Abe_Froman

No ride REQUIRES food. You could survive a double century without any food if that's what floats your boat. But how would you feel after? The next day? How would having a 1000 calorie deficit for just the 40 mile ride affect training for the next day or day after?

Abe_Froman

I looked up that Hammer stuff. It's basically just gatorade with this (and caffeine...) mixed in: https://www.amazon.com/Bulksupplemen...01H4BTWGA?th=1

MSchott

Don’t assume I’m not getting enough nutrition post ride. I usually have a powder protein drink post ride. And a good meal later. I’m not a racer.

Abe_Froman

I'm not assuming anything...we've been talking specifically about on bike nutrition. Eating after a 40 mile ride is just digging yourself out of a hole.

Believe me...I've done this countless times. Perhaps you have just stronger physiology than me...but there is no question that for me, regardless of what I eat directly after a ride, I feel better when I don't create a 1000-2000 (or more...) calorie deficit during a ride.

MSchott

I’m sure we have different riding patterns as well. A big week for me is 100 miles and I’m 5’ 10” and 200 pounds. I don’t have problems with crashing after rides.

firebird854

Nope, the Hammer Perpetum has branched Amino Acids and Protein in addition to electrolytes, carbs, and caffeine. I see no reason to mess with the osmoality of Gatorade by adding more carbs, likely wouldn't digest nicely anyway.

Abe_Froman

Meh. No need to overthink this stuff too much. Sports drinks of all kinds basically provide 3 things: water, salt, calories.

Anything else is just marginal gains/knifes edge type stuff. Maybe it helps, maybe it doesn't. My personal view is that you're paying a 500% markup on basic pantry goods for the privilege of having a 2% difference compared to what you could do at home for practically free.

Abe_Froman

That's fair. At low intensity, you'll still have (most of..) the calorie deficit, but you won't be nearly as glycogen depleted, which is where I think most of the crashy feeling comes from.

Litespud

Water only - I never get cramps, so I don’t worry about electrolytes etc. a couple of breakfast bars in my pocket for energy

atjurhs

the reason i asked is that i'm just getting back into riding and last Saturday i did a 21mi hilly ride at 14mph and bonked with 2mi to go, i had nothing and i had already blown through my water bottle and was sweating salt bullets.

so i figure that sipping on one of those "energy drinks" might have helped. sounds like Nunn is what i might be after or maybe just 1/2 gatorade?

GrainBrain

True, but Gatorades not the best for longer rides. The sugar is used too quickly and leads to crashes. Maltodextrin is king for good solid performance.

I won't argue in the markup, but what I saw was having to buy bulk maltodextrin + protein isolate + electrolytes and combine them myself wasn't really advantageous as just buying Hammer's "Sustained Energy" (close to but not perpetuem). Maybe I could have saved $20? Meh, I have to make some advanced arrangements to get a 100+ day on the bike so I don't mind.

Now HEED, I'll see if it's worth the price, not so sure. But I'm never going back to Gatorade!

Electrolyte tablets have completely taken away my cramps that have dogged me for years on the bike, so maybe I'll end up with a little bulk Malto + electrolyte tablets.

Abe_Froman

I'm not sure I would sweat it (hah, see what I did there ) too much. 21mi at 14mph is an hour and a half. I think you would be hard pressed to develop an electrolyte imbalance that you can feel within 90 minutes. I'm sort of always a proponent of taking in calories while you ride. But realistically, if you bonked 90 minutes in, I'd look back at what you had to eat, if anything beforehand. And of course, always make sure you have enough water...if you're really gushing it out, you can get dehydrated pretty quick.

1st worry about water. Then calories for longer rides...then longer still electrolytes can play a part IMO.

atjurhs

i think i got dehydrated, so Nunn and Gatorade type products should help that, no?

Abe_Froman

Well I add maltodextrin to my gatorade....I think I do about 50 gram maltodextrin to 23 gram gatorade. It takes like 30 seconds per bottle.

Agree about the maltodextrin, but I think for different reasons. I don't believe maltodextrin takes significantly longer to break down in the gut. But is 1 step more complex, which is important because it doesn't taste sweet generally. So you can cram a ton of maltodextrin calories into a bottle without making it taste like you dumbed a half pound of sugar in there.

Abe_Froman

Water will help that

Don't overthink it too much. Those products have salts in them that, if you go hours and hours, you can start to feel the effects of depleting them in your body. Research also says that that and the addition of sugar allows the fluid to be absorbed more quickly than just water on it's own. But really....I see limited benefit in water being absorbed 5% faster or whatever it is. As long as you don't stop drinking.

seedsbelize 

I use Emergen-C, in the 250mg dose, mainly because it is readily available in my little backwater.

woodcraft

I've used Powerbar drink powder- basically just sugar,

but have gone to plain water. Tired of black scuzz growing in the bottles.

Also trained to fat more- a handful of nuts and dried fruit & maybe a banana along with the pastry & coffee stop is fine for a 5- 7 hour ride.

Post-ride beer is pretty common. Different formula for longer rides- more calories in.

canklecat

DripDrop or Propel for electrolytes. Both come in handy little Mylar packets, waterproof and easy to stuff into a seat bag.

MiO packets for caffeine and vitamin B, or protein.

Creatine/BCAA powder. I was skeptical about creatine at first but it does seem to help with my muscle recovery *during* rides and workouts. The only drawback is it makes me pee more often, which can be a hassle during a ride. Mostly I use it on my days off the bike when I'm doing other physical therapy to strengthen and stabilize my neck and upper body.

indyfabz

Yes. I have been on rides where people do that. Recurring level C ride. Slightly over 40 miles. Not that hilly. Boggles my mind.

indyfabz

Do some darn research. Perpetuem is not a sports drink like Gatorade. And for people who think Gatorade has tons of energy, it doesn't a 32 oz. bottle has only 200 calories. A single serve package of Perpetuem, which I mix in a 25 oz. bottle, has 270. 54 grams of carbs in 25 oz. compared to 56 for the 32 oz. Gatorade.

And when you are doing something like this, where there is no access to any food or water, on a fully-loaded bike, in 90 degree temperatures, you don't have the luxury of raiding your pantry:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/23254899?beta=false

Life it's not always about saving a few bucks.

KraneXL

Hmm, powdery stuff? I'd have to chose this in that case. On heavy days I throw in different fruits and spin it in the blender for a frothy post-workout delight.

Sy Reene

These types of rides are generally the social club rides. If a person typically eats breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you go for a ride that spans one of these usual dining timeframes, why not break and have a bit of a meal?

Sy Reene

2-bottle summer rides --
1st bottle is just a Nuun tab (watermelon ftw)
2nd bottle is half-strength Gatorade powder, plus 1/2 tab Nuun.

I used to sometimes throw in some whey powder (protein) into the 2nd bottle mixture, but don't bother now.

MoAlpha

Other than making the brine palatable, the original rationale for the glucose in Gatorade® when it was developed at UF was only to stimulate insulin release and facilitate potassium uptake into cells. This isn't even necessary, since no who isn't taking strong diuretics, doesn't have kidney disease or vomiting/diarrhea, and eats fruits and vegetables, is in any danger of hypokalemia.

indyfabz

Not really that sort of ride. Started at 9. If there were no food stop it would be done by noon. Who needs pizza or a hoagie half way on that sort of ride?