Sports Drink of choice?

[Threshold]

I've finally decided that aside from just eating Clif Bars and taking GU gels during a ride, that I would finally start mixing sports drink mix with my water for the added carbs during a long ride. Over the weekend, my friend and I stopped at a bike shop to pick some up and we chose Hammer Perpetuem, which I thought wasn't too bad.

I just wanted to know what everyone else prefers during their ride just for some ideas. Maybe some pros and cons?

Thank You.

 

[TKOS]

For all my my rides, including century rides, I stick to good old Gatorade. Some carbs and a decent amount of salt. I prefer to buy the powder and mix to taste.

 

[Addicted2Speed]

Gatorade-since 1966 (ish) it has stood the test of time...

 

[cyberlegend1994]

Powerade Zero. No sugar, and gives two electrolytes that Gatorade doesn't.

 

[TKOS]

But the sugar is the carbs.

 

[davereo]

Powerade Zero. No sugar, and gives two electrolytes that Gatorade doesn't.

+1

 

[cyberlegend1994]

But the sugar is the carbs.

The sugar in sports drinks in most cases is sucrose, which is formed by dehydration synthesis of two glucose molecules - the two molecules lose the equivalent of a water molecule when combining, so to break the sucrose back down into glucose that water molecule needs to be replaced. So essentially if you consume anything with sugar in it during a workout, you need even more water not only to stay hydrated but to digest the sugar.

Glucose = C6H12O6, sucrose = C12H22O11.

 

[TKOS]

So somehow the Gatorade people have been screwing with us for all these years and making us dehydrated?

Oh and it is a combo of sucrose and glucose-fructose.

Personally I'll take that over sucralose any day.

 

[alienator]

The sugar in sports drinks in most cases is sucrose, which is formed by dehydration synthesis of two glucose molecules - the two molecules lose the equivalent of a water molecule when combining, so to break the sucrose back down into glucose that water molecule needs to be replaced. So essentially if you consume anything with sugar in it during a workout, you need even more water not only to stay hydrated but to digest the sugar.

Glucose = C6H12O6, sucrose = C12H22O11.

You have to remember that the number of molecules being synthesized is very small compared to the number of water molecules in the solution. There's always going to be an excess of water molecules, a huge excess.

 

[mccornwall]

So somehow the Gatorade people have been screwing with us for all these years and making us dehydrated?

Oh and it is a combo of sucrose and glucose-fructose.

Personally I'll take that over sucralose any day.

Sucrose is a two-ring sugar...one glucose ring and one fructose ring.

I use Powerade Zero myself so I don't get extra carbs. I'm a Type-II diabetic. I also carry something for if I *do* need some carbs...usually a GU pack or something else. I just picked up some Clif Shot Blocks to try those out on my next long ride. Might be less messy than a gel.

 

[gman0482]

Cytomax (tropical fruit flavor)

 

[cyberlegend1994]

So somehow the Gatorade people have been screwing with us for all these years and making us dehydrated?

Oh and it is a combo of sucrose and glucose-fructose.

Personally I'll take that over sucralose any day.

You can also drink regular Powerade, which has the carbs. In addition to the sodium and potassium, Powerade also provides calcium and magnesium, which Gatorade doesn't.

In addition, some people - myself included - get bloated when consuming certain drinks that contain sugar, so I opt for the Zero.

 

[Chapeau!]

San V12 Turbo; Fuel Injection!

Turns me into a god damn runaway freight train.

 

[matagi]

Water.

 

[alienator]

Water.

Where do you find this? Will my LBS have it?

 

[matagi]

Where do you find this? Will my LBS have it?

I don't know, it's pretty exclusive stuff. If it is a really high-end LBS, it might have some.

 

[mitosis]

The sugar in sports drinks in most cases is sucrose, which is formed by dehydration synthesis of two glucose molecules - the two molecules lose the equivalent of a water molecule when combining, so to break the sucrose back down into glucose that water molecule needs to be replaced. So essentially if you consume anything with sugar in it during a workout, you need even more water not only to stay hydrated but to digest the sugar.

Glucose = C6H12O6, sucrose = C12H22O11.

What a load of ****.

The carbohydrate in most sports drinks contain fructose or short chain polymers of glucose.

Sucrose is glucose plus fructose. It is split enzymically in the gut and absorbed as monosaccharides.

The one water molecule you are worried about is more than compensated for by the 11 water molecules released when you metabolise it.

Any sports drink worth its salt (pun intended) will need to have some source of carbohydrate and short chains are considered a good balance between rapid absorption and overload.

Try to get a few facts right before you post.

Unless you are going to be out for hours the best drink is water.

 

[Chapeau!]

Water.

+1.

I drink a lot of green tea too (not on the bike though). But its the best beverage I have consumed for overall general health & helps performance in other ways.

 

[Threshold]

I agree that the best thing that you can drink is water, but that's usually only for the shorter rides (1 - 2 hours)... well, at least for me that is. After that, I usually start feeling like I need to fuel up again. Like I mentioned, I usually bring Clif Bars with me, but having something mixed with your water for a constant flow of fuel is always nice.

I ended up ordering Hammer Perpetuem in Vanilla-Orange flavor, which I believe is about 270 cal per serving and about 52g of Carbs. The last time I used it, I put half the dosage in one bottle and the other half in the other bottle, so that in addition to consuming the Clif Bar, I do not exceed about 250 calories/hour. The average uptake of calories that the body can process to the muscles efficiently is anywhere between 240-280 cal/hr for someone that is around 165 lbs. If you take in more than that, that's when you start to feel bloated/full and could possible vomit due to the strenuous exercise.

 

[cyberlegend1994]

Try to get a few facts right before you post.

7th grade science class and 10th grade biology class. I wasn't totally asleep during those times.