When on-bike nutrition and hydration are discussed, a lot of cyclists prefer diluted sports drinks, usually Gatorade. What's the rational basis for this preference? (Hey, I know this is BF, but humor me. )

I use the stuff at full strength. My usual sports drink is Hammer Nutrition's Heed, mainly because it's still palatable when my second or third bottle is at ambient temperature in mid-summer Louisiana. My backup is Gatorade at full strength because, well, it's available. Diluting these cuts down on the carbs and electrolytes per swig...and the carbs and electrolytes are the reason I use these instead of straight water.

Okay, so how come?

Tastes way better and goes down easier

On a hot day you need to replace fluid more than you need to replace calories.

I mix Cytomax weaker than labelled in one bottle, pure water in the second bottle. In the heat of the Texas summer the full strength stuff is too sweet when I'm over heated. I usually drink a small bottle of gatorade at the ride rest stop(s) since those are usually straight from the cooler and ice cold when the sweetness doesn't hit me as badly.

I just can't stand regular gatorade at full strength. I do like the G2 but the regular gatorade upsets my stomach really bad which is not something I want to deal with when on a bike.

I drink Gatorade (mainly because that's what the convenience stores on my routes sell) full strength except when it gets really hot in the Summer. After I lose a lot of fluid, full strength tastes way too strong and sweet. Mixing half and half with water is perfect.

Full strength Gatorade leaves my mouth still "thirsty". It's hard to describe, but my mouth gets dry quickly and I feel the need to drink more (too much). 50/50 with water and it's all good.

I can't explain it, it's just the way it is.

I forgot my cytomax for a race and borrowed a bottle... the p[person;'s bottle was mixed allot stronger than I usually mix mine and it was cramping my stomach

I really like cytomax and I've tried all the flavors.... my fave's are fruit punch, lime, and grape

A lot has to do with gatro-intestinal issues when drinking the full-strength stuff.

Intensity also has a significant influence on how the stomach can handle the full-strength drinks. Plus, there are electrolyte issues that can help the stomach absorb the contents or leave it sloshing around in your gut and providing you with no benefit whatsoever except a bloated feeling.

If you find yourself suffering from excessive gas, or gastric reflux (heartburn) after drinking full-strength supplements, you may need to adjust your electrolyte intake, drink more plain water at the same time, or dilute the supplement.

Like what everyone said, gatorade at full strength is too "syrupy". Using 50/50 mix ratio with water, prevents me from getting that sugar after taste and keeps me more hydrated.

Yep. I never learn my lesson though when trying new drinks. I made full strength Accelerade earlier this year and almost barfed on the ride. Cannot handle the fully strength sports drinks when riding hard.

+1 Cytomax @ 1/2 strength. I don't like a sweet drink, especially on a hot day.

The habit started when various groups did tests to see how fast a person could absorb water. With too much sugar the absorption rate slows down. With Gatorade (the only stuff around at the time), you could cut it 50/50 with water to get the optimal sugar/water ratio.

The body doesn't absorb straight water as quickly as water with sugar in it, at least that's what I recall from the study.

I don't think they tested salt content, just sugar.

All of the above, and I like to add a little salt to the 50/50 mix in the hot months. I have been using this mix since the late 70's when I was training for marathons.

As others have said, I find full strength Gatorade or Accelorade or whatever... to be too sweet, and it often becomes hard to drink when it gets warm.

I also often bring one bottle with sports drink and one with water so I can toss water on my head when I get really hot.

And Gatorade G2 is pretty palatable as is.

Stuff's bad for your teeth.

Gatorade gave up on being a viable sports drink a while back. It's such a sugar bomb that if you're really riding hard it's tough on the stomach. I did try the new Pro series stuff and it's not bad, but still heavy at full strength.

Even with sports drinks, if you're riding hard and long and you take a drink of it it will leave your mouth sugary and make you thirstier. I use the zero calorie Powerade and it happens even with that. Then I have to grab my other bottle of just water to wash it down.

Mostly, what you need is the water. The electrolytes and carbs are only necessary for long and hard rides.

"Regular" people overuse "sport drinks".

i thought G2 was regular gatorade...is there a difference?

mostly this, for me at least. coats my throat and doesn't go down as easily. i use the powder, so i can easily make it as strong or as diluted as i want.

This.

I see a lot of people, usually women who want to lose weight and start drinking Gatorade instead of soda. I try to tell them that it still has calories just like soda does. Sure it's a little less but you wont be shedding the pounds because you switched to Gatorade. Unless you're training, exercising, whatever...Gatorade is still full of sugar and not beneficial to you.

G2 is low calorie - less sugar

The hotter it is the more you need to drink. Gatorade has a high osmotic pressure than half gatorade and half water. The higher the osmotic pressure in your stomach the worse you'll feel and stop drinking. If your drink is pure gatorade it can lead you to dehydration or vomiting since the heat outside will drive you to drink more and more. Now that gatorade sits there in your stomach, not emptying or easily digesting, because the concentration of sugars in gatorade are too high for the rate you need to consume liquids at to remain active. HEED apparently allows you to drink more calories since the maltodextrin in it doesn't increase the stomach pressure at the same rate as a drink with simple sugars like sucrose.

Drink all of it at 1/2 strength or else I barf on the bike. Can't stomach any of it, but need it because of how salty my sweat is and because I sweat a ton. The only one I can do full strength or more is Nuun. I only do Gatorade for hangovers and R4 I drink full strength, but I'm not biking anymore while drinking that sludge.

I drink homeopathic Gatorade