The challenge of Gatorade(etc) powder
 

I find I do a lot better on long rides in hot weather if I mix gatorade powder (and often also an electrolyte tablet) into my water.

Obviously, one can buy that or its competitors premixed at any convenience store along the ride, or mix it at home, but a lot of the point is to be able to bring the powder to add when refilling bottles mid-ride.

But what's a good way to transport a supply of the stuff for an all-day ride?

I tried putting it in the small "snack size" sandwich bags, but even those are still really hard to shake into a bottle without spilling.

Having had a tub absorb some moisture over the winter and clump, I though to try doing that intentionally by adding some water to the bag, but was careless and got too much - so I added more powder thinking to make a double refill, but all I ended up with was a gooey mess that was even harder to get out of the bag.

I feel like there should be some way to wrap the stuff in waxed paper with twisted ends or something, and come up with a solution I can just tear open and dump into the bottle.

In theory it is sold in pre-measured packets, but the only place I've ever seen that is a metal shop catalog...

I'll bet there is something in the backpacking world that would work pretty well.

https://www.rei.com/c/small-containers

You can get individual Gatorade powder packets. They are pricier than the tubs of powder, of course, but they otherwise fit your requirements. If you don't need the sugar from the Gatorade, I actually prefer the packets of Propel.

You may also try some heavier duty baggies like these: https://www.amazon.com/Plymor-Heavy-...gateway&sr=8-2

I use Emergen-C packets. Gatorade has to much sugar and not enough of the right stuff.

Use old yet cleaned rx containers. Holds just enough for a few servings & are reusable. Hand wash only.

This is why i like NUUN because it comes in plastic tubes that are easy to carry. Its my go to drink mix

Oh, I live by that stuff. But for the key part of the day I end up with both one of those for the electrolytes and minerals, and gatorade for the sugar and perhaps flavor.

Maybe I should just buy sugar cubes to augment the nuun?

There's no small irony in eating healthy all week and then running on sugar for a ride, but I've found I do far better when I drink it, and in recent rides eat a pair of sandwiches by halves (wrap them by halves in waxed paper then re-pair in a baggy, toss in the freezer overnight) through the morning and early afternoon, than when I wait until a late afternoon lunch stop and try to subsist on cliff bars.

I actually experimented with using an empty nuun tube to hold gatorade powder; I was sawing off the dessicant thingy in the cap with a steak knife but not getting what felt like a food-grade result, maybe I should just leave it, or just clip off that web-spring. I'm at the point distance and duration wise where I'd prefer to head out with powder to make up 3-4 liters, because I'm typically out until dusk or later. Though I do find if I started well that late in a ride I can cut back to just nuun, and eventually just water.

I've contemplated those, especially the time I got to the first rest stop and discovered that I'd left my baggy off stuff on the kitchen table - ended up perusing a CVS vitamin aisle, those looked the closest but wasn't really sure what 5x or 6x a vitamin C megadose would do. Ended up with gatorade and cliff bars from there, and stopping at a bike shop around mile 31 for nuun.

Ironically pharmacies here in NYC often have bananas (to a depressing degree they can be people's food store, but at least they've realized that and tried to fill the mission); those in the suburbs don't. I really struck out on finding a consumer market potassium source.

I bought something similar at the Container Store for that purpose, I should figure out where it got it and perhaps complete the process of washing it to the point I'm willing to use it for food. There is a downside of course to durable containers, in that the pack doesn't get any smaller as the ride progresses.

https://www.amazon.com/BRIDGOR-Porta.../dp/B07S16Y3FX

BRIDGOR Outdoor Portable Collapsible Food Grade Silicone Bowls with Lids

A couple of Nuun tabs in a zip lock bag.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...00e9e537a8.jpg

Gu and blocks for sugar.


-Tim-

Answer: Absolutely nothing. The stuff is excreted so efficiently that there's a hard ceiling on the plasma concentration you can get from taking it orally.

Yeah, the "expensive urine" summary stuck in my mind, still, it seems a bit much.

But if I ever get really stuck EmergenC might be on the list of options.

You could always make a batch of Gatorade syrup and then carry it in a little bottle. I make chocolate syrup from sugar and cocoa powder. Don't see why it wouldn't work with gatorade powder.

I've thought of this, but have my doubts from watching solids survive a couple of miles jostling in the bottle how much more concentrated it could be and still dissolve; admit I haven't tried stirring it in with heat. I know soda syrup is insanely concentrated, if there's a soda fountain version I could get a bottle of that would be perfect.

My doctor says the same thing. Mega doses of Vit. C will probably give you stomach cramps and all that goes with that and nausea as well but no seriously bad injuries will occur with a C overdose

ZipFizz!

Flavored powders that easily mix with water. It comes in small plastic-wrapped tubes. Available through Amazon, Sam's Club & Costco. Been using the stuff for years.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6bcd0eadac.png

I looked this up and side effects and overdose are extremely rare. Water intoxication is probably more likely. When I lived in Florida female triathletes were dying from water intoxication and alligator attacks.

Just about any retailer will carry small plastic containers. Grocery, dollar, target, Wally, craft, outdoor.

https://www.dollartree.com/sure-fres...t-packs/207072


You want the pack to get smaller? https://www.rei.com/product/696007/c...s-package-of-2

with a bit of googling you can find some company or amazon/ebay seller selling plastic test tubes with screw on caps. seems like ideal solution to me. i have 2 at home that came filled with chocolate from one of our suppliers at work.

Due to the whole living in netherlands i tend to use it to put in a pre-rolled joint or 2 for any long bike rides.

I use the snack bags that are tall and skinny. The top opening fits easily into my water bottle so that I don't make a mess when transferring the powder:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Val...count/32250860

Not really. You aren't subsisting on it. Hard exercise isn't the same as sitting on a couch (or not hard exercise).

Purpose made food-grade zipper bags.. This linked size would hold the correct amount of Gatorade powder for one serving of standard bike water bottle. I use a smaller version (2"x3") to hold a couple Nuun tablets.

https://www.amazon.com/Plymor-Heavy-...s%2C144&sr=8-3

Thanks, that's more like what I'm looking for! Mine are the same shape but open on the long side, which works out horribly.

Not having a nearby Walmart, do I want to carry a cable lock and stop when my distance ride goes past one? Almost but I think there might be another near the destination where I'm getting met.

"portion" seems to be the key search term online, but the prices there are a bit extreme.

Maybe for the time being I should keep my first aid scissors more accessible and just cut off the end, nearing the end of the current box of wrong opening ones anyway.