First question to ask is: Do you really need to take energy drinks, does the distance and time require such and if so are you putting the effort in whereby your body needs them instead of burning fat?. Rides up to 30 miles or a couple of hours don't need anything
For example, I can do a 6 hour steady 100 mile ride no problem without them, but if I'm on a hard club ride etc I burn out at 31 miles, so to plan on this I start taking carbs no later than the 25 mile mark, up till then its just water.
I have always made my own energy drink, unless I see a bargain, usually they consist of maltodextrin or glucose and fructose mixed, or I may just use maltodextrin or glucose on their own. My usual recipe is maltodextrin or glucose mixed 2 parts to 1 part fructose. Maltodextrin I buy from "myprotein.com" and fructose from the same place or Holland and Barratt. Glucose I only use as a gap filler when I have no maltodextrin and I get it from "Superdrug" and look for two for price of one offers.
So basically its 1kg of Maltodextrin or glucose (2 boxes) mixed with 500grm fructose (1 boxfull)
I also make 4-1 mixes with 4 parts carbs (maltodextrin) and 1 part protein (milk whey powder) and it is good stuff, but the problem is, on a hot day its a bit thickish for "slaking" the thirst as its more like a milk shake. Mostly these days, I now add amino acids to replace the protein powder but in my 2-1 mix. The theory of this drink is the body uses the protein (amino acids) to repair the muscles as you ride. In effect I never get sore aching legs and if I do its very rare, for example I did a hard 200 mile hard ride on the club TT course doing 10 circuits recently, and after it I never had any stiffness or aches or pains, I was right as rain.
When mixed in a bottle, I usually add cordial, at the moment I'm hooked on strawberry from Asda, its the dogs *!******s. I also add my home made electrolyte powder, but thats another story and mentioned I think somewhere in the forums
Be aware though that fructose can upset stomachs unless you have a good tolerance to it, I can only stomache 52grms of my 2-1 mix in a 750ml bottle, anymore and I just want to be sick and loose my appetite for solids when I hit about 70miles on a hard ride. Maltodextrin seems to have no side effects.
One thing I have forgot to mention is using brown sugar, I have only dabbled with it, but seen an increase in performance, and when I have, its had me wondering about it in deep thought, and what little I have read about it, has been promising towards its use. Probably due to the mollases in it having minerals in it (electrolytes)
