piece about beer as a recovery drink is a particular joy but only if you're a woman. Spend five or six quid on her book and you're unlikely to buy a 'sports' drink or gel ever again. And of course water and a balanced diet will leave you with money in your purse or pocket to spend on all the other stuff we cyclists 'need'.

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Pilot Pete replied to jaymack | 2 years ago
1 like

I agree. You can read her article online. BUT, on very long rides you still need to replenish carbs and electrolytes ('simple salts' as she calls them) along with your fluid, pretty much constantly, especially on a hot day.

We have all suffered a 'bonk' and it is not pleasant. A specific sports drink helps you consume those carbs and electrolytes easily and conveniently, especially if it doesn't cost much (if any) more than junk food or sweets. That's why I don't buy ready mixed or big branded sports drinks.

I spend more on extra water at convenience stores if I can't find a tap than I do on sports drinks!

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wycombewheeler replied to Pilot Pete | 2 years ago
1 like

Pilot Pete wrote:

I agree. You can read her article online. BUT, on very long rides you still need to replenish carbs and electrolytes ('simple salts' as she calls them) along with your fluid, pretty much constantly, especially on a hot day.

On a hot day you can split your water bottle between drinking and pouring down your back, so you can reduce the amount you sweat, and therefore the amount of electrolytes to replace. Not if humidity is high though.

But not if your bottles have hi carb or electrolyte drinks.

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Sriracha replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
0 likes

A friend took a small spritzer/spray bottle on a summer cycling holiday in South of France. Genius idea it proved to be. I'm now looking for a spray head to screw onto my water bottle!

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Pilot Pete replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
0 likes
wycombewheeler wrote:

Pilot Pete wrote:

I agree. You can read her article online. BUT, on very long rides you still need to replenish carbs and electrolytes ('simple salts' as she calls them) along with your fluid, pretty much constantly, especially on a hot day.

On a hot day you can split your water bottle between drinking and pouring down your back, so you can reduce the amount you sweat, and therefore the amount of electrolytes to replace. Not if humidity is high though.

But not if your bottles have hi carb or electrolyte drinks.

Yep, that’s why I always have one energy/ electrolyte and one plain water.

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Pilot Pete | 2 years ago
2 likes

I do a lot of longer rides (100 miles plus) and that requires regular food and drink. My preference is for one bidon of energy/ electrolyte drink and one of water, topping each up as I need them. I did 155 miles on Thursday with 7500' of climbing. It was warm but not really hot, but I went through three bidons of energy drink and three of water, plus a coffee and a coke on a cafe stop. My bidons are 600ml, so that's 3.6ltrs of fluid, plus the cafe stop liquid. I also downed a pint of water when I got home and had a couple of cups of tea!

Having been through several brands over the years I have settled on Bulk Powders Hydration Drink as the most pleasant tasting, easily digestible and best value. It contains a fast release blend of carbs plus electrolytes and vitamin B6.

They always have offers on and with the link below, selecting a 5kg bag works out at 30p per 500ml bidon (that's the recommended ratio, I just top it up to fill my 600ml bidons). You can get a tenner off with your first order too! My last bag worked out at 20p per serving. You can't get a cheaper, quality energy drink than that. 

https://www.bulk.com/uk/complete-hydration-drink.html

It mixes really easily with a simple shake of the bidon and doesn't clump or go lumpy. I prefer the orange flavour, but they do a mixed Berry as well.

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Awavey | 2 years ago
2 likes

water

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