Sports drinks

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Mattie
Posts: 421
Joined: 23 Feb 2009, 9:19pm

Re: Sports drinks

Post by Mattie »

For myself sports drinks are the key to success in hot weather cycling, to keep cycling all day. I found that I do not really want to eat when it gets really hot so sports drinks keep the energy levels up, and provide liquids and salts. I have found that buying Powerade from petrol stations is an expensive way of doing it, but it certainly works. My last summer trip down to Greece there were days when I was spending about 15 Euros a day on Powerade ! but cycled through the heat of the day (eg 8x500ml).

Good luck on your trip.
212scotty
Posts: 4
Joined: 25 Sep 2011, 10:08am

Re: Sports drinks

Post by 212scotty »

All the earlier posts are very valid but I have to agree with Mattie; I used sports drinks on my JOGLE last year and they really helped me keep hydrated and full of energy.

The "High 5 EnergySource 2:1 Fructose" were really nice but if your worried about the calories/sugar level then the tubes of
" High 5 Zero" were also very good.

I did eat and drink as needed but used the above as well. I still managed to loose 9lb after 17 days and 1031 miles
Michael R
Posts: 768
Joined: 9 Jul 2008, 10:40pm

Re: Sports drinks

Post by Michael R »

Si wrote:
Funny, I bought Cycling Active last night and there is a feature in there saying you need something more/better than water for a ride of more than an hours duration...............


Yes, and for a ride of that length you also need a carbon fibre bike that must cost no less than £2K :wink:


Correction - £4K :lol: :lol:

That's laughable about water. Surely for rides of less than 2-3 hours you don't need any food or drink?
Assuming a modicum of fitness
User avatar
meic
Posts: 19355
Joined: 1 Feb 2007, 9:37pm
Location: Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen)

Re: Sports drinks

Post by meic »

I dont know about need but I would not willingly even attempt one hour on the bike without a water bottle.
I do normally get through a bottle every 30 miles and if I dont do that I do suffer from dehydration effects. This is most noticeable in winter when it hurts to drink.
Yma o Hyd
MarkF
Posts: 436
Joined: 4 Apr 2011, 10:20am

Re: Sports drinks

Post by MarkF »

Mattie wrote: My last summer trip down to Greece there were days when I was spending about 15 Euros a day on Powerade ! but cycled through the heat of the day (eg 8x500ml).
Good luck on your trip.


Thanks. 15 Euros is my daily budget for food!

Michael R wrote:
That's laughable about water. Surely for rides of less than 2-3 hours you don't need any food or drink?
Assuming a modicum of fitness


I'm doing more rides as I try to up my fitness, aiming to be doing 50/60 miles every other day in the week before I go. At the mo, I am doing 25/35mile rides, because it involves rough towpath riding it a takes 3+ hours. I take 1 x 650ml water bottle & maybe use half of it.
Mattie
Posts: 421
Joined: 23 Feb 2009, 9:19pm

Re: Sports drinks

Post by Mattie »

Well I am sure you will see how you get on when you get there. On a previous trip to Spain, in August, I found that my water requirement went up massively when cycling uphill and in the hot sun.

I found that a pinch of salt would help stop the raging thirst that seemed unquenchable, and cure the headache that developed. Spain in August is right up there with the hottest places to be found anywhere. I cycled round the Negev desert in late summer and it was nothing like as bad as that trip across Castile in August, mostly because the Negev desert was a lot flatter than Castile.

So my advice would be to take some salt, that is easily accessible, and if you start loosing your temper and getting impatient with everything, and you develop a raging thirst and headache - then time to take some salt with your water !

This is from my experience of hot weather cycling and it may be different for you depending on many different factors. Have a good trip :D
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