Hydration? What are you using?

[number21]

Another for eLoad, been using it for a bit now and has worked well for me. Easy on the stomach, not too sweet taste, tried there new fancy flavours but can't go past lemon-lime. I get it from Clarence st.

100km+ rides I take two shotz electrolyte tablets just in case I start cramping up, but they give wind in the arvo so used sparingly (I've yet to try them as part of some jet propulsion diet)! Nuun is just electrolytes also right?

Water is enough for me for rides up to 2 hours. 750ml bidon every hour, every ride. At least thats what I aim for.

[BarryTas]

raspberry Endura Powder (5 parts) with a little bit of red gatorade powder for flavour (1 part)

[scirocco]

Water only if it's not really hot or I'm not going 100km or something. (I use gels or muesli bars or bananas for plain old energy replacement).

If it's hot I use Hi-5 electrolyte tabs in the water but that's just because I pick it up cheap from PBK or one of the other pommy stores when I'm shopping. Any electrolyte drink you can stomach will do really. Most so-called "energy drinks" are okay for replacing carbs but not electrolyte.

Electrolyte replacement is really, really important. I got badly sick after one long ride in the heat when all I did was drink water. Blacking out and everything. Went to the hospital, had a blood test on the spot and it was all due to lack of salt replacement.

[greyhoundtom]

Another vote for Endura

Two scoops per 750 ml biddon, drink one before the ride and one for every hour after that, and its the only stuff that stops me cramping.

However the only flavour I can handle is the Lemon/Lime as the Raspberry makes me feel chucking up.

[Schmenz]

i use the high 5 - zero berry.

i have the nuun cola and nuun lemon lime - hate both - free to a good home (pm me)

i take magnesium supplements pre and post big rides.

frequency of hydration and nutrition is also very important. not just whats in it.

[snark]

Two scoops per 750 ml biddon, drink one before the ride

Don't you have problems wanting to .. get rid of excess fluids doing that? I find I can't drink too much before a ride.

This is getting into an area that I've long wondered about but not sure if is appropriate for this family friendly forum .

Cheers,
Simon.

[greyhoundtom]

That can be a problem when you are racing, but generally it’s a “health” break whenever necessary and wherever possible.

Then there is the really good friend that gives you a push along when you really need it.

[Rex]

i use the high 5 - zero berry.

Likewise, for long rides I'll use a High5 Citrus, with another teaspoon of staminade citrus.

[koen]

Here is some interesting stuff from my old mate Pete
http://www.mastersathlete.com.au/2011/1 ... maybe-not/

I reckon the elite athlete woud perform better than the others even if hydrated too!!

[winstonw]

Here is some interesting stuff from my old mate Pete

I wouldn't be take note of this until the sports physiology position stands change.
The overwhelming scientific consensus is that dehydration combined with higher intensity endurance exercise is not good for performance, and is certainly not recommended chronically.

Further, dehydration weight advantages for runners are unlikely to transfer to cyclists.

[koen]

Here is some interesting stuff from my old mate Pete

I wouldn't be take note of this until the sports physiology position stands change.
The overwhelming scientific consensus is that dehydration combined with higher intensity endurance exercise is not good for performance, and is certainly not recommended chronically.

Further, dehydration weight advantages for runners are unlikely to transfer to cyclists.

I wouldn't know about weight advantages fro runners. I certainly would not think being dehydrated is a good way to go as a rule but that evidence suggests a well trained athlete can probably still perform in competition with some fluid loss.
I do notice dehydration affects my recovery (as an alsoran kind of athlete) whether in training or racing which is very important for multistage events and effective training.
On the other hand people are mad about drinking water nowadays! Seems they never use thirst as a guide. Let's face it if I am not doing something extreme I can easily work all day without a drink of water even when its hot.

[GraythefatXCRider]

I have to ask this:
I've been told by several people that adding anything but water to a hydration pack (eg. Camelbak) can cause degradation in the pack's bladder.
Can anyone confirm this either way?

[ZepinAtor]

I have to ask this:
I've been told by several people that adding anything but water to a hydration pack (eg. Camelbak) can cause degradation in the pack's bladder.
Can anyone confirm this either way?

False. I've used Endura, Balance Re-Fuel & Gatorade (not all at once) in a second bladder in my Camelbak.

There's only ever been a tiny bit of mould in the tube after leaving it for weeks without flushing it out. Otherwise if you rinse hot water through it after the ride everything is fine.

It helps if you can use the specific Camelbak super skinny, long tube bottle brush to ensure a good clean. I just left mine full of water which inhibits any mould growth or as others do put it in the freezer between rides.

BTW-- I used eload for the first time in last weeks 4hr endurance event at Woodenbong. One word--Brilliant !!! Thanks Smudgy good score

[GraythefatXCRider]

Thank you very much for that, especially the extra information on caring for my (still shiny and new) Camelbak. I was wondering how to attack the problem without putting another water bottle in my backpack - which strikes me as a waste of space.

[trailgumby]

It helps if you can use the specific Camelbak super skinny, long tube bottle brush to ensure a good clean. I just left mine full of water which inhibits any mould growth or as others do put it in the freezer between rides.

Not so sure about that. It depends on the time of year. Winter it's OK, but in the summer months stuff grows a lot more easily. And it's not mould, but bacteria. I wouldn't do it, personally. I prefer to mix a double lot of High5 in the bottle and sip on water from the 'bak in between.

The freezer trick works, but the missus gets a bit sick of it when both the youngster and I have our bladders in there.

[Mustang]

Nuun tabs are the best, no sugar, (use sorbitol) high mg, good fizz, good flavours (much better than 'Zero') My favourite flavour is tri-berry. I use 1 tab per 700ml although Nuun say up to 1.5 tabs

I find Nunns good for the no sugar reason, also mix it up with "shotz" which is also sugar free.

[Schmenz]

milton tablets are great for cleaning the bladder ive never bothered with the freezer and never had a problem.

handy advice is dont put vodka in them... you can never get the taste out, and when you are hungover the next day... its really not good.

[trailgumby]

handy advice is dont put vodka in them... you can never get the taste out, and when you are hungover the next day... its really not good.

That cracks me up

[sogood]

Water, water, water... And then some Staminade on hot/long rides.

[symo]

Water, Carbo Shotz & Staminade.

Then Coffee at the Coffee Shop

[waramatt]

water, water, water

+1 even on my recent Century ride (imperial, not metric). Oh but I forgot to add the bacon and egg roll and can of solo at the 80k mark, or the fish and chips at the 140k mark. Unless you're competing, it all seems a bit like marketing hype to me.

But then I mostly cruise, especially on the way TO work.......

[gururug]

I drink water and eat food.

+1 Handfull of salted nuts for over 1hour rides

[rider_1]

i drink plain water, if it's too hot i bring two bottles on my bike and banana as the source of energy...

[ving]

A camelback for me... And a beer if there is a pub somewhere on my route

Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk

[bioeffective]

I find the use of Siberian Red helps me with my hydration and general well being.
A natural antioxidant produced from pine needles. lol, sounds strange but it's actually quite good.

About 3ml's per litre of water. simple as that.

cheers