revchuck 

By "electrolyte drinks" I'm referring to those without appreciable calories.

I found last week (temps and humidity percentages both in the 80+ range) that my sweat glands remembered how to function. Last year I started trying out electrolyte tablets in my bottles. I've used two so far - Nuun tablets and Camelbak Elixir tablets. I prefer the Camelbak version, since they require one tab per 24 oz. bottle, as opposed to a tab and a half for the Nuuns, and the Camelbak provides more sodium. In addition, they're cheaper.

What other options are out there? What's your opinion of them?

Silvercivic27

Training and Nutrition. I use drinks with calories, especially when racing or on fast group rides because I rarely have time or coordination to eat and deal with packaging when I'm working that hard.

Racer Ex 

Hammer Endurolytes or Fizz.

HEED if you are adding calories.

Flatballer

Endurolytes generally if it's super hot and I need more than I can get from Gatorade. Sugar isn't bad. When you're riding for 5 hours, you need calories, and sugar is a good way to get them. The powdered Gatorade mix doesn't even have HFCS if you're worried about stuff like that.

AzTallRider

Endurolytes for me; either in the drink or popping capsules.

Silvercivic27

I tried the fizz once as a sample from hammer and didn't like it. It's like an alka seltzer tablet. It built up pressure in my bottle so it was tough to get open and when it did, it spit all over. That same gas also bloated me, and made me burp a lot. It was uncomfortable and not worth it to me.

Monkeyclaw

Mix your own. If you don't want calories, use crystal light and table salt. If you do want calories, mix in fruit juice, kool-aid, or maltodextrin with table salt. It's much cheaper, easier, and you know exactly what and how much you're getting.

I'm curious, what makes you think you need salt? Have you ever determined how much salt you eat every day or been told you have a salt deficiency? I ask because the vast majority of people get way more salt than they need in their normal diet.

botto 

you do realize that there's a 41 thread in the 33, yes?

revchuck 

I'm a regular user of Gatorade, and have nothing against drinks with calories. A lot of my weekday rides are ~90 minutes after work; I don't need the calories but may need the sodium and such, since the weather will commonly be in the 90s with high humidity. On longer weekend rides, I like the option of separating calories from drink, since sports drinks in general get pretty old after the second bottle. Just looking for another way to skin this cat.

Flatballer

For 90 minutes you don't really need anything. You can do that on water, or nothing at all. I usually only bring water unless it's over 2.5 hours.

revchuck 

I've been using water lately for shorter rides, but on longer rides with water have had problems with cramping when I didn't have cramps using sports drinks.

As for going dry for 90 minutes - I've been dehydrated to the point of needing IVs to fix it, so I tend to err on the side of caution.

Flatballer

If you're cramping in 90 minutes, you need to drink more water overall. Not on rides, just in life. You're probably chronically dehydrated (as is most of the population).

revchuck 

No problems with cramping on shorter rides - it usually happens at the 3-4 hour point.

JBHoren

I'm a Type II diabetic (i.e., non-insulin-dependent), so for me there's only one (like "Highlander"): Ultima Replenisher -- it comes in a variety of flavors (grape, red raspberry, orange, and lemonade) and sizes (90- and 30-serving containers, and single-serving packets (30 per/box)). I mix half-a-scoop each of orange and lemonade in a 24oz bottle. No HFCS. Tastes great, which encourages me to drink more.

Looigi

Dilute fruit juice to ~100 cal/24oz. Add a pinch of "Lite Salt" for added Na and K goodness.

Or dilute Gatorade/Powerade/etc to 100 cal/24oz (typically 16oz drink and 8oz water)

jsutkeepspining

skratch, simple as that.

wens

If you avoid cramping because of sports drinks it's likely the calories. You don't cramp from electrolyte imbalance during exercise, you cramp up from exceeding your fitness.

bmcphx

I make my own, used to use Hammer FIZZ, but it became too expensive and I saw more complete benefits from a home-brew.

water, kosher salt, raw organic honey, and lemon juice. Delicious, refreshing, and all the carbs, glucose, and trace minerals.

Racer Ex 

Tito's Vodka.

You guys do realize that you need minerals besides sodium don't you?

Ah, never mind. Botto's right.

zandoval 

Good to see this thread - Please take the time to look at this article - It has saved countless lives young and old...

https://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/...ml#Js4950e.2.4

My cheapskate derivation mix gets into your system super fast and will not upset your stomach and still has and Osmoality around 300 oMosm/l:

Per One Liter Bottle mix:
3tsp sugar or (3tsp Country Time Limonade powder mix, not sugar free)
1/2 tsp Potasium Cloride (Brand Name Morton Salt Subsitute)
1/4 tsp table salt

If you need anything more then get some food and eat...

Also remember that 20% of athletes get excessive leg cramps from Aspertame and Sucralose...

Creakyknees

Thank you!

I was about to post the same formula from WebMD... guys you don't need to pay bike shops / glossy magazine / sponsored pro team prices for salt and sugar. Learn how to read an ingredient label.

Creakyknees

But is there a 148 thread?

https://www.bikeforums.net/forumdispl...-amp-Nutrition

Creakyknees

Also: use the search function.

Monkeyclaw

Great quote. Can you cite a study or two? I've never heard or read it anywhere. Well, I have now...

mattm

nuun