"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Tips for achieving homogeneous mixture?

Talking specifically about Hammer Sustained Energy (SE), but I suppose it's applicable to any powder mixture.

Any tips for breaking up the clumps and attaining as-close-to a homogeneous mixture as possible in the bottle?

I don't want to use hot water, as the SE has proteins and lipids in it that might foul up if the temperature gets too hot.

can you just mix it at home? use the blender, or the magic bullet. I used to work at World Gym as an admin, they sold these shaker cups with an agitator in them to accomplish that. Suppose a couple of ice cubes might be effective as well. Think rattle can paint.

Some type of mechanical assistance would help, but I feel like that over-complicates the process.

I've got shaker cups that I use for my Recoverite - and while it's a good idea, I still think that mixing it in a shaker cup then pouring it into a bottle adds more steps.

Ice cubes - there's something to try!!!

Uh, shake the bottle?

Srsly, Hammer sells a little wire ball mixer for their recovery mixes. Seems excessive to me.

I use SE all the time, and just shake it well after mixing it up at home, then before drinking it. If you're mixing it right before use, that might not work out so well, since it just takes a bit of time to blend.

FWIW, I almost always mix the bottle the night before a ride, then refrigerate. I'ts become a habit to shake the bottle before I drink, which can be a little strange when all I have is water in the bottle. I will also add a little HEED to most SE mixes, moslty for flavor. Might make it mix a little easier, too.

With most energy drinks, it helps a lot to fill the bottle only about 1/4 of the way with water and you drink mix, cap it, shake vigorously, then fill it the rest of the way and shake again. If it isn't working well, try luke warm water for the first 1/4 instead of cold water. Ice cubes might cool it down enough to make it hard to get the drink mix into solution, but you can try it.

Uh, shake the bottle?

Everyone can assume I've exhausted the exceedingly obvious solutions.

I've got a bottle sitting in the office fridge that I made up for my evening ride - we'll see how it goes after being chilled for a few hours.

Everyone can assume I've exhausted the exceedingly obvious solutions.


Of course. Forgot the smiley. ;)

Are there supplements to help you recover from the effort of mixing supplements?

Just drink Powerade. Sheesh.

Are there supplements to help you recover from the effort of mixing supplements?

Just drink Powerade. Sheesh.


Powerade!?!?! What are you thinking you heretic plebe?:D

Are there supplements to help you recover from the effort of mixing supplements?

Just drink Powerade. Sheesh.

WR, I don't want to misread your post but there seems to be a bit of a mocking undertone to it. If I'm wrong, please correct me; otherwise, is there a particular reason for it?

What I've found to work best for mixing bottles is to fill the bottle halfway, then add the powder, then shake vigorously, then fill the bottle the rest of the way. At first it seems counter-intuitive because with a half-full bottle and all your powder it will be a higher concentration. but the half-full bottle allows for much more violent shaking/agitation, so the mixing is better. If you fill the bottle nearly to the top, then top it off with powder, there's no room left in the bottle left for the mix to slosh around when you shake, and you get weak mixing and clumps.

For recovery drinks I put the cup on the counter, and stir the water with a spoon while pouring in the mix slowly over about 10-15 seconds (as opposed to just dumping it in all at once). Works great.

Mac

With most energy drinks, it helps a lot to fill the bottle only about 1/4 of the way with water and you drink mix, cap it, shake vigorously, then fill it the rest of the way and shake again. If it isn't working well, try luke warm water for the first 1/4 instead of cold water. Ice cubes might cool it down enough to make it hard to get the drink mix into solution, but you can try it.

That's what I do and it works very well. And I like my drinks cold so I often add ice but after the initial shaking or they don't mix well.


I almost always mix the bottle the night before a ride, then refrigerate. I'ts become a habit to shake the bottle before I drink, which can be a little strange when all I have is water in the bottle.

Haha, that happens to me too!

This post is the reason why I only drink water.

Something like this?

http://img.walgreens.com/dbimagecache/402857.jpg

WR, I don't want to misread your post but there seems to be a bit of a mocking undertone to it. If I'm wrong, please correct me; otherwise, is there a particular reason for it?

Certainly some sarcasm. I think supplements are a waste of time and money. I've never wasted time or money on them, so I'm certainly not qualified to have anyone care about my opinion.

Then again, I've done pretty well on Powerade and Oreos, with 6 hours of sleep for recovery.

Certainly some sarcasm. I think supplements are a waste of time and money. I've never wasted time or money on them, so I'm certainly not qualified to have anyone care about my opinion.

Then again, I've done pretty well on Powerade and Oreos, with 6 hours of sleep for recovery.

Naturally you'd think they're a waste of time and money if you can get by on powerade and oreos.

Those of us who can't get by on powerade and oreos, though, value nutritional products that work.

what i've found to work best for mixing bottles is to fill the bottle halfway, then add the powder, then shake vigorously, then fill the bottle the rest of the way. at first it seems counter-intuitive because with a half-full bottle and all your powder it will be a higher concentration. But the half-full bottle allows for much more violent shaking/agitation, so the mixing is better. If you fill the bottle nearly to the top, then top it off with powder, there's no room left in the bottle left for the mix to slosh around when you shake, and you get weak mixing and clumps.

For recovery drinks i put the cup on the counter, and stir the water with a spoon while pouring in the mix slowly over about 10-15 seconds (as opposed to just dumping it in all at once). Works great.

Mac

+2

WR, I don't want to misread your post but there seems to be a bit of a mocking undertone to it. If I'm wrong, please correct me; otherwise, is there a particular reason for it?


Ease back on the throttle, chief.

Naturally you'd think they're a waste of time and money if you can get by on powerade and oreos.

Those of us who can't get by on powerade and oreos, though, value nutritional products that work.

I guess that's true, assuming you actually can't get by (or improve) w/out supplements. I scrutinize purchases heavily on breaking a limiter, and I guess this would be a tough one to nail down. Even trying it for a month would be pretty subjective because fitness, race schedule, training schedule, and position in training cycle all vary so much.

I suppose independent studies have probably shown that certain supplements offer certain improvements, but I haven't looked for or seen them. Demonstrating an inability to complete a training plan w/out sups vs. completing it w/sups, or even better a difference in FTP after 90 days would be good evidence.

Hell, I had to bail with three hill repeats today because I trained to failure Monday (1' test) and Tuesday (STUCI intervals). Would I have been able to complete the workout if I had a pantry full of Hammer stuff to choke down? Hard to say, but I expected what I got today, and hoped otherwise. My training is coming along well regardless of a short hill repeat workout every few weeks.

Anyhoo, carry on with the shaken, not stirred discussion.

Ease back on the throttle, chief.

Given the quickfire tongue-lashing responses that populate BF, that was eased back. And civil.

I guess that's true, assuming you actually can't get by (or improve) w/out supplements. I scrutinize purchases heavily on filling a need, and I guess this would be a tough one to nail down as a need. Even trying it for a month would be pretty subjective because fitness, race schedule, training schedule, and position in training cycle all vary so much.

I suppose independent studies have probably shown that certain supplements offer certain improvements, but I haven't look for or seen them. Demonstrating an inability to complete a training plan w/out sups vs. completing it w/sups, or even better a difference in FTP after 90 days would be good evidence.

Hell, I had to bail with three hill repeats today because I trained to failure Monday (1' test) and Tuesday (STUCI intervals). Would I have been able to complete the workout if I had a pantry full of Hammer stuff to choke down? Hard to say, but I expected what I got today, and hoped otherwise. My training is coming along well regardless of a short hill repeat workout every few weeks.

Anyhoo, carry on with the shaken, not stirred discussion.

I base my "i can't get by on powerade and oreos" statement on the experiences I've had with *ades. Namely, vomiting and diarrhea. While on the bike. Repeatedly.

I don't drink the stuff in hopes of it making me better - i just need liquid fuel that doesn't go in one end and out the other with the speed of the TGV.

Yeah, stuff's gotta stay down. Goops that are difficult to mix are a surprising alternative though ;)

Naturally you'd think they're a waste of time and money if you can get by on powerade and oreos.

Those of us who can't get by on powerade and oreos, though, value nutritional products that work.

Have you tried cookies and poweraid?

I use HEED and Recoverite during stage races, but for most training it's Poweraid, water and bakery junk or granola bars.

Poweraid iceberry wave tastes great and you can get it almost anywhere. Same with Coke and water which is surprisingly refreshing.

Given the quickfire tongue-lashing responses that populate BF, that was eased back. And civil.

super

Best thread title ever!

As far as something useful to add, you can add the wire balls that go in shaker drinks to any of your waterbottles. They work pretty well.

If you have the time use room temp water, then put it in the fridge, then add ice cubes. Takes longer but will be mixed completely.

Have you tried cookies and poweraid?

I've tried both Powerade and Gatorade as well as a bunch of other crap like eFuel and accelerade (sponsor product) before I got my hands on some Hammer stuff.

In terms of solid food, I normally go with wither strawberry newtons, PB&J, or my wife's peanut butter protein cookies.

crap like accelerade

You can say that again. I couldn't even make myself finish the tub.

i really shouldn't call their product crap - just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it's crap.

(i.e. sorry to our sponsor)

I, um.... actually like Accelerade... :o


Don't shoot!


:D


I prefer regular, old orange Gatorade though. :thumb:

here you go:http://cgi.ebay.com/ONE-WIRE-BALL-WITH-MOUSE-CAT-TOYS-TOY-PET_W0QQitemZ370143897415QQcmdZViewItem

you would have to remove the fake mouse, optionally.

Here's what I do to get the stuff to mix.

Put in the scoop(s) of whatever.
Fill the bottle up about 1/4 of the way
Swish it around until it mixes as good as possible
Fill to the top
Put to cap on and shake (which doesn't do much)
After a couple drinks on the bike, shake like hell.
That pretty much does it

I've been using this, which isn't bad.

http://www.twinlabfuel.com/wcm/mb/fuel/en/content/products/Endurance_Fuel/EnduranceFuel_300px.gif