Having never really used energy drinks until doing SITS last weekend and using SIS, what do you guys use ?

Looking for something during the ride, but without all the crap that goes into them… also I would need to try the flavours out before going large…so samples or tasters would be helpful too.

I used to take SIS Go on rides but found it didn't stop cramp, it might give you an energy boost as it's full of sugar.Sugary drinks tend to make your mouth dry so you drink more,even if you drink more energy drink with electrolytes it will still dilute your plasma sodium level increasing the possibility of cramp.
I tend to use Elete which is an electrolyte add-in for water and take some food such as Granola bars or flapjacks, occasionally if I'm racing I'll take Zipvit ZV8 bars which are just carbohydrate based.

Torq Energy Powder, nice flavours & far better than that nasty SIS stuff.

I use plain Torq, which is pure maltodextrin powder – mixed with squash. You can even have it on its own, it tastes almost like water. For races, I like Torq flavoured which has other stuff in it including electrolytes but it's not a big deal really. The carbs are what's important. It makes a big difference to how far you can ride. For me, it easily triples how far I can ride hard. It's just liquid food really, but easy to digest whilst exercising.

Mix it lower strength if it upsets your stomach.

Also it's not full of sugar, it's full of maltodextrin which doesn't cause as many problems a sugar.

TJ will be along soon to tell you it's all a load of rubbish and you are imagining any benefits.

Torq.

Ping!

Next!

I can confirm that you will vomit if you drink Monster before riding up the back of Walna Scar, never mind racing on the stuff.

TJ will be along soon to tell you it's all a load of rubbish and you are imagining any benefits.

I'll defend him here, he's always maintained that you can pretty much make your own for peanuts (you can) that'll do mostly the same thing, and that for "regular" folk it's about all you need, if you're a serious athlete looking for the edge then you'll probably get some benefit from the powered stuff…

However, it is convenient. I use SIS Go for long days in the saddle. Water or squash with a pinch of salt otherwise.

I am now converted to Elete to stop cramp. Every race I have ever done has resulted in serious cramp. At the muck off 8 they were giving it out at the feed stations. I hadn't realised this until the 3rd lap and had already got cramp drinking SIS electrolyte. When I did have the Elete is stopped the cramp getting worse. Used it for SITS and no cramp during the race at all!

If you want to try them out zipvit do a pack with bars, gels, powders and a waterbottle all you pay is postage (about 4 quid)

EDIT: link

Um, you guys do know that the whole cramp = lack of electrolytes is probably wrong?

Cramp is fatigue related, not really much to do with electrolytes at all.

Carry on…

I'll defend him here, he's always maintained that you can pretty much make your own for peanuts

Yeah well he thinks I spend thousands on the latest chemical cocktail guaranteed to make you olympic speed and a hit with the ladies, when I just buy plain carb powder in 5kg tubs for energy.

crikey does talk sense … most of the time folks on here are just stretching beyond their means and get cramp.

Just ordered a trial pack from zipfit. Thanks for the link.

Cramp is fatigue related, not really much to do with electrolytes at all.

I must contribute here I only ever get cramp on super long epic races, and it doesn't matter if I drink electrolytes or not 🙂 It tends to happen when I either try hard up some climb (inside of thighs) or have to stretch a toe to dab in some wobbly situation (calves).

i only get cramp when i go like the bat out of hell in short course races – not my thing

or in the last couple hours of a 24

BUT when it is hot i get cramp too and thats from electrolyte dilution im sure …

It's not my theory, but it appears that research has been done on electrolyte levels during exercise and there is not the association between cramp and those levels that we used to assume.

http://www.sportsscientists.com/search/label/muscle%20cramps

I got cramp at Hit The North, despite drinking an electrolyte drink. That was caused by trying to keep up with Twinklydave after he lapped me.

crikey – I agree that it's easy to blame cramp exclusively on lack of electrolytes and this is wrong as there can be several causes.

Cramp is fatigue related, not really much to do with electrolytes at all.

This though sounds like you are saying it never is. Is that so?

Not trying to argue, just that I was under the understanding that muscle contraction / relaxation was done by the manipulation of the balance of minerals inside and outside of muscle cells. Therefore a lack of these electrolytes can cause cramp. Is this wrong?

I had a quick skim of the linked article. Looks interesting will read it all later.

You should have mentioned this at SITS, Mounty.
I was swapping between SIS, Torq and Nuun on my laps. You could have tried any or all of those.

My preferences…
SIS is too sickly, a bit like flat pop.
Nuun is too salty.
Torq is bland, a bit like lukewarm water out of a plastic bottle.

I can put up with bland. I keep meaning to try mixing it with orange squash, but haven't bothered yet. It's tolerable as it is.

MTQG are you talking about plain torq? There's plan, and about 8 flavours. The flavours are with electrolyte.

Flavoured I find too salty, so I cut it with plain.

Interesting sports science article that.

I have found after hot 24 hour races or marathons that I feel very crap all over. Properly knackered and shitty. Once I had to have a lie down after a race, and felt really really unwell. On the way home, we stopped to eat food and as usual all there was was Burger King. Well, within a few seconds (seriously) of eating some salty fries, I began to feel absolutely right as rain again.

Salt deficiency?

It was definitely far more than just being cheered up by food. I don't even like Burger King much.

high5 4:1 for energy
high5 zero tabs for cramp-prevention and nice taste 🙂
discount suppliments online for decent prices on both.

Yes, I've only ever used the plain one. I buy it in big buckets and didn't want to risk buying a flavour that I might not like.
Maybe I'll try some smaller quantities of the different flavours and experiment with dilutions and mixtures as you suggest.

I mix plain Torq with squash.

Come to think of it, is there any reason why I shouldn't mix Nuun and Plain Torq in one bottle ?
One's a carb (maltodextrin) drink and the other's an electrolyte drink.
Would there be any advantage to mixing them or maybe carrying two bottles and drinking from each alternately ?

I got cramp at Hit The North

before I got on the bike. I've never had pain in my quads like it from running before…

Oh, and I make up my own drink – maltodextrine and fructose (2:1 mix) bought online from Myprotein.

Just mix em, I would – all ends up the same in your tummy.

I would never race Hit the North. Never.

😉

"Just mix em, I would – all ends up the same in your tummy."

So do custard and fried onions, but I wouldn't put them in the same sandwich.

I'll give it a go. What's the worst that could happen ? 😛

You are not Heston Blumenthal material then, clearly!

I've been using the lucozade energy drinks powder all summer after picking some up cheap in a Tescos Mega store thingy, very nice it is too. Does the trick for me as well

SIS Go is designed salty so you keep wanting to drink and therefore rehydrate.

tried loads and torq is only one i can drink at full strength, pos due to all natural ingredients. Plus i find it don't foam up when u mix it like some high 5.

Got put onto this a month or so ago. Take it before I go to the gym, or for a ride if I am feeling tired. It is the goods.

http://www.sshealthfoods.com/pages.php?page=lt.creatines&details=1821

You wont be disappointed.

That looks like major snake oil to me!

Work with a dude who treats his body like a temple, and is ripped to bits. He got me onto it. It is like having 3 red bulls back to back!

Try it, it is good. Will be off to GNC to get another box in the next few days!

Cramp is also known as involuntary muscle contraction, your muscles are doing something that they don't usually do.
The remedy to this is regular stretching of the muscles and 6-12x 30 second intervals at maximal intensity should help eliminate cramp or at least reduce the possibility of it happening.

I use torq, don't konw what about it it is that I like, but I certainly seem faster and less fatigued so I keep using it.

They do single shots as well so you can test the different flavours (and then use the pot it comes in to get the right amount of powder next time 😛 )

Re cramp…The fitter I am, the less I suffer from it…Go figure