Hydrant focuses on having a really small ingredient list with all natural ingredients, and no artificial ingredients or sweeteners. The grapefruit flavor is wonderful, and some flavors even include caffeine which can give you an additional boost. When you have a harder and longer effort, just replacing electrolytes is not enough.

One of the things that drew me to Osmo immediately is that it has a version of its hydration mix that is designed especially for women. Specifically, it is formulated to help women avoid any fluctuations in performance during their premenstrual period. The flavor of Osmo is so incredibly pleasant.

When you are pedaling hard and want to replenish your carbohydrates and electrolytes this is an awesome product. It mixes into the water so well, and it really does what it says.

I actually just used Osmo on my ride last night. I found that the energy I got from Osmo was sufficient and I felt no need to supplement with chews or any other carbohydrate. Skratch Labs Hydration Mix was the first mix I have ever tried, and it is definitely a favorite.

Scratch has done an incredible amount of research into developing a natural hydration mix with real sugar that fuels athletic performance.

Skratch Labs was created by Dr. Allen Lim, a sports scientist and cycling coach who developed natural products with less sugar and increased electrolytes.

The flavors of the Skratch Labs Hydration Mix I have tried are all great. I do have to mention, though, that I find the recommended mix to water ratio to be a little much. The flavor is a bit too strong for me. This may very well be because of their emphasis on only including the most natural ingredients, and for that reason I still highly recommend it.

I was so excited to try the CLIF hydration mix because CLIF is well known for having delicious products. The CLIF hydration mix is no exception.

The lemon-lime-ade is just the right amount of sweetness and lemon-lime flavor. It did an excellent job keeping me hydrated throughout my ride.

I find CLIF products to always be a solid and natural choice. CLIF uses a lot of organic ingredients. Moreover, the ingredient list is always a short list of items you can pronounce. Cyclists who race in particular struggle with replenishing their carbohydrate stores in races because eating can be cumbersome, if not relatively impossible.

For example, if you are in the midst of an intense cyclocross race, you might not be able to stop to eat at all, and a hydration mix that is rich in grams of carbohydrate is going to give you the fuel you need to perform at your best.

This is a carbohydrate replacement product with a short ingredient list that does not emphasise electrolyte replenishment. FLOW is designed to be easy on the stomach which is really helpful if you experience stomach upset when you are nervous about a hard effort or a race.

The calorie count of FLOW is significantly higher than other drink mixes reviewed here, so it really should be used during harder, longer, more intense efforts when eating is just not feasible or possible.

The flavor is very mild and pleasant, and definitely easy on the stomach. When I used FLOW I felt like I could pretty much ride for miles and miles, which is exactly what I was hoping for from such a carbohydrate-dense product!

It is so important to stay hydrated and fuel properly for your rides, and the right hydration or drink mix can go a long way to help you achieve your cycling goals.

Stacy Ann Smith is a New England-based cyclist who strives to stay upright on her bike. She is the founder of Sascy Cycling, and her mission is to encourage women to love their body and focus on what it can do, not what it looks like.

Please note that many though not all, of the product links on our site are affiliate links. Read our full privacy policy for more information. Why Hydration Is So Important Not only do we need proper hydration simply to live, we also need it for solid performance on the bike.

You probably remember feeling weak or fatigued. You may have had a headache. Not ideal, right? The most obvious solution is to drink water consistently throughout the day. Dale hydrating on a ride! Both dietitians recommend a few other ingredients that have been shown to support performance, including B vitamins , which play a role in energy metabolism and overall energy production.

They may also help to reduce mental and physical fatigue , according to a study published in Nutrients. Use them for hydration before, during, or after sweaty, shorter rides or as a supplement to gels or snacks during longer treks.

Of the six Nuun flavors we tested, this was the top pick. Almost everyone who drank this knew it was Gatorade—and that was a good thing, as many of our testers have fond memories of playing sports as kids and drinking Gatorade for hydration.

The classic lemon lime flavor still reigns as the top choice and comes in powder or liquid form. Testers agreed that this drink provided a perfectly sweet, but not too sweet flavor. They also appreciated that there was no aftertaste. Roar makes a number of drinks with unique flavors, including this Georgia peach, as well as a much-liked cucumber watermelon.

But almost everyone had one that they loved, so you can always buy the variety pack. A big favorite, testers commented on the mild flavor and lack of overt sweetness of this powder. These drinks pack in a higher amount of the macronutrient to keep you fueled. Testers recognized this Gatorade flavor, which was an easy favorite, just like the Gatorade Zero classic lemon lime flavor.

Testers were evenly split on the berry and mandarin flavors from Tailwind. Some liked the fruity sweetness of berry, while others liked the mellowness of mandarin, which some said tasted reminiscent of iced tea.

Famously made without flavoring and sans preservatives or artificial coloring, Maurten designs its high-carb products for easier digestion. Donna Raskin has had a long career as a health and fitness writer and editor of books and magazine articles.

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In general, these options fall into four categories. The first thing to drink while cycling is plain water. If your ride or workout is a short one, water can be a good choice.

Just remember that you may need some sodium from another source. However, for longer or hotter rides, water is a poor choice. This is because carbohydrates play a vital role in the absorption and transport of electrolytes.

These drinks and powders focus on providing sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes with little to no carbohydrates. Electrolyte drinks are great when you get enough calories from other sources like gels, chews, or bars.

Each tablet has three grams of carbs. The next option is using hydration tablets or a mix. These mixes usually contain some carbohydrates and electrolytes.

Skratch Labs Sport Hydration Mix is a good example. A third way to hydrate during cycling is to use a carb-dense drink mix. Usually, these drinks have more carbs than a hydration mix but with similar sodium content.

For example, SiS Beta Fuel has 80g of carbs and. These types of drinks are an easy way to get both carbs and hydrate at the same time. Using a carb mix in one bottle with water in another is a popular choice because it can help avoid GI distress from too many carbs.

Whatever you choose to drink when cycling, listen to your body. Learning your needs and accounting for the weather and intensity, you can create a hydration plan to help you achieve your goals.

For more cycling training knowledge, listen to Ask a Cycling Coach — the only podcast dedicated to making you a faster cyclist. New episodes are released weekly. Sean Hurley is a bike racer, baker of sourdough bread, and former art professor.

He is a connoisseur of cycling socks and a certified USAC level 3 coach. Rumor has it he also runs a famous cycling instagram account, but don't tell anyone about that. Nutrition TrainerRoad Basics. Cycling Hydration Options There are a lot of options when it comes to what goes into your bottle.

More On Cycling Drink Mixes Timing Your Recovery Drink: What and When to Drink 5 Biggest Sports Drink Mistakes Tips for Riding in Hot Conditions.

cramp cramping drink drink mix hydrating on the bike hydration salt salt loading salt stained bibs salty bibs sodium sports drinks sports nutrition water. Sean Hurley Sean Hurley is a bike racer, baker of sourdough bread, and former art professor. Related Posts Nutrition TrainerRoad Basics How to Hydrate For Indoor Cycling Workouts Meghan Kelley.

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It also makes it more difficult for you to maintain proper body temperature. Your maximal aerobic power VO2max decreases, and blood flow is impaired. All cyclists should drink water before, during and after their rides. To know how much you should be drinking, check out our hydration guide.

Water is not going to replace all of the electrolytes you will deplete during a hard effort, or those lost in the heat when you are really sweating. The first drink most people thing of when they think of a sports drink is Gatorade or Powerade.

Unfortunately, these are the last thing you should be drinking on the bike! They have way too much fructose and sucrose which can cause tummy issues on the bike.

What you should be looking for in a drink mix is sodium and potassium for electrolytes. Certain hydration mixes are focused on providing electrolytes without carbohydrates.

They are also good for efforts on hot days when electrolyte specific replacement is the most important. Additionally, they can be used when you will be getting your carb replenishment from other sources like energy bars, gels, or chews.

Usually these mixes will be relatively low calorie, and low in carbohydrate. They will contain only a small amount of sugar or will be sweetened with a calorie free sweetener. The main function of hydration mixes is to replace the electrolytes you lose while exercising. I know of so many female cyclists and athletes who absolutely swear by NUUN.

NUUN comes in a bunch of different flavor combinations the Strawberry Lemonade is awesome! It is low calorie, and comes in a small convenient tube. Then, I just drop a tab into my water bottle whenever I fill up.

The tablet has a really pleasant flavor. This drink is so delicious that I work my way through bottles of water even faster than I would otherwise. GU is a very trusted brand in sport nutrition. Like NUUN, these are also low calorie, and come in a fizzy tab. The flavor tends to be pleasant enough, but in my opinion has a slightly more artificial flavor than NUUN.

Because of this, I find myself gravitating to the NUUN hydration tablets over the GU. Hydrant focuses on everyday hydration for everyone—regardless of whether or not you are active. Hydrant focuses on having a really small ingredient list with all natural ingredients, and no artificial ingredients or sweeteners.

The grapefruit flavor is wonderful, and some flavors even include caffeine which can give you an additional boost. When you have a harder and longer effort, just replacing electrolytes is not enough. One of the things that drew me to Osmo immediately is that it has a version of its hydration mix that is designed especially for women.

Specifically, it is formulated to help women avoid any fluctuations in performance during their premenstrual period. The flavor of Osmo is so incredibly pleasant.

When you are pedaling hard and want to replenish your carbohydrates and electrolytes this is an awesome product. It mixes into the water so well, and it really does what it says.

I actually just used Osmo on my ride last night. I found that the energy I got from Osmo was sufficient and I felt no need to supplement with chews or any other carbohydrate.

Skratch Labs Hydration Mix was the first mix I have ever tried, and it is definitely a favorite. Scratch has done an incredible amount of research into developing a natural hydration mix with real sugar that fuels athletic performance. Skratch Labs was created by Dr.

Allen Lim, a sports scientist and cycling coach who developed natural products with less sugar and increased electrolytes. The flavors of the Skratch Labs Hydration Mix I have tried are all great. I do have to mention, though, that I find the recommended mix to water ratio to be a little much.

The flavor is a bit too strong for me.