Does Anyone Drink Red Bull?
 

Around 3 weeks ago, we rode over our favorite mountain and stopped for a break at a small local grocery store before we started back over the mountain. I got my usual peanut butter and crackers and some Gatorade. A couple of the guys got snacks plus a can of Red Bull.

During the mountain ride the week previous, a solo ride, I did stop and get a Coke about thirty miles from the end of the ride. The Coke, caffeine + sugar + water, seemed to help.

I'm wondering if anyone has used Red Bull during a ride and what effect it had, good, bad, or indifferent?

I had one on a ride a few years back - worked ok. I have found gels to work better for me.

I avoid caffeine and soft drinks.

Red Bull =Boost then Bonk. Drink Gatorade or eat energy bars. I haven't used gel packs but a lot of guys use them. Save the soft/energy drink for after the ride preferable AFTER you have properly recovered.

I've used it, not for cycling tho. Kind of wears off fast. 5 hour energy works pretty well. Being cheap, I buy green tea pills and take one of those when I want an extra boost. Not too strong and lasts a few hours. Long enough for a ride.

In the early 90s when I was still a runner, before ephedrine was banned, I used to buy a product called "Ultimate Orange". That stuff was electric! It really was legal speed.

A few years ago when training for a hard ride- I used Red Bull- or rather one of the cheaper Versions- on my training rides. Think it gave a boost but as someone said "Boost then bonk". The taste was never to my liking and the effect was not long lasting. Perhaps it is because you drink the can in one go- so a boost- then nothing. I have used an energy boost in my drinks bottles for years and I am certain they work. But sipped over a couple of hours and even if it doesn't boost my energy- The Isotonic side of it does.

But like all Energy supplements- you have to find the one that works for you- you like and the body likes aswell. Red bull never did any of that for me.

I drank one once, thought I was going to die. My heart raced so fast I went and sat near an ambulance "just in case".

Red Bull, soft drinks or other mostly caffeine drinks do not do much of anything for me.

Gatorade is great for electrolyte and fluid replacement and some of a boost.

A half can of No Fear by Sobe or rip it by Sundance Beverage Company give me a big energy boost and reduce muscle soreness (especially when lifting weights). Unfortunately it causes a restless nights sleep. I believe the effect is mostly from the large amount of taurine in these 2 drinks - 1000 mg per half can (with a possible synergistic effect with something else in the drink - maybe even the caffeine, 87 or 100 mg per half can; or even the sugar).

I have recently bought some taurine capsules to see if I can get the same effect in just water. If not, then I will try it in tea for the caffeine combination. The test after that will be a soft drink with caffeine and sugar.

Cold, Starbucks Double Shot Espresso, in a can from a convenience store with a banana is one of my favorite snacks during a ride. I wouldn't touch a Red Bull.

Gatoraid upsets my stomach. I use Amino Vital lemon/lime flavor. Works really well for me.

Plenty of sleep and a good breakfast keeps me going. The only thing I'll drink during rides is water but I've been known to down a can a V8 during a rest stop.

My son drinks them for a wake-up drink in the morning.

I can't get past the smell.

Yes, I smell strange drinks before I drink 'em. Do the same with a new wine, too. With good wine a lot...

I keep a can with me in the truck for when I really need it, but honestly it's a last resort. I think I've had 2 of them in the last year.
I don't care for the taste for one thing, and I don't like that jittery feeling I get when it starts to kick in. It makes me feel like I could thread a running sewing machine.
I guess that means it works.

Kids now days are drinking those damn things like soda. I used to be a little like that. It's a bad habit to get into and is a lot of sugar. Best bet for riding is water or something that replaces electrolytes.

I have put a bottle of Amp in a water cage and drank it over the course of an hour of so. Definitely gives more energy, and not many side affects if you are doing a hard ride. You just burn it off. Yes it works but still, I'll maybe do it one or twice a year. It's just not something that I want to put into my body on a regular basis.

RB tastes as bad as it smells. :cry: