Electrolyte drinks, energy bars, gels?

What should we consume during high effort rides?
There is not one simple answer and lots of advice out there but one thing for sure is that what we eat and how much we consume directly affects how well we perform, how quickly we recover from exercise and how much enjoyment we get from our riding.

How best to meet our energy and hydration needs for maximum safety and efficiency is a bit like using the gears on the bike – different combinations and choices can be adapted depending on the intensity and length of your rides and of course on the weather conditions.

For short rides under 1 hour; water is the most important replacement. Our bodies are made up of 60% water and does not have reserves. It is essential to replace the amount of fluid lost during exercise and the accepted recommendation is to drink little and often, and never to wait until you feel thirsty. By then it’s too late! The recommended minimum is to drink 150ml every 15mins but this should be increased in hot weather.

For longer rides of 1 to 2 hours; Water and now glucose/fructose should be replaced and the easy way is to take an electrolyte replacement drink, which includes mineral salts or alternatively water and a gel. Replacing glucose helps prevent hypoglycemia and depleting glycogen reserves in the body. Highly concentrated gels may give the ideal boost to energy needed for a sprint finish but make sure you drink plenty of water at the same time as otherwise this remains in the stomach (and unpleasantly in the mouth!)  and doesn’t  reach your blood stream quickly enough. It has been suggested that consuming electrolyte drinks and gels together should be avoided to prevent too high a concentration of carbs in the stomach which can not only cause digestive problems but also reduced the speed of absorption.

For rides longer than 2 hours;  We should now think of replacing water, glucose, mineral salts and Vitamin B on long duration, high effort rides. Vitamin B helps with the assimilation of glucose by our bodies. Sports fruit bars, and especially dried fruit are a good source of glucose and vitamin replacement and can be easily transported and consumed while riding, which makes them very practical!

Did you know?

Isotonic drinks are of the same osmotic pressure as the blood with a concentration similar to our body and therefore allow for rapid rehydration.. Because of this these drinks are absorbed more quickly than water, and are best used during and after exercise to boost energy levels and encourage rehydration. They contain carbohydrates and electrolytes. Popular brands include Lucozade, Isostar and 100 Plus.

Hypertonic drinks are more highly concentrated in sugars and therefore take longer for the body to absorb. They are recommended to be consumed several hours before training to “carbo load” or after exercise but are not ideal during exercise, particularly  in hot weather, when quick rehydration is necessary. 

Hypotonic drinks are less concentrated in sugar, easier to absorb and are especially good for rapid fluid replacement giving a better hydration in hot weather. Because they have fewer calories they can also be used in our everyday diet.