Energy and Recovery drink mix recommendations

[nickobec]

I use energy drinks for racing, intervals and long days on the bike because it is the easiest way to get my carbs and electrolytes.

I use the recovery mix with milk (and sometimes fresh bananas in a smoothie) as an easy post ride fix (and I don't consume enough protein otherwise)

I currently use Wiggle Nutrition products (or Staminade as energy drink). Overall happy with them, except Wiggle Nutrition products are a pain to purchase $200 for free shipping, that is a lot of drink mix.

So looking for alternatives.

Only one limitation, they can not have artificial sweeteners. For me any artificial sweetener has an acrid metallic aftertaste, no matter what. So I can't consume products with any artificial sweetener.

[Retrobyte]

I use energy drinks for racing, intervals and long days on the bike because it is the easiest way to get my carbs and electrolytes.

I use the recovery mix with milk (and sometimes fresh bananas in a smoothie) as an easy post ride fix (and I don't consume enough protein otherwise)

I currently use Wiggle Nutrition products (or Staminade as energy drink). Overall happy with them, except Wiggle Nutrition products are a pain to purchase $200 for free shipping, that is a lot of drink mix.

So looking for alternatives.

Only one limitation, they can not have artificial sweeteners. For me any artificial sweetener has an acrid metallic aftertaste, no matter what. So I can't consume products with any artificial sweetener.

SOS sweeten their electroyte powders with sucrose and stevia, and use natural flavours. The single serve sachets are less than $1 each if you purchase in 50 pack lots on eBay. But it's purely a hydration product though, not a post ride recovery solution.

[Mofra]

For bikepacking days where I'll be in the saddle 6+ hours I've used a mixture of hydralite tablets and/or multivitamin tablets in my water bottle (the MV have magnesium/zinc in them too).

And carry jelly beans. Always carry jelly beans

[foo on patrol]

I use SIS products but couldn't tell you if there use artificial sweetener in them, I just know that they work for me and they also have plant based protein bars that are good.

Foo

[nickobec]

OK after searching the internet and reading ingredient list and after ingredient list.

I ordered 9kg of drink mix (plus a couple of workout tops to make $200 for free shipping) from Wiggle.

As only Wiggle Nutrition and Staminade only use Sucrose (aka sugar) as a sweetener.

All the others (ie SIS) use one or more of the following
Aspartame
Sucralose
Acesulfame K
Saccharin
Xylitol
Stevia (it is a naturally occurring sweetener but same weird taste for me)

It does not matter if it is drink mix or hydration tablets, if it is sweeten by anything other than plain sugar, it tastes foul to me.

[mogwaiboi]

I only use Wiggle or High5, both taste good but as you say they are more of a pain to get hold of now with the $200 free shipping threshold. Similar to you I just wait until I need some small spares and top up the order to $200 with powders and gels.

[nickobec]

I only use Wiggle or High5, both taste good but as you say they are more of a pain to get hold of now with the $200 free shipping threshold. ...

I forgot about High5, just checked there ingredients, no sweeteners, other than sucrose in their energy drinks, recovery drinks or energy gummies. Not a fan of gels, but gummies sound interesting. For my next order in a few months.

[g-boaf]

I only use Wiggle or High5, both taste good but as you say they are more of a pain to get hold of now with the $200 free shipping threshold. ...

I forgot about High5, just checked there ingredients, no sweeteners, other than sucrose in their energy drinks, recovery drinks or energy gummies. Not a fan of gels, but gummies sound interesting. For my next order in a few months.

This is the brand of electrolyte tablets I prefer:
https://www.precisionhydration.com/au/e ... drink-mix/

Found those when they were a sponsor on a Haute Route event -a very nice surprise. Many other people also agreed they were quite good. Not sickly sweet either.

If I need something for energy then it's a Clif bar, nothing much else.

[mogwaiboi]

I top up my energy drink mix with a tablespoon of maltrodextrin (Coopers brewing sugar). It's cheap, gives me extra carbs per bottle and doesn't make it any sweeter.

I make my own gels using a chocolate sauce with natural ingredients, mixed with rice syrup, salt and water. I carry it in a little plastic flask. Works for me, especially in fast group rides where I don't have time to eat too many solids. I also carry a few High5 gels as they work for me, easy on the stomach but of course everyone is different.

Rice protein powder from Bulk Nutrients in a smoothie with oats, banana, yoghurt each day to aid recovery and (being a vego) top up protein

[Cyclophiliac]

I use tablets normally. I generally buy from multiple different brands to give my palate some variety, e.g. SiS, High5, etc.
I used to just take some Powerade, until one day I had a close look at its ingredients and realised I wasn't doing myself any favour by drinking it, so now I avoid all the ---ades (Powerade, Gatorade, Staminade).

[Mububban]

Does anyone have a DIY recipe? Now that Wiggle/c r c are going under, and SiS (my usual product) don't have as many sales as they used to, I'm looking for a cost effective energy drink formula I can make at home that works, and saves me money hopefully.

Someone in another thread mentioned "Coopers brewing sugar to top up the maltodextrin (not pure maltodextrin), pretty cheap at around $6 a kilo" as part of their fuelling mix, but no specifics for the rest of the ingredients.

Any advice appreciated.