What do people recommend?

Need to make sure I drink enough on the BB200 (major lesson from last time) and after a while i'll get bored of plain water.
What brands/flavours do people recommend?

Nuun cola flavour.

The only ones I can stand are sis berry flavour ones, but they're a bit odd according to most

Nuun triberry

Alternatively try the uber concentrated cordials, come in a very small bottle. One squirt per cups worth of water

I find they're all not quite right but pretty much palatable. SIS pineapple are a highlight I suppose. I've just got some of wiggles own brand and they're as good as any other and cheaper if you aren't into bulk buying.

Sign up to Quidco and discount supplements are pretty much unbeatable for that sort of thing.

benp1 wrote:Nuun triberry

Alternatively try the uber concentrated cordials, come in a very small bottle. One squirt per cups worth of water

I've only tried the Robinsons Squashd and it was revolting!

Do you just want electrolyte or something with carbs / protein, etc?

s8tannorm wrote:Do you just want electrolyte or something with carbs / protein, etc?

Its more to flavour the water. (but not making it taste like cat wee)

Someone has re-created Creamola Foam is that is any help

http://www.fizzshop.co.uk/kramola-fizz-tins

(but not making it taste like cat wee)

Well there goes my suggestion

Nuun triberry for me too.

s8tannorm wrote:Do you just want electrolyte or something with carbs / protein, etc?

I find if you're going to use energy drink, you need to commit to using it all the way through the event, which means taking powder with you and topping up on long rides. If I start with energy drinks and then stop mid-way through a long ride, it takes a lot of food to get me out the ensuing bonk.

Alternatively, using hydration tabs and food and/or gels works without the faff of powder. Just have to remember to eat enough food at regular intervals.

s8tannorm wrote:

(but not making it taste like cat wee)

Well there goes my suggestion

Organic Torq is your answer then. It tastes, but not of anything in particular, and certainly not cat wee.

40% off and free post when you spend over a tenner at SIS. I've just ordered some cola & caffeine tabs.

I'm a fan of the grapefruit high 5 zero things

If it is to flavour the water just use some vitamin C tabs from Poundland. Perhaps just check that you won't overdose. ...

Nuun etc are pricy do contain salts but no calories but you still need to take some calories on board so you area buying twice. Not very Yorkshire like

I am concerned that I have joined a group where so many know what cat pee tastes like!

Please people if you aren't used to chowing down on gels don't start at the BB200. They can have some pretty bag effects on the stomach (ask mountainbaker) and anyway real food is better than science food anyway.

composite wrote:Please people if you aren't used to chowing down on gels don't start at the BB200

The same goes for drinks.

A friend and former road pro, now into long road races, gave me the advice for my first endurance event not to experiment with nutrition.
I didn't experiment with food, but did use High5 electrolytes which I hadn't tried before. Big mistake.
In the second half of day one I had heart burn. I guessed - correctly - that my otherwise robust stomach didn't like that those High5 electrolytes. On day 5 I used them again because I ran out of other options and 3-4 h in, I was in pain again. So no High5 for me any more. Meeting up with folks after the event, one of the other riders was very happy to take my spare High5 tabs - he absolutely has no issues...

That said, I'm (and my girlfriend) on to nuun too. No matter what flavour.

I use Nuun too. Currently have about 8 flavours to choose from. My favs are lemon and lime or grape.

I use elite. It's a tiny bottle of concentrated salts you add 10 drops to a water bottle and it tastes totally neutral

composite wrote:Please people if you aren't used to chowing down on gels don't start at the BB200. They can have some pretty bag effects on the stomach (ask mountainbaker) and anyway real food is better than science food anyway.

A common mistake is to take on an excess of carbs and not enough fluid. A gel should be consumed with 500ml of water. Sipping away at small quantities of water frequently does not necessarily prevent this. Drinking water in larger quantities less frequently aids gastric emptying which helps prevent a build up of excess carbs in the stomach that you can't digest - which is what is making you feel sick.

Yes, I necked a Torq Rhubard and Custard gel last year (and plenty of water), just before going over Roman Camp, and man, I was semi-puking and feeling dizzy, legs went dizzy, and I never even got a boost of energy. Only other time I've taken one since was riding back from Cardiff in March, I had done nearly 300 miles in 3 days, not enough food, and some drinking on the middle day. It took the gel, rode off, then promptly puked it into a hedge somewhere on the Somerset levels (suitable place to puke IMO).

I was thinking of bringing some gels on BB200, but now I've been reminded of this. I will not be bringing any.

Anyone want to buy a box of 30 Torq Rhubard and Custard gels?

On my last Borders 350 attempt I took enough SIS gels for three a day and some of their energy bars. The energy bars were ok but not particularly enjoyable to eat. The gels I thought were great, no problems whatsoever and I could definitely feel a boost to my energy levels shortly after taking them. This time i'm taking High 5 gels, enough for five a day (I got a box of 20 for £9.35 inc p&p from ebay).

Ian wrote:A common mistake is to take on an excess of carbs and not enough fluid. A gel should be consumed with 500ml of water. Sipping away at small quantities of water frequently does not necessarily prevent this. Drinking water in larger quantities less frequently aids gastric emptying which helps prevent a build up of excess carbs in the stomach that you can't digest - which is what is making you feel sick.

I didn't do this but will bear it in mind for the future. Maybe the fact that I was drinking large quantities of water anyway due to the heat prevented me from feeling sick.
If you come across small cartons of apple juice then dilute 50/50 with water in your bottle and add a pinch of salt if you have it (I take sachets from cafes). This gives a balanced slow release carb drink that anyone should be able to tolerate.

Article from Torq fitness that I vaguely referred to on my earlier post regarding buying twice (was on my phone when I posted that one):

http://www.torqfitness.co.uk/news/electrolyte-tablets

[edit] I do use tabs on the turbo or shortish rides on hot days. Also on tours sometimes to give the water some flavour, when water gets warm I sometimes don't drink enough.

Ian wrote:Drinking water in larger quantities less frequently aids gastric emptying which helps prevent a build up of excess carbs in the stomach that you can't digest - which is what is making you feel sick.

Uh-huh, good to know.

Ray Young wrote:This time i'm taking High 5 gels, enough for five a day

B'fast, a bar an hour and every other hour a gel, then lunch, bar/gel per hour again 'till supper time? Is that how you supplement your food with gels?

Then there's Peronin:
http://www.peronin.net
To get more out of b'fast (if you're not going for a shop or don't have a stove and porridge), additional to chewing on a bar or two. And for lunch. I tried the cocoa flavoured one and think it's a good change to bars and gels.

Edit: Peronin is expensive, just like gels.