Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)
  • Taking back lost ‘salts’ on bike rides? – but not with fancy powders/bars/drinks
  • james
    Free Member

    As per title
    Without having to go to a bike shop/shop online on a semi-regular basis, have to think about stocking up, having to stomach them or just generally having to ‘get into’ using any of the cycling energy powders/tablets/bars etc ..

    Maybe I could deal with an electrolyte drink, but they’re so expensive!

    Hows a ‘balanced cycling diet – ie energy and salt intake done without the use of any of the fancy stuff? Not for racing, just for long rides and whatnot.

    I think I suffer from losing salts and whatnot on longer rides which ends up with a much greater thirst that never seems quenched (usually after having sweated lots).
    Bananas, biscuits, sandwiches (Some marmite – thats salty?), jelly type sweets, chocolate, sometime lucozade sport and so on tends to make up what I ususally end up eating on bike rides

    Tiboy
    Full Member

    I use sainsburys rehydration powder, designed for use when you have the runs(yeh not nice), but I notice a significant improvement over jsut plain water, and has a slight blackcurranty taste. Alternatively I guess you could just use salt and sugar in your water.

    glenp
    Free Member

    Guinness and peanuts. Simple.

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    BoardinBob
    Full Member

    Camelbak filled with water

    Diluting juice

    1 tablespoon of sugar

    1 teaspoon of salt

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Have you tried sucking the little pads inside your helmet?

    If so, what do they taste like?

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    My recipe – apple juice water mix 1/3 apple juice 2/3 water plus half a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon or two of sugar per litre – sort of isotonic erring on the hypotonic side.

    Crisps are good for salt replacement as well

    glenh
    Free Member

    Most of the salt will still be on your skin/in your clothing.

    Just lick it off.

    MrCrushrider
    Free Member

    tomato soup with some salt after the ride, and pleanty of council pop to wash it down.

    but i make me own drink which is

    half litre water , half litre fresh orange/apple juice and 1/4 tbsp of salt – 1/4 tbsp of sugar. job done

    james
    Free Member

    Whenever I’ve put anything other than water into a camelbak it goes mouldy quite quickly (after rinsing/cleaning). Do I really want to be pouting sugar/fruit juices in it? I think I’ll be giving it a try though

    “Have you tried sucking the little pads inside your helmet?
    If so, what do they taste like?”

    I’m not sure as to the levels of urea in sweat, so not overly keen on licking the sweat back

    shinsplints
    Full Member

    “Have you tried sucking your helmet?” – 😯 😉

    alpinegirl
    Free Member

    If you store a camelbak in the freezer that should stop it going mouldy. Or could you also take one bottle on your bike filled with juice? Like soem of the others I use 1/2 orange juice, 1/2 water with a bit (very technical I know) of salt thrown in.

    pk-ripper
    Free Member

    just go to myprotein.co.uk and get a tub of their electolyte plus pills – and have one every couple of hours with plain water if you’re sweating a lot.

    There’s about a years worth of heavy riding in one pot for about £5. I use them for serious summer training.

    joemarshall
    Free Member

    Bag of crisps.

    Less clothing if you’re sweating too much. You can’t do this one in summer, but if you’re sweating excessively in winter / spring, that’s a sign of too much clothing surely?

    glenh
    Free Member

    Slightly more serious answer:

    You don’t just need sodium (normal) salt. Potassium, and magnesium salts are also important among others.
    Bananas are a good source of potassium salts, plus a good carb source.

    I know you said you didn’t want to have to deal with fancy things, but these are supposed to be good and are very easy (just pop em in your camelback/bottle when filling it with water) and don’t gunk anything up:

    http://www.nuun.com/

    meeeee
    Free Member

    i find this stuff is good and easy to use (just add the right number of drops / capfuls to your camelbak). Works out quite cheap if you get a big bottle, sometimes on offer at CRC. Does make the water taste v.v.slightly salty…but apparently this depends on the initial composition of your local water so might be worht trying the small pocket bottle first. Anyway hardly any noticeable taste here in the lakes, and TBH i dont mind a v. slight salty taste.

    elete

    molgrips
    Free Member

    You shouldn’t need salt unless it’s really a long very hot hard ride. Then I use Torq flavoured drink which has electrolytes in it – but don’t mix it full strength, it’s too strong.

    Any electrolyte tablets would be good – but drinking carbs when riding makes a huge difference, much more so than the salts.

    simonfbarnes
    Free Member

    Isn’t this a bit precious ? Can’t we just eat ordinary food ? Our bodies evolved to work without significant nutritional knowledge, and did so for millions of years prior to faddism 🙂

    MrCrushrider
    Free Member

    meeeee that elete stuff is very good for stopping cramp, i used it all through last summer

    bigrich
    Full Member

    full english beforehand and lots of Dry roasted peanuts, choice of champions.

    here in oz they have salt tablets you eat when out doing exercise in the sun.

    MartinGT
    Free Member

    Are you talking about losing salts and feeling pants after riding in the UK at this time of year? If you are I suspect youre wearing way too many layers, you shouldnt be feeling like that with the temps we have now, more like in the awrmer months?

    Are you eating / drinking sufficently pre ride and during the ride?

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Isn’t this a bit precious ? Can’t we just eat ordinary food ? Our bodies evolved to work without significant nutritional knowledge, and did so for millions of years prior to faddism

    We evolved to die in our mid 40s, wanna do that too? 🙂

    What we evolved to do isn’t important. Cavemen didn’t go on 5 hour bike rides for no reason other than enjoyment. They’d have thought you were insane if you’d suggested it.

    Fact is, you can only keep so much energy in carb form in your body, so supplementing it allows you to ride longer and harder. Eating sandwiches works, but drinking carbs works better and is easier. So you take your pick and I’ll take mine 🙂 First time I ever took carbs on a ride it was brilliant, I felt absolutely top and was full of energy for hours. Had a great ride. Others may enjoy a similar experience.

    miketually
    Free Member

    Lick your arm. If it tastes nice, eat something salty like crisps.

Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)

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