Energy drink for long rides

[Bhitucyclist]

Try and see if it works for you. Personally I don’t like the taste of any of the sports tabs etc. If I get really hot and headachy, a bottle of flat lucozade sport from newsagent

I was exactly thinking lucozade yesterday - had two bottles of water during a 35 mile ride but was still feeling thirsty so felt i needed something more than just plain water

 

[vickster]

I was exactly thinking lucozade yesterday - had two bottles of water during a 35 mile ride but was still feeling thirsty so felt i needed something more than just plain water

It was extremely hot, two bottles doesn’t sound much especially if you weren’t fuelled and hydrated beforehand. A bit of squash (Robinsons lemon barley my preferred, none of that sugar free vileness)

 

[Bhitucyclist]

Horses for courses and how long is "long".

Energy drinks have their place, particularly if you're pushing yourself (sportives, whatever) but are obviously not necessary for a 'round the block' pootle. I'm assuming you're asking about rides somewhere between the 2 but maybe closer to the latter?

I rarely rode sportives (but I did enjoy the maybe 8 or 10 I did) My riding was mainly morning rides of up to 50km, weekly rides of around 100km, and periodic longer/audax rides. I tended to average around 20kph, ride length and terrain dependant. Water served me just fine (with food in pockets for longer rides) for such rides. Maybe a pinch of salt added if it was going to be a hot day.

I've tried energy drinks but I don't get on with them. I find the taste, if only minimal, becomes too much/samey after a while and actually discourages me to drink. And that's a problem because hydration is important, you don't want to be discouraging that!

IMHO, most of us mere mortals, for the kind of riding we do, don't need energy drinks. Hydration, on the other hand, we do. But there's no law against them, and if you want to give them a try then do so, I'm certainly not going to be critical. In fact, it's probably the best way for you to answer your question - give them a go. It is, after all, what I did - I've only reached my conclusion by finding out for myself!

Thanks for the detailed response. I will try different juices - specially in this weather even after a lot of water intake i keep feeling thirsty

 

[derrick]

The drink of all drinks 😜 i have never tried that. Actually i dont drink coke or fizzy drinks - other than as a mixer! May be not ideal for a ride

When i start struggling on long rides, it's coke and ice cream, I have done many big rides. this is London to Kings Lynn and back to London in a day, https://www.strava.com/activities/3849963606

Just ate proper food apart from that, Chicken wings and sandwiches.

 

[tribanjules]

I find if I go for recommendEd dose of these in my bidon then my stomach rebels so half dose works or for shorter rides a splash of lime to hide the bidon flavour !

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The drink of all drinks 😜 i have never tried that. Actually i dont drink coke or fizzy drinks - other than as a mixer! May be not ideal for a ride

Actually during a ride is the one time a coke can be perfect. Not continuously but if your energy has dipped a coke can revive you enough to finish a long ride over that last hill.

 

[ianrauk]

Just wondering - does anyone take energy drinks during long rides? Instead of just water or juice or mineral salts. If yes - then any recos ?

What is a long ride in your book?
Everyone is different. For my longs rides. (100 miles plus) then just plain water would do. However as I have got older I have started to get leg cramps post ride so use High5 Zero tabs, which do seem to help alleviate the problem
However, any ride shorter I just stick to water.

 

[vickster]

What is a long ride in your book?
Everyone is different. For my longs rides. (100 miles plus) then just plain water would do. However as I have got older I have started to get leg cramps post ride so use High5 Zero tabs, which do seem to help alleviate the problem
However, any ride shorter I just stick to water.

She says she did 35 miles yesterday

 

[pawl]

Pepsi Max Allowed to go flat put in my bottle one hour before I ride My rides are usually no longer than 35 miles so a hand-full of jelly babies plus thre or four fig biscuits

 

[ianrauk]

She says she did 35 miles yesterday

Then in that case. Just plain old water, a coke or a pint of beer with suffice

 

[Blue Hills]

Meltodoxtrin powder ? Is it like a protein powder?

Willing to be corrected but it's mainly for carbs I think.
I use it on longer rides with a zero tab dropped in.
On really long or multi-day rides I take a small plastic jar of it for refills.
I recommend it. It means I can just keep riding more/need less snack stops.
I also carry a bottle of plain water (and sometimes even a third bottle in a pannier)
I used to sometimes in the distant past use some energy powder from SIS and found that good as well - but for me the maltodextrin from Colin's place or its sister company is just as good and way way cheaper.

 

[Oldhippy]

Plain old tap water.

 

[StuAff]

IMHO, 'energy drink' means the likes of Red Bull, Monster Energy…do not touch those things with a bargepole. Utter junk.

The correct term for something like Lucozade Sport/SIS Go/High 5 Energy Source or a DIY equivalent is 'isotonic'- these have similar concentrations of energy and minerals as the body typically does, and in the case of powders can be made in hypertonic (higher energy/minerals, lower hydration) or hypotonic (lower energy/minerals, same hydration) concentration to suit. For most people, most of the time, isotonic is what you'd stick with on longer rides. Like most upthread, I wouldn't count 35 miles as long enough to need isotonic drinks, but I'm used to doing 100+ miles in all sorts of weather. For a ride of that length (35), I'd use High 5 Zero or equivalent in water- salts, hydration, no energy.
Bear in mind that one size does not fit all. You need energy. You need minerals. You need hydration. However, your needs will vary depending on your fitness levels, length and difficulty of the ride, weather conditions, what meals you're eating and when, and so on. As to how you meet those needs, you won't get all of them from one source, and some foods are much more easily digested and absorbed than others. @Bhitucyclist you've done London to Paris, you're not a complete novice at this. Think about what you ate and drank, how it worked (or didn't) for you, and that's a good start.

 

[cougie uk]

High 5 - iguess they are tablets ?

It's a big jar of powder.

 

[ianrauk]

It's a big jar of powder.

They are also tabs