You don't need sports drinks to stay hydrated

[mjr]

For me therefore, there is no question that isotonic drinks are essential when exerting oneself in hot climates. Whether the same applies when engaged in sporting activities in more temperate climates, I'm not sure.

Except people have been working hard in hot climates for thousands of years before Isotonic drinks were invented so, obviously, they're not essential.

No they are obviously not essential for all those people to whom you refer. Fortunately on this occasion, I did preface my statement with the words "For me".

Unfortunately, you structured the phrases so that "for me" appeared to apply to "there is no question that..." and not "...are essential".

[pete75]

Except people have been working hard in hot climates for thousands of years before Isotonic drinks were invented so, obviously, they're not essential.

No they are obviously not essential for all those people to whom you refer. Fortunately on this occasion, I did preface my statement with the words "For me".

Unfortunately, you structured the phrases so that "for me" appeared to apply to "there is no question that..." and not "...are essential".

Exactly.

[Cyril Haearn]

I won a free can of ok energy drink, smelt synthetic-fruity, I poured it away (regret now not tasting it at least)
The small print: not suitable for children*, pregnant or breastfeeding females
Consume in limited quantities*, if taken in greater quantities* while doing sport or enjoying alcohol, unintended consequences are possible

I guess the legislators require the text but it is next to useless without figures/quantities marked *

Worth noting that in some jurisdictions sale of energy drinks to young people is not allowed. Anyone dared to taste an energy drink? Or drink a whole canful (250 ml)?

[mnichols]

I think it depends how much you sweat, and for how long. This will be down to the individual and related to effort, temperature and humidity

I always carry bottles because when I'm training I'm trying to get in the habit of drinking little and often. I don't use sugary sports drinks, but i do put an isotonic tablet in my bottles on longer rides. I split the tablet in two and put one in each bottle and they are 750ml each

For touring work on the principle that I'm eating and drinking for tomorrow. For rides over 150 miles per day then in the morning im fuelling for the afternoon and in the afternoon im fuelling for tomorrow.

Using this principle of ridden in hot and humid conditions covering typically 100 to 200 miles per day without problems including many times over 40 degrees such as Death Valley

I only had problems once and that was last year touring along the South Coast of France. I put that down to the Merino Wool Cycling UK shirt. It was just too warm for the conditions and effort we were doing. I switched to riding just in a white base layer and was fine. It was so hot that at one point we were both getting through about 3000ml an hour and at that volume you need the tablets to maintain salt balances