pdlamb

Cytomax seems to disguise my thirst, so I can only use it on short (20-30 mile) rides. I don't think I'm thirsty, so don't drink that extra bottle of water, until I can't ride any further.

On tour, my favorites are orange juice (and a water chaser), V-8 (and water), and chocolate milk. And for really hot, really long days, a large slushee.

Mr. Beanz

On hot days (90-105) I will mix the gatorade as mentioned. Also on hot days with 5000 ft climbing, yes, I use the gatorade.

But I think one mistake many riders make is trying to hydrate "on the bike". If I am doing a long or hot ride, I begin my hydrating the night before. I continue the next day on the bike.

I've met quite a few riders tha make the mistake. I'll suggest they drink the night before a tough ride but they say, "I'm not worried, I have this fantastic sports drink". Some of which even clean the bottle while it supplies the rider with electolytes.

Homeyba

If the regular electrolyte replacements don't work for your, stick with water and use a replacement product like Endurolytes. You can always open up the capsules and pour them in your water if you don't like to take the pills.
Everyone is different and different things work better or worse for different people. Personally I prefer Powerade over Gatorade. There are a bunch of electrolyte replacement products. It’s just a mater of finding the one that works best. Accelerade gives me gas but then so do beanz…

Mr. Beanz

PA and Accelerade taste yucko! But, I do love beanz!

Wogster

I think that really there are two issues, calories and electrolytes, I can't speak for others, but I have about 175,000 extra calories in the tank, that I wouldn't mind getting rid of, so if I can get or stay in the fat burning zone, calories are not an issue. Electrolytes, the biggest ones are sodium and potassium. I doubt there are many people who have a sodium deficiency in North America, there is too much in the typical diet. Potassium, if your worried get it checked, if it's low add more to your diet. The real key is water, and the more water you drink the better, if you don't like the taste, check your bottles, new plastic bottles often have a plastic taste, fill with HOT water, and let sit in the sun, put it in a window you go by often, every time you pass, dump the water and refill, after a couple of days of this the plastic taste should be gone. Old bottles that have a taste should be filled 1/4 with bleach, then fill the rest of the way with water, put the lid on upside down so the top is in the bleech, let sit for an hour, flip the lid right side up and screw it on. Afterward, wash bottle thoroughly with soap and water, until all traces of bleach smell are gone. If you have bottles you don't often use, store them with the lids OFF.

RatedZeroHero

here is an article that echos the same thing i tried say earlier...

https://www.voyagerfitness.com/nutrit...rinks-gatorad/

Tony N.

thanks a bunch. So my acid indigestion may be my body telling me that it don't need the extra stuff. But when I spend all day in the saddle climbing Mount Mitchell I may. Kind of brings me back to the days of high school football practice. Those were the days when the coaches gave us a hand full of salt tablets to swallow each day before practice to keep us strong. :-0
Mount Mitchell organizers said after a certain mile point, Gaterade and Coke would be available of course along with water.
Thanks everyone.

Seve

I have been told the same thing by several dieticians and a pharmacist that I know.
The marketing is pretty effective ........

So like many others I too drank the KoolAid with respect convincing myself I needed electrolytes etc. and since I had my heart attacks and surgeries I have found out differently.