You Got Favorite Electrolyte Drink?

[Mr. Beanz]

I'm a water guy and almost always use water on rides of 40 to 60 miles. With a big cycling bottle of Gatorade mix 3/4 of the way in. 

Getting older and with my job out in the sun wearing steel toes,  I think I'm feeling the  effects of sweating all day long, all week. 

So the boss bought the Pedialyte electrolyte packets to keep us hydrated. I drink a  lot of water but know I need electrolytes as well.  So I've been drinking a packet late morning and one in the afternoon. 

Can't say I feel any miracle effects but I did purchase some Pedialyte Sport packets to drink on my rides. 

2nd week that I have been drinking electrolytes and I haven't had a cramp. I've actually felt really good on the bike even with the 90+ Temps we're having.  I never cramp at work  but I think that all leads up to my cramping on the bike. 

I think if I had a day rest between work and my ride,  I'd feel great. But I ain't skipping Saturday rides. 

 So Getting older   I have to pay more attention than I had before.  Heck, in my 30's,  I could work all day in the heat and steel toe and still go home to pump iron and ride my bike.

Getting old sucks! 🤣

On my ride   all saturated with electrolytes,  I felt great. Placebo effect? I don't think so because Saturday I was able to push pretty hard  more than past few weeks with no cramps.  Cramps don't lie! 

So I'm paying more attention now to my electrolytes.  

I've drank Electrolit before a ride with breakfast.  One on Friday night after work and dinner hydrating ahead.

Then on the bike   Pedialyte Sport.  A bottle  Then some water so I don't overdo it.  

So I've been researching the different mixes and brands. 

I see zliquid IV has a good reputation and good price.  30 packets for $30. I  ordered some on ebay   $1 per packet. 

Pedialyte Sport worked well from what I've experienced but $2 per packet and reviews say they are about the same. One even ranked Liquid IV as their number 3 choice without selecting Pedialyte Sport.  So can't be that bad. 

Giving it a try since it claims all the good electrolytes and minerals. 

So, do you have a favorite that works for you?

Someone mentioned home made as well  what's the recipe?  You know me, I'm a budget rider. 😉

 

Edited August 8, 2022 by Mr. Beanz

[Bikeguy]

OK.... once again I read the entire post.  

What I remembered...   

2 minutes ago, Mr. Beanz said:

Getting old sucks!

Yes it does... 

I don't ride far enough to worry about electrolytes.   That solve the problem for me.   26 miles is enough for my old body.  

[Airehead]

I like Nuun because it is not sweet. 

[Mr. Beanz]

2 minutes ago, Airehead said:

I like Nuun because it is not sweet. 

Ya know,  I got some Nuun as a birthday gift from a cycling buddy. I tried it on a ride and I'll be darned,  I got a migraine headache and I hadn't had one in years.

Some things trigger migraines for me. Frozen chocolate bananas. Maple nut candies. Butter finger candies. 🤣 Things I've loved. I would not eat them for a year,  then have one as a test and GET A MIGRAINE. 

I got a migraine after taking the Nun on a ride.  I figure if I do the yearly test, I'm in for another. 🤣

So not that I wouldn't like to try them again, just that I've gone years without migraines and I'd like to keep it that way. 😁

The products I'm trying also have no sugar. I've always used Gatorade but lately   all I've tasted is sugar  yuck! 😝

[Longjohn ★]

I only use electriclights when I ride at night and I don’t do much of that anymore.

[jdc2000]

I might drink a small amount of gatorade at an aid station on a supported ride, but I would rather use electrolyte capsules washed down with lots of water.  Most electrolyte drinks I have tried don't taste very good, especially when you really need them.

 

[Zephyr]

I have tried a bunch of different ones..., water is the only one that doesn't upset my stomach

[Mr. Beanz]

36 minutes ago, jdc2000 said:

I might drink a small amount of gatorade at an aid station on a supported ride, but I would rather use electrolyte capsules washed down with lots of water.  Most electrolyte drinks I have tried don't taste very good, especially when you really need them.

 

Ah yes, I forgot about capsules. 

The Pedialyte Sport mixes 16 ounces but my bottles are 34 ounce so I run it a little strong at the start.  I mix a bit more water in after a few drinks. 

But opening 2 packets, I can't see carrying around a half opened pack. 

Does taste a bit salty at first but once I start suffering   I forget about it. 😄

Just wish they'd come up with a 24 ounce pack vs 16.

[Mr. Beanz]

3 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

I have tried a bunch of different ones..., water is the only one that doesn't upset my stomach

Gina too, even water will upset her stomach at times.  

She did use Skratch for a while.  One of the flavors agreed most with her. I forgot which flavor though. 😃

[bikeman564™]

Lemon-lime gatorade, but its been years since I had any. I like the powder version so I can mix it at home. I don't like it full strength.

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

11 hours ago, Airehead said:

I like Nuun because it is not sweet. 

They use Stevia. I don’t care for artificial sweeteners. I used it once and never again. On hot rides I fill one bottle with water, the other with Gatorade. 

[az_cyclist]

I have had decent luck with Hammer Heed.  I dont mix it as strong as they suggest, but about half.  The downside is I have to clean the water bottles more often.  One bottle for Heed, the other for water. 

For century rides and longer, I will mix a bottle of Hammer Perpetuem.  When that is gone I refill the bottle with water for the rest of the ride.  I also carry Hammer Enduralyte tablets. They seem to help.

[JerrySTL ★]

For rides longer than 3 hours, I use Gatorade powder mixed about 60% strength. I also have a GU gel or two just in case. Back when I did things like double century rides, I used all kinds of stuff like Accelerade.

Bicycling Magazine has a good article about sweat loss and sodium in this month's issue.

[Razors Edge ★]

Water all the time. On an organized century, it's whatever they offer - usually Gatorade.

I don't know that I could easily go back to flavored drinks regularly. Water is just the easiest for all situations, but with the massive humidity we have in the summer, I do lose a LOT of sodium from sweat that I need to consider.  I take the Clip Bloks - especially Margarita - to help with a bit of salty goodness and will also eat salty things on those longer rides. 

[Mr. Beanz]

1 hour ago, az_cyclist said:

I have had decent luck with Hammer Heed.  I dont mix it as strong as they suggest, but about half.  The downside is I have to clean the water bottles more often.  One bottle for Heed, the other for water. 

For century rides and longer, I will mix a bottle of Hammer Perpetuem.  When that is gone I refill the bottle with water for the rest of the ride.  I also carry Hammer Enduralyte tablets. They seem to help.

Yup, same here. One bottle for drink mix and one for water. 

I marked my mix bottle so I know which to scrub after every ride.  I bought a bottle brush just for this function. 😄

[Square Wheels]

Skratch

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

1 hour ago, Mr. Beanz said:

Yup, same here. One bottle for drink mix and one for water. 

I marked my mix bottle so I know which to scrub after every ride.  I bought a bottle brush just for this function. 😄

I don’t need to mark my bottles. White gets water. Red gets Gatorade. All. The. Time. 

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, Old No. 7 said:

I don’t need to mark my bottles. White gets water. Red gets Gatorade. All. The. Time. 

TWO BOTTLES?!?!!? Just TWO BOTTLES?!?!!??  Are you INSANE????

[Mr. Beanz]

1 minute ago, Old No. 7 said:

I don’t need to mark my bottles. White gets water. Red gets Gatorade. All. The. Time. 

Ah! My bottles are the same so I etched a little  G on one lid and bottle. 

G is for Gatorade but I am switching so I may have to cross it out and add an L. 😄

 

[dinneR ★]

For bikepacking, I carry nuun. I tend to grab water from streams and filter it so at a little nuun can help the flavor. Bikepacking rides can be 5-10 hours so I need some electrolytes.

For rides three hours or more from home I use Scratch. 

[Kirby]

I've got some Skratch powder and Nunn tablets in my kitchen for my "be prepared" kit to have in case I get sick, but not something I normally use.

[petitepedal ★]

5 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

Skratch

Me too