It’s gettin’ hot in here. So what’s in your water bottle? Many of us like to switch things up, or carry different drinks in different bottles (or cans, or reservoirs), so answer with the go-to drink you bring for those one-bottle rides.
Bonus question for the comments: What’s one things you NEVER drink during a ride?
Two bottles: 1 with water; 1 with electrolyte, though sometimes it is 2 bottles of water with chewable electrolyte / salt tablets
I buy canisters of powdered Gatorade and mix it to my liking. In warmer months, I’ll add a few salt stick fast chews along the ride. Heat has arrived to central Florida….. it’s time for a PNW adventure!
Chewable electrolyte tablets have made a big difference for me in avoiding post ride cramping.
Coconut water
I won’t put this in my bottles but I’ll 100% drink these at a rest stop/gas station at the end or if I’m transitioning between trail systems.
Help me out – I’m still trying to better understand the nutrition side of things. What is the benefit of the salt tablets/chews? Is it similar to the sodium and electrolyte benefits from Gatorade?
I ask because lately, I get a pretty bad headache after a ride. I usually just drink water so I’ve tried things like drinking more water, Gatorade instead of water, eating something small like a banana before the ride or eating it immediately after, protein shake right after, etc., but nothing has helped so far.
The reason you need salt and other electrolytes is that you need to maintain conductivity in your body for nerve and muscle function. Pure water (purer than you can find in nature) does not conduct electrical current. (That’s why they are called “electrolytes.”
As you lose salt through sweat you need to replace it. Salt also helps you to absorb and retain more water.
I use scratch labs green tea mix in both bottles (one packet divided between the two). The extra carbs help to maintain my energy level in races/rides, but the main benefit is for prevention of cramps. This particular formula is only mildly sweet so it does not make my stomach churn.
When I get home I do NOT want to consume more simple sugars (even though the mix I use is low sugar… I’ve had enough.) I will just have water with lime juice and sea salt. This will get rid of that dehydration/headache/insomnia after big rides. (You ever feel you need to drink so much water it keeps you up all night to pee, yet you never feel recovered? More salt.)
I need to add that Gatorade is basically soda without carbonation: it’s full of sugar / formulated for mass market appeal to children. It’s ok when diluted for 1 hour activities but if you are doing anything bigger than that you want a scratch labs or science in sport preduct. These come in powder form only.
Thanks, Sean! I appreciate the responses. I’ll look into Scratch Labs.
I’ve started to make my own mix for my hydration bladder. Water, sea salt, orange or lemon juice, and agave. Saves some money. Also a bottle of plain water.
For general MTB rides I just use water. If I do a race then I use water and Heed or Nuun. Back when I first got into the sport back in the 90’s a lot of the fast racers would drink flat Coke during races, but there were not very many good hydration options back then
Depends on the length of the ride. Most rides I do are 25 or less miles, so I usually just drink water and have a couple of Gel Packets on hand. For longer rides I will have water in my hydration pack and a bottle with Nuun mix in it on my frame as well as some Gel Packs and maybe even a Kind bar or two with me.
I never drink energy drinks. Energy drinks generally can dehydrate as well as it shrinks capillaries which inhibits oxygen getting to the cells.
I always use 2 bottles one H2O and the other electrolytes. But I try to drink water and electrolytes a lot day before I know I am doing 10 or more miles. Hydrate well morning of.
Nothing on most rides.