# DIY sports drinks



## MessenJah (11 Aug 2008)

*Do you make your own drink for cycling?*

I like to make a drink with the following:


2 spoons of Maltodextrin

A spoon of glucose powder 

Two 50mg caffeine tabs (£1.99 for 30 tabs from Superdrug), crushed into powder

200ml of fruit juice of any kind (I like orange juice mixed with pineapple)

An electrolyte plus tablet (I skip this if I'm going to eat food regularly during the ride)

top up with water

Tis pretty good


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## Blue (11 Aug 2008)

I mix my drink from 1/3rd Innocent smoothie and 2/3rds tapwater. Quick, good and one of my daily fruit portions into the bargain!!


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## Rhythm Thief (11 Aug 2008)

I usually just have plain water. But occasionally I have a bottle of some sort of powdered banana energy drink.


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## yello (12 Aug 2008)

Water, pinch of salt, few tbs of sugar, drop of lime cordial.... or just water.


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## beanzontoast (12 Aug 2008)

Water.

Anything else starts to taste funny when it warms up after a few hours cycling.


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## MessenJah (12 Aug 2008)

So do you completely rely on actual food to keep you going on long rides? I couldn't ride for more than an hour without some sort of carb intake.


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## RedBike (13 Aug 2008)

Just water

I eat a bananna or two and the odd biscuit while riding. 
On longer rides, 6hours+, I like to stop for a meal.


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## yenrod (13 Aug 2008)

Water: though if i was to use a drink it'd be Isostar: as I like the Lemon taste.

Wouldnt mind trying theses 'Gels' that Pro. riders use and see if they make a difference.


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## MessenJah (13 Aug 2008)

'course they make a difference - they replace carbs that you've used up, so they'll delay fatigue. Some contain electrolytes too. You still need to drink water though, obviously. 

I'm quite surprised at how many people only use water... BTW I meant to ask "Do you make your own drink for long rides?" but for some reason I typed "...for cycling"... oops.


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## Baggy (13 Aug 2008)

One hour and I'm fine on water, or nothing if it's cool. 
Two hours plus will take squash or water and snacky bars. 
Four hours plus will mix up one bottle of Lucozade powder (orange - yum) and one water, plus snacky bars and maybe a sarnie. 
If it's longer than that, will also take out some loose Lucozade powder to mix when refilling a bottle, snacky bars, sarnies, chocolate etc...and possibly top up with Coke, ice cream etc if its 9 hours or so.


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## TheDoctor (13 Aug 2008)

Depends on the weather, the distance, the hilliness and the pace. A gentle amble, like the evening CTC pub rides (3 hours, including about an hour in a pub, 20 - 25 miles) I won't bother. Harder or longer, anything from water or squash up to full on energy drinks, Eat Natural nutty bars and generally anything that'll get me through. On Ventoux I got through 1.5 liters of SIS drink, 1.5 l water, 3 bars, coffee with sugar and a can of Coke. Then I stopped for lunch on the way down. Mind you, I've been known to do a 12 mile ride and stop for tea and cakes. Twice...


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## Baggy (13 Aug 2008)

TheDoctor said:


> On Ventoux


 He says, casually 



TheDoctor said:


> Mind you, I've been known to do a 12 mile ride and stop for tea and cakes. Twice...[/


Yes, likewise


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## TheDoctor (13 Aug 2008)

I'd have got ice creams as well had the shop been open. And chips.


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## 4F (13 Aug 2008)

Blackcurrent squash with salt


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## Renard (24 Aug 2008)

I normally use lucozade sport in my bottles but am looking for any DIY recipes out there so I can save a bit of cash. I Have heard of some who use diluting juice with salt and others who make up solutions of glucose and/or maltodextrin but I haven't a clue which and what quantities to use. Any tips would be appreciated.


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## Blue (25 Aug 2008)

I use a mix of 1/3rd Innocent smoothie and 2/3rds water. Water and fruit in one go.

The mix was suggested in Cycling Weekly a year or more ago so I gave it a try and found it to be excellent. It won't save as much as a squash and water mix unless, like me, you are a smoothie drinker anyway.


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## MessenJah (26 Aug 2008)

Cheapozade

[url=http://messengerofdoom.wordpress.com/2008/01/10/cheapozade-plus-aka-slightly-more-expensiveozade-courierade/]slightly more expensive o zade[/URL]


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## Globalti (26 Aug 2008)

Wow! Great recipes though I think I'll stick with a the safe environment of a café for my caffeine hits!

I use maltodextrin, which I blag as free samples from someone I know at a flavour manufacturing company. However the quality varies and some is virtually insoluble in water. Maxim is maltodextrin and all the convalescent drinks like Complan and Build-Up are based on this as well as Cup-a-Soup. In fact maltodextrin is present in most factory prepared food and drink. Dunno if you can buy it in Boots though; you might find it online.


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## mondobongo (1 Sep 2008)

Good stuff messenjah, will pick up some glucose powder when I am out later.

I have used the real cheapo of a dash of robinsons cordial and a very small pinch of salt topped up with water for a quick hour blast tastes better than water cheaper than a bottle of lucozade etc.


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## palinurus (1 Sep 2008)

Good suggestions- thanks.


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## Tharg2007 (1 Sep 2008)

was just looking at your blog messenjah and found this






I think this is deffo the way forward, riding through manchester I sometimes feel i could do with being kitted out like this


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## mr Mag00 (3 Sep 2008)

is thera nyway of adding some form of carbo to these for long long rides


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## Tharg2007 (3 Sep 2008)

maybe potato starch? might thicken it though


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## Globalti (10 Sep 2008)

The maltodextrin is the carbohydrate. It's in a more readily-absorbed form.


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## fossyant (10 Sep 2008)

Think I'll stick with Isostar Long Energy for my plus 2 hour rides - works for me and at about a tenner for a big tub, it lasts quite some time.


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## Riding in Circles (11 Sep 2008)

I have a three litre water bladder, 2.5l still lemonade, a cup of mint cordial and fill the rest with Pims, when cycling, one has to be aware that is is always Pims o'clock.


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## alecstilleyedye (12 Sep 2008)

for longer riders i use hi5, for shorter ones i'll make up a mix of 200ml cordial (vimto is nice) with 800ml of water and a pinch of salt.


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## John the Monkey (12 Sep 2008)

I've not broken the two hour/35 miles barrier yet, but I usually manage with 4/5 water to 1/5 fruit juice. I take some jelly babies along in case I start to flag.


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## mr Mag00 (22 Sep 2008)

messenjah in ur initial post u dont say to how much water this is added if any at all


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## MessenJah (22 Sep 2008)

mr Mag00 said:


> messenjah in ur initial post u dont say to how much water this is added if any at all


1. Most cycling bottles are at least 650ml.

2. It says 'top up with water'.


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## mr Mag00 (22 Sep 2008)

ty i use a bladder and bottles i just wondered thats all


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## MessenJah (22 Sep 2008)

Well, now ya know! 'Standard' sized water bottle (although they do vary obviously). Doesn't need to be precise anyway - adjust it to suit your taste.


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## tomb1960 (22 Nov 2008)

where do you get maltodextrin from?

BTW when I'm flagging nothing replaces all that I've lost better than a pork-pie! Washed down with water.


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## jimboalee (22 Nov 2008)

Like any professional sporting person, a pro cyclist is not going to tell the world what they eat and drink when competing.
But, muggins here has seen with his own eyes.

For a start, a multivit supplement tab every day. Whatever the hotel can provide for brekky – eg Weetabix, toast, honey, Tate & Lyles, preserves, coffee, white sugar, Danish pastries, croissants, various iced top buns.

On the ride – more cakes. FULL SUGAR Coke. Small bottles of glucose syrup.

Usually some sort of Pasta with fish or white meat for supper. One bottle of Becks. More cakes.

All these ‘energy drinks’ are usually owned by large soft drinks companies eg Powerade = Coca Cola. They want sales.


BTW, there are two m’s in Pimms. So I don’t believe you.


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## bigjim (3 Dec 2008)

read somewhere that all these energy drinks are full of sugar or a derivative. same with so-called pure fruit drinks. Evidently can't beat plain water and eat actual fruit, raisins, nuts.

Jim


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## ColinJ (3 Dec 2008)

tomb1960 said:


> where do you get maltodextrin from?
> 
> BTW when I'm flagging nothing replaces all that I've lost better than a pork-pie! Washed down with water.


Take a look at this post where I describe how I make my sports/energy drinks and where I buy bargain-priced Maltodextrin powder.


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## MessenJah (18 Dec 2008)

bigjim said:


> read somewhere that all these energy drinks are full of sugar or a derivative.


well what else are they going to have in them? potatoes and roast beef? lol


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## BentMikey (19 Dec 2008)

The ultimate el cheapo carb for long distance riding is soreen malt loaf. My mate AlexB (remember him from C+?) has a ex-chalk climbing bag on his handlebars which he fills with small cubes of the stuff.

Me, I tend to use SiS Go. Since I'm cycling/skating all day 5 days a week, I need the electrolytes and the carbs. I could probably get by on bananananananas, soreen and water though.


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## luke's fleche (23 Jan 2009)

I use a simple isotonic drink on pretty much every ride, it consists of 

50-70g sugar
One litre of warm water
Pinch of salt
200ml of sugar free squash
its simple to make and pretty tasty and you get a good amount as well


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## mr Mag00 (21 Feb 2009)

does anybody have an organic source for these products.
i have been looking but not finding, perhaps it is my search criteria


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## theloafer (27 Feb 2009)

use these most of the time
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/health_and_fitness/4289704.stm


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