The only thing I can really tolerate while riding is water. It works fine but for rides longer than 2 hours I really would like something with some calories and sodium and sugar.

I have tried a few different drinks but they upset my stomach and GI about 60% of the time.

Does anyone have this problem and know a drink that doesnt cause this ?

I like cytomax mixes for my long rides and have had 0 problems with acid or gas like I do with the "ade" line of drinks. I've heard good things about skratch labs as well but I personally haven't tried it yet.

I used to use sports drinks, but a couple years ago, I stopped doing that, and I just drink water on my rides ... for all my rides, including centuries, 300K randonnees, etc.

When I stop for a break, then I'll have something with calories ... and I eat along the way too.

Nothing wrong with plain water.

Experiment with drinking any kind of sports drink, even Gatorade, while not riding or doing any kind of exercise. If that doesn't cause an upset stomach, then its something else. One thing you don't want to do is to gulp down a lot of sports drink at one time. These drinks should be taken early on in a long ride. But a little at a time.

Water... I don't tolerate any of the sports drinks currently on the market. I do watch my diet and try to add things that will give me the extra necessary nutrients when necessary. Things like nuts for potassium and magnesium, they take a bit longer to get into you system than a sports drink but if you plan ahead and eat them prior to riding and keep you diet balanced it will go a long ways.

Aaron

Water. I now there is a ton of marketing hype about replenishing calories ect but it is not necessary for 90% of riders on 90% of rides

Plain water. I can't tolerate sports drinks, and don't see any benefit in them anyway. I've also tried using the simple 'rehydration therapy' mixture given to dehydration patients (a little salt and a some sugar mixed into the water - look for it online) and haven't had a problem with it.

+1 When I ride I do the same, drink water and get food at a rest break. I also keep a couple of energy gels in my bag for emergencies, like when my blood sugars drop.

What do they give marathoners in those paper cups as they fly by?

Well, duh! Your body is under the stress of riding and you want to put sodium and sugar in your body when all your body NEEDS is to be hydrated with plain water !!

Hold off on any sweets or salty food until your body has cooled and hydrated properly before you give in to other junk foods.

+1 Water is perfectly fine as long as your nutrition includes some electrolytes. Almost any food you would carry will have plenty of sodium and potassium to keep you going. Granola bars, fig newtons, oatmeal cookies, trail mix, even PopTarts. Human beings were subject to physically demanding pursuits long before the advent of energy gels and sports drinks.

If you do go with sports drinks, many are too concentrated and can actually draw water out of the body into the digestive tract (temporarily) which is why you might get GI problems from them when you are under physical stress. Try mixing the commercial drinks 50:50 with water or green tea (unsweetened) and sip frequently, never guzzle.

I can't stand Gatorade. Usually water is enough, but on really hot days I like to drink Ultima. Check it out, it's good stuff. https://ultimareplenisher.com/

Have you tried diluting in half with water? Try that and add a shake or two of real sea salt.

I sometimes do the above with apple juice. After longer rides I regularly treat myself to a coconut water with aloe juice.

I've got a buddy who is into long distance running and he takes a baggy filled with dextrose, sea salt and potassium to add to water along the way as he sees fit.

Along with the notes to keep from guzzling, be careful to not swallow a lot of air when drinking.

+1 for cytomax
water for short rides........ cytomax (dilluted) for long rides.

As OP notes, it's usually not a problem on rides of 2 hours or less. Plain water will suffice.

On longer rides, almost every gas station has orange juice or V-8. Both are great sources of salt. You may want to water down the orange juice, or wash either down with water.

If that doesn't work, try a Nuun tablet in 20 or 24 oz. of water. Ice water, if possible.

French fries or Fritos are great ways to consume salt at a stop. Drink a lot.

How to replenish water, salt, and calories on long rides is definitely YMMV territory. Try different things until you find something that works for your stomach. And be ready to try something different if plan A goes to pot.

Good misinformation there.

Water is fine when you're noodling with your buddies around the block, but on long hard hot efforts, water alone will sap your speed, give you cramps, make you sick, and even put you in the hospital.

Been there, done that, have the hospital bills to show for it.

Learn a little from some of the myriad studies that demonstrate the performance benefits of electrolytes and carbs in drinks. Here's a good start:

https://osmonutrition.com/science/science-archives/

Weak gatorade for me on hot days. Otherwise just water and I use granola bars for sodium, sugar etc. Sweet drinks + empty stomach = bad at least for me. I think real food is far better than liquid calories! Although a beer after a ride is always good!

I use Camelbak Elixer tablets in my water bottles for rides that I know there will be some effort put forth. Recovery rides will be just water

https://shop.camelbak.com/elixir-lemo...l_1491#reviews

Calories 10
Total Carbohydrates 1 g <1%
Vitamin C 86mg (as ascorbic acid)
Calcium 33mg (as calcium carbonate)
Magnesium 18mg (as magnesium sulfate)
Manganese 1.4mg (as manganese gluconate)
Chloride 68mg (as sodium chloride, potassium chloride)
Sodium 410mg (as sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate [preservative], sodium chloride)
Potassium 70mg (as potassium bicarbonate, potassium chloride)


Cytomax calls for 2 scoops per 20-24oz water which is:


Calories 180
44g carbs (24 sugar)
Vitamin C 120mg
Calcium 12mg
Magnesium 28mg
Chromium 100mcg
Sodium 240mg
Potassium 120mg



So it seems that Cytomax would be the hydration as well as the nutrition given the calories.
I use Cliff bars and Gel for my calories. Like a lot of other things, it's what works for YOU.

I use Nuun tablets in my waterbottle. Lots of flavors to choice from.

Speaking as someone who does very long rides ... water is fine. I've used water on long, very hot rides up to 300 km.

However, in those circumstances it is a good idea to take electrolyte tablets, and to be sure to eat things like potato chips, salted almonds, and beef jerky at rest stops.


I've also had the misfortune of discovering that sports drinks do not have anywhere near enough electrolytes in them ... and was nearly hospitalised with hyponatremia on a hot 600K attempt.

Wish this was available in Canada but so far - no luck!

That's what happened to me: 155 mile race, 120 F temperatures. Felt like the worst flu ever. One can of V8 drink probably would have spared me the hospital visit, but I was too far gone to think of that at the time. Even Endurolytes didn't have enough sodium on that day.