How many of you fill your water bottles with G2 (Gatorade) for small to longer rides? I have been thinking of doing this to add a boost during the last stretch. Perhaps it's all in my head; don't know. What do you guys think?

im a wateer only guy, however.......

when i was in the Army it was generally considered poor form to put anything sweet in your canteen... had to do with ability to effectively clean them... I can see having two bottles and filling one with gatorade (or the like) and the other with straight water...

I use it but I do half water half gatorade/powerade. Full sports drink is too sugary and sticky.

get gatorade in powder form. allows you to control the sweetness. saves money as well.

I'm a fan of G2, for both my rides and runs. I notice my electrolyte depletion more on my runs though, especially on hot days.

There are other brands of course, basically similar concoctions.

I carry these to add to water when I want.

Get them at my grocery store.

https://www.powdermixdirect.com/G2-Po...ticks-s/59.htm

https://www.google.com/products/catal...ed=0CFQQ8wIwAA#

https://www.amazon.com/Kraft-Gatorade.../dp/B004BU1CU2

https://www.amazon.com/Calorie-Electr.../dp/B001V799N0

I did 50 miles yesterday with temps in the 90's. I started out with two bottles of water, stopped at Walgreens halfway through and bought a bottle of water and a bottle of gatorade. I mixed them 50/50 in each bottle as I find straight gatorade is tough to take. It worked out well. In the past I've bought gatorade powder and mixed one weak bottle and kept my other bottle straight water (for when you need to dump some over your head).

I bought a way too big of a can of gatorade powder (read costco size) that seems to be lasting me forever. Now it's more like a block of gatorade, instead of powder.

Try Nuun tablets or similar. I use on 30+ mile rides.

I use a powder G2 mix every time. I dilute it a lot. Seems to work better than water, can't hurt either.

Is the G2 the stuff that also has protein in the mix?

Bring it to the paint section in any store. Place in paint mixer, when no employee can see you. Turn machine on.

I just shook the hell out of it, I have a rather large can that is lasting for a year plus now.

G3, recovery, has protein. G2 is perform, G1 'prime'.

Also, if you dilute it enough, it's not that sticky if you mistake your water bottle for your G2 bottle and dump diluted G2 over yourself.

question on this - can e-load or similar electrolyte pills be used as a substitute for the effectivness of gatorade? Seems easier to carry a couple E-load pills and 2 bottles of water, then devoting an entire bottle to gatorade...

No G3 is the is the one with protein, and IMO it tastes nasty.

I use diluted G2 sometimes. Straight water won't work, I need the electrolytes. G2 only has about 20 to 40 calories per packet, I don't know what kind of kick you are going to get from that, an energy gel with caffeine would give a good kick.

edit: guess I didn't type fast enough

Funny

I also second the Gatorade power idea. I usually put 4 tablespoons in a 24 oz water bottle - giving 200 calories per bottle, and I carry two. I figure I burn around 500 an hour so drinking this means I don't have to carry quite as much food, and hydrates me at the same time. Seems to work out pretty well.

Complex carbs would be better for anything over 2 to 2.5 hours.

Well, for me it is.

If I'm going on a longer ride on a really hot day, I'll mix up two bottles of diluted orange Gatorade and then fill my Camelbak with water. On shorter rides when it's really hot, I might plan a route that includes a country store where I can grab a 32oz bottle of Gatorade mid-ride. But most of the time I just carry two 26-oz bottles of water.

The G3 strawberry kiwi is the nastiest drink I have ever had, however the mixed berry isnt as bad.

+1
I did a high 90's ride with lots of climbing and was dieing of thirst. Two 32oz @ a local gas station did the trick at first, but halfway through my ride I could barely stomach the Gatorade. Too thick for me, even my Carb-mixes are much lighter.

[They had these Powerbar Gel Blasts at a ride I did 2 weeks ago and they were delicious and seemed to work. When I got home I was checking email and my bonktown alert popped up for a 12 pack for 9 bucks. Figured fate was telling me something so I stocked up. They are little ball gummies with gel in the middle. The strawberry banana flavor is great.

I use the powder, mainly because it's a cheap and easy way to get electrolytes and a few extra calories. Any ride over 3 hours gets 1 bottle of diluted Gatorade and the other gets plain water. However, I still supplement it with gels and bars, and I prefer a "real" energy drink (Perpetuem, Cytomax, etc.) for the really long or hard rides.


+1 I started buying smaller cans for that reason.


On a related note, does anyone use the Gatorade Prime? I tried it as a way to prehydrate, but wow is it sweet!!! Plus, its usual price dissuades me from using it on a regular basis.

Did this for the first time this weekend too. It was 90F and sunny and I was dying of heat and feeling a bonk coming on so I got gatorade from a gas station and downed a bit and put the rest in my empty water bottle. Worked great.
When I adventure race, I use electrolyte tabs like NUUN or Hammer in my camelbak and that also works well.