kindablue

So in my spare time I like watching whatever cycling stuff online that I can find. Cervelo has a pretty good series going on. Anyway, I noticed that a staple of their in race nutrition during this year's Paris Robaix was Coca Cola. My general question is whats up with that? I know that we need some type of quick energy during races but drinking a can of coke seems excessive and inconvenient; mostly hard to drink and store on the bike (although I'm assuming they drink a bit and toss the remains). Obviously it works for the riders but I was wondering the differences between soda and energy gels.

So for discussion, I was wondering if anyone would like to compare and contrast energy gels and cola: such as cost, connivence, satisfaction, performance benefits. If we need to pick two products lets go with a hammer gel with 50 mg of Caffeine vrs a Euro sized can of Coke classic. I'm curious to see what other people think about this.

enjoi07

SalsaPodio

At least they aren't drinking Pepsi.

I've never drunk coke on my rides, but after I've been known to consume a can or three.

mattm

I'm pretty sure the pros drink tiny cokes, and only at the end of big stages. Something to settle the stomach I guess (worked for me on long rides).

But I'm not sure what you'll get out of this discussion...

enjoi07

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...A42KnAf96P23DQ

Tinton

apparently not
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E3VcIsMzZ4

nahh

well, it's pure sugar, and tastes better and is cheaper than energy gels.

tallmantim

I was watching the Tour of Italy and the commentators were talking about it - there were a couple of points in the race where someone was chugging on a mini can of coke - one of them in a two person breakaway.

They explained that it is a little reward for the riders - not part of their regular nutrition - something to look forward to and enjoy whilst they are pushing hard.

rjones28 

It's the real thing.

AEO

ginger ale would work better for settling stomachs.
it contains malt, which coke doesn't have.

coke drinks and similar have a lot of easily absorbed forms of sugar.
they contain less electrolytes than sports energy drinks.
if you deflate them, they're actually quite easy to drink.

mkr_d

I would think that Coke would be way too acidic to be 'nutritional'?

"Soda has a pH of about 1.5 and normal blood pH is between 7.2 to 7.4

It takes 32 glasses of alkaline water at a pH of 9 to neutralize the acid on ONE 12 oz can of soda. Most people don't drink that much water, and if they do, it's just regular water, not water that has been alkalinized. So in order to keep your blood at a neutral pH, your body uses the only thing it has to buffer that acid...the calcium from your bones. For every can of soda, your body withdraws 20mg of calcium from the bones."

https://www.unhinderedliving.com/soda.html

ndot

That's why I mix mine with 2% milk in a 4:1 Soda:Mlik ratio.

GP

A Coke, Pepsi or Mt. Dew will perk you right up on a long ride. They're good for washing down that Snickers. V8 is good too.

kindablue

There have been studies that say pro cyclists have low bone densities. Not that I'm trying to correlate the two.

The Craptain

Why is this person injecting coke directly into their bloodstream??

mattm

If that was really true I'd be a bag of skin.

hairnet

this came to mind

looks like they're just going for those sugary drinks

therhodeo

Its sugar and Caffeine. I believe it was David Millar during the Giro who drank 16 or 18 of the small cans in one stage.

therhodeo

Coke's ph is around 3.5. Stomach acid's ph is between 1 and 2.

Zizka

Most people control their blood pH by changing their breathing rate or by having functioning kidneys.

AEO

You know what the acidity of your stomach acid is?
between pH1 and 2.

the acid in coke is actually closer to pH2.5
drinking coke does not lead to acidosis.

at worst, the acid deteriorates the enamel in your teeth and the sugar will allow bacteria to form cavities.

echappist

except acidity is pretty much a non factor when it goes flat. carbon dioxide makes water acidic when it is dissolved in water. there is, however, still some residual phosphoric (or phosphorus, can't remember which) acid dissolved in there as well. i actually tested the pH of coke just recently, and it came about to be around 3 or something in that range

tallmantim

MMmmmm, tasty.

LOL

AEO

barring extreme exceptions, like drinking 1L of coke each day, it won't harm your bones.
why anyone would want to drink 1L of coke each day is beyond me, but junk food is a staple American diet.

echappist

easy there, i sometimes find myself doing just that, although it's the diet version. aspartame, yum...