Liquid energy

[citoyen]

I stick mainly with water, but occasionaly I get a craving for bitter shandy. Which works fairly well providing a little alcohol cushion and and a nice sugar injection all in one drink.

In southern Germany, shandy is known as "Radler", a colloquial word for a cyclist.

d.

[RichForrest]

Never used any sports/energy drinks myself, but like others I'm thinking about it for LEL.
Someone mentioned on the other thread about not being able to eat enough at controls to sustain the energy/calorie requirements needed for the ride.

[LEE]

I tried some isotonic thing (Lucozade Energy I think) but it made me want to puke and I had a tough time on the edge of bonkedness until I had a pint of Bitter Shandy.

Urban_biker was with me at the time and he'll testify that I was dreaming about Bitter Shandy for about 20 miles.  As soon as I drank it I felt better and the rest of the ride was a breeze.

As U-B says, listen to your body.

For me, anything I can drink, eat and digest comfortably is the ideal 'energy product' of the moment.

[Noodley]

Are pies a liquid? 

[Pingu]

I've seen Irn Bru have near miraculous effects on some YACF Écossers 

I use an isotonic drink, more dilute than recommended,  as it seems to ward off the cramps . I can't stand cola or Irn Bru or most other fizzy soft drinks  I tend to have strong black coffee at controls.

For food, I find Frueslis quite palatable on the bike and soup is good at controls.

[urban_biker]

Are pies a liquid? 

Only after consumption!

[LEE]

Are pies a liquid? 

Only after consumption!

If you are lucky you can find a bit of tubing (artery?) in a Steak and kidney pie and use it as a straw to drink the gravy.  *see Note 1



Note 1 - Don't read that last bit if you are a vegetarian

[damerell]

Not sure this is the right category to ask this question, but I was wondering what you drink during a 200km-or-longer ride.

Not energy drinks. Water on the bike, tea at the stops, BEER on the last leg if I have time to spare. Maybe OJ+lemonade if I stop at a pub on any previous leg.

[inc]

I was wondering what you drink during a 200km-or-longer ride.

You say drink, but the title says liquid energy. Two things are required for  9-10 hours cycling, water and to a lesser extent food. The water can be in any form but there are disadvantages, sweet drinks contain sugar which can ( with enough) cause rapid blood sugar rises followed by the dips as the insulin tries to control it and tea and coffee can be diuretic which can have a negative effect on staying  hydrated. The best way to take fluid is just plain water with added salts in the right proportion. One bottle an hour with a Nuun tablet dissolved in it is good start. When you are working most of the blood flow is diverted to the working muscles which slows digestion considerably making solid food not the best option for your fuel supply. Numerous studies have shown that a 6% solution of long chain carbohydrate in the form of Maltodextrin matches the bodies ability to process that quantity of food. Most commercial products are far too strong if mixed to their directions.If you are well trained most of the required energy will be from your fat stores enough there for days even in the leanest person the rest from stored glycogen and what you consume but it is impossible to eat and digest enough food on the ride to replace what you will use on the ride. Your body will be using 400-600 Kcal an hour but it can only absorb from food 200-300 kcal an hour.

As others have said it can be as much about moral and being a social event as nutrition I just stay away from foods that I know are normally slow digesting like meats and fats, they may taste good but you will just be carrying them around for the rest of the ride.

[red marley]

Torq energy (pink grapefruit) powder diluted to 1 small scoop per 750ml of water. I get through two bottles of this for a 200km. In my experience it's much better on the stomach than most sports drinks/powders. In summer I will also add a nuun tablet to plain water that is topped up during the ride.

For longer than 200km, I would add to this plain water where I can plus tea at controls, and occasionally a chocolate milkshake if my body craves it (it usually doesn't). If I have more than one bottle of Lucozade Sport or similar, my stomach and mouth starts to feel pretty rotten on a long ride, so I now tend to avoid these or at least dilute with 1:1 water if there is nothing else available.

For emergencies on a long overnight ride without sleep I might force myself to down a Red Bull. But I would put this in the same category as gels - medicine to get you out of real problems, and not something to enjoy as normal food or drink.

[innesh]

Frijj milkshakes.  That's all you need.  Well, it works for me. 

Carbs, a bit of fat, a bit of protein and a good bit of liquid.  I can down 500mls in a few seconds and I seem to ride well on that.

I'll drink plain water too, preferably not too cold (which is usual with bottled water), and try to eat a variety of foods, including fruit.  As long as it contains calories and you can digest it, I don't think it matters too much what you have.  I find sugary things (like energy drinks) become less palatable as the day wears on.

[Fietser]

Drinking yogurt (yoplait or similar). Two bottles for a 200k in cold weather, 1 bottle and another bottle with a somewhat diluted standard sports drink (no particular brand preference) in warm weather (to be replenished during the ride).

[hellymedic]

At controls: sweet tea
                   coffee
                   diluted fruit juice
In bottles:   water
                   dilute squash
Shops & garages:  chocolate milk, rice pudding, fruit juice, Coca Cola, ice cream

In general: what available fare I fancy

[saturn]

50/50 mix of orange juice and water - for me on any ride over 100km. Contains carb's and electrolytes I believe, doesn't upset my stomach and tastes natural. In the summer I add a pinch of salt.

[Thunderthighs]

Inc. has it pretty much right:

The body is able to replace only about one-third of what it loses during exercise; this is true for fluids, calories, and electrolytes - so in part we train to cope with this, i.e. 'cycling on fat'.

You cannot (and probably shouldn't) replace everything you use, but you can top up with what your body can handle - a very personal thing, so experiment and work out (and thoroughly test) what works for you. 

To my mind most of us, if fit and able to handle 300-400's comfortably within time limits (70-90%), then its all down to if you know what you body likes, can cope with, and how it handle lack of sleep - another benefit of completing at east one 600.  Get this sussed and you should be able to go day after day without too much trouble.

[LEE]

Frijj milkshakes.  That's all you need.  Well, it works for me. 

I have only ever craved these things on my LEJoG ride in 2002 (my first foray into Long-distance cycling really).

I didn't crave them before or since but, at the time, I actively sought them out and they hit the spot every time.

I believe Garage 'Mini-Marts' are the natural habitat of the FRIJJ

[JJ]

JJ found out on sunday when I had to apologise for my burst of energy

I was certainly eating your dust on every little incline, but I suspect that may have had more to do with the motor than the fuel.

Personally, I find a carbohydrate+electrolyte drink helpful up to a 300.  Beyond that and I CBA to carry the little bags of white powder, and anyway it gives me indigestion.  Once I get into longer rides, in theory a small bottle of orange juice in the bidon and topped up with water a-la Saturn, but in practice whatever I can get hold of.  When Mike got turbocharged, I dropped back and scoffed a banana, and that helped, but like I say, I reckon the problem was mostly down to a discrepancy in engine capacity.

Frijj makes me barff, but coke is good on a hot day, vile at all other times.

[Hummers]

50/50 water/energy drinks such as Lucozade Sport.

As I get fitter, it will be water only.

H

[frere yacker]

50/50 water/energy drinks such as Lucozade Sport.

As I get fitter, it will be water only.

H

If you have taken on the persona of your avatar (WSD) then I do not want to know what you eat and drink.  'twould turn my stomach 

[Bianchi Boy]

I used to use SIS and then found it horrible and sweet after been  on it. I sit next to a bloke at work who does Ironman. He recomended me Hammer Nutrition UK (and shipping to Europe) this has been very good. It has no sweeterners of any kind and I use the unflovoured stuff. It also has some protien and fat. I manage four scoops per 750ml. This provides about 500 cals per bottle.

I have only used it on one 200 and my DIY 600 last year. It worked. It does provide me with more calories than I would get normally with solids and water. You only notice this in the last section of a 200 and do not feel hungery after more than 10 hours. I try to user four scoops every 100km.

I know that this ection is for liquid energy but I have started using Tuc crackers as well. Saltly and a little dry. But offer a balance to cakes and sweet stuff.

I will be using it on my SR and see how it goes before using on the LEL. But indications so far are good.

[GruB]

In my water bottles I have no added sugar squash and when that runs out, water.
At controls I have a coffee.
At a corner shop I may get a Diet Coke.
If I am feeling very low I will get a chocolate milkshake.

[annie]

High 5, 4:1.  It works well for me.  I also take a couple of Motortabs that I pop in to my bottle when the High 5 runs out.

I often have problems finding suitable nutrition as I do not and cannot eat dried fruit.  The audax at the weekend had dried fruit in everything.  I will remember to take myown sandwiches next time.

I only started using this a few months ago when I began running and cycling on the same day.

[teethgrinder]

I've used
water
milk
milkshake
apple juice
tomato juice if warm weather, or tomato puree squirted into water if no tomato juice available.
milk with honey
bitter shandy
cola
tea
coffee
beer
wine (On my birthday on PBP, I was a bit slow for the next 30 or so miles though, hic!)

[simonp]

I have usually been using High 5 Isotonic but I am experimenting with their 4:1 carb:protein version now, which they claim is better than carb only.

Unfortunately it's months since I did a 200 so not able to compare it on long distance riding yet.

[MattH]

I used to use SiS electrolyte, which definitely made a difference to me compared with riding drinking water (less bonk and cramps). However I found it got too sickly sweet to drink after 150K - I'd be craving something like Orange juice. I was also suffering from a runny tummy after rides.
I switched to High5 4:1, I can drink that endlessly (or at least up to 800K), and no runs.

I also top up on pure OJ, Frijj banana milkshake, coke or whatever I fancy at controls.