So, what do you people drink while riding? I'm usually a water guy (sometimes good Scotch on the right bike) but people are filling my head with thoughts of fancy electrolyte drinks so I've been giving it some thought. With this heat and the amount that I sweat, I think something like Hammer "HEED" might not be bad for me. Thoughts?

While we're at it, what's your favorite Post ride drink?
Nice cold IPA or Porter usually fits nicely for me

This summer I've been filling my bottles with coconut water plus regular water (1:3 ratio). I also keep a sleeve of Nuun electrolyte tablets in my bag for my bottles once I've gone through the coconut water. None of that has tastes I crave, but it all has worked for me nutritionally.

Neal

Water while rolling, beer whilst at a standstill.

Water. Most of that other stuff is all sugar anyway.

Water and Cliff shot blocks for me. I will drink some Gatorade or similar product before the ride, if it's a hot one, which it often is. The shot blocks give me all the electrolytes I need during a ride. A banana and Cliff bar during the ride, too. Most of my rides are in the 40+ mile range, with no stops/stores along the way.

Post ride, IPA, definitely. Carbo loading as it was meant to be.

Water.

I love, love, love coconut juice on a long, hot ride. I'll keep two cold cans in my bag and chug it when I stop for a break. There's just nothing quite as quenching...

water, maybe some dihydrongen monoxide tablets when it's hot

It depends on the ride. For anything normal (under 40 miles), just water is fine. When going over that, or in extreme weather, I like to keep one bottle with water, salt and lemon in it. I really don't like sweet drinks and find they make me thirstier, but sometimes I really do need the salt (especially since I sweat like a mofo). I find adding salt directly to the water, with lemon, keeps the bottles easier to clean and goes down easier as well.

I'll also sometimes keep a tube of salty peanuts with me instead.

Nectar of the Gods pre ride and during...........post ride pale ales

water, and i have to force myself to drink it because i normally dont drink enough.

On longer rides like centuries I like that gatorade powder you can add to water, though I havent done it recently. I think it little sugar and/or salt is good in those situations. normally I don't drink anything like that.

Caffeinated Pepsi with real sugar, yeah I know it is not the healthiest thing but I like it anyway. That's my only really bad habit.

Water in the bottle and refills but when I stop for a break on long rides....Diet Mt Dew.

I can't stop drinking that Sobe life water stuff. It has Erythitol, which is a (synthetically made) naturally occurring sugar that is super low in calories. All the "0" calorie life waters have it. Just incase you guys were worried about sugar.

All in all, it's mostly just water because most of my rides are just commutes. On a longer ride/trip I'll drink one of those or the low calorie gatorades. If you're riding a little hard, calories shouldn't hurt, but if the sugar upsets your stomach, then that's another issue.

I'll have to look into this coconut water...

Sometimes plain water. Sometimes water with a wedge of lime. Sometimes I'll add a spoonful of sugar to the limey water.

I might throw in an ounce or two of juice. It's good not only for flavor but to keep away (or mask?) the plastic flavor of the bottle.

On our century ride a couple of weeks ago, I drank some Gatorade. I don't think it's beneficial unless you're doing a big haul.

I picked up some of those Caribbean sodas on that century. I don't remember what fruit flavors they were but they were super delicious, because of the occasion.

Mostly I drink water, but I also make and drink switchel during long hot outdoor summer days. Switchel is sort of an old timey gatorade drunk while mowing the fields with a scythe (drive-by C&V content). Main ingredients are a sweetner like molasses/syrup/brownsugar/etc, apple cider vinegar, and a flavoring like mint or ginger. I make it pretty strong and keep in the fridge, then add a little bit to a lot of water when I want a drink. It tastes a lot better than it sounds, and doesn't have all the unpronounceable chemicals in it that sport drinks do. Coconut water is great too, but I got used to fresh while living in the tropics and haven't found anything that tastes right out of a can. Recommendations in this regard would be welcome.

On a ride I typically drink classic & vintage drinks. A good cote du rhone in one bottle, and perhaps mead in the other.
.

Crystal Pepsi from 1992.


Ick.

Water, still while riding.
Water, sparkling when done.

Water, and for some reason, it often tastes like plastic.
So, a twist of lemon.

Post-ride? First a Diet Pepsi, as cold as possible. Then, after at least 30 minutes. a beer.
Too soon on the beer, and I'm done for. Must be the sugars in it.

It depends on the time spent exerting.

Generally, for the first hour, water is adequate. After that, carbs and electrolyte replenishment becomes a concern - especially in the heat.
In the simplest terms, carbs become glycogen, which is what fuels your muscles.
In the heat, heavy sweating depletes electrolytes faster.

For my daily commute of 12 miles, I drink water. I'll slug down some Gatorade with the H2O before leaving, when its really hot.
I've also made my own lemon juice/sugar/Lite salt concoction to mix with water and this sounds good, too: "sweetner like molasses/syrup/brownsugar/etc, apple cider vinegar, and a flavoring like mint or ginger."

When I know I'll go beyond an hour, I start snacking on dried fruit and water after about 45 minutes on the road.
I don't like sports drinks on the ride - they are gagging. So I nibble the dried fruits and liquify them with water in my mouth. Dates and apricots are my faves. The idea is to pump these 'carb fuels' in early and often, in small, regular doses.

It is better to ingest the needed carbs and electrolytes before you need them. Liqui-form carbs are assimilated fastest. So on long rides, start consuming them after about 30 minutes and every 20-30 minutes thereafter. Energy shots, sports drinks, energy shakes, dried fruit and so on along with water, water, water, should be your focus.

About beer. Evidence suggests that when consumed FIRST, as a post-ride beverage, beer helps the body rehydrate faster. So drink a beer first, and then other liquids after. Yogurt-based fruit smoothies and chocolate milk are also excellent post ride beverages.

I used to fill one bottle w/half gatoraid half water and the other one w/just water. now I fill both w/ water only. no more stickyness or colored dropletts on my top tube.

just kidding...

water and gatorade.

last thursday on one of the hottest days on record, me and devin went out for a ride, we made a stop to get water and i bought one of those 2.5 litre jugs or maybe it was bigger?, anyways i remember finishing it in one sitting mainly by myself, i don't think i've ever drank that much water at once. I think i'm a camel or something

Water.

If I'm going far, I'll mix in a 1/4" teaspoon of baking soda, a pinch of fake salt made from potassium chloride, and a pinch of sea salt into my first bottle.

Be careful! Too much of that stuff at once will kill you!