Having the hydration and energy to ride for hours and hours at a time is pretty tough to accomplish. A person needs to have a plan in place, and that includes proper hydration leading up to a ride.
Before taking off, a pre-cycling drink is usually the best option for people who want an extra edge. A drink like that can provide more nutrients than what water provides, and it is great overall to feel confident that the body will hold up.
Below is a look at some of the best pre-cycling drinks out there on the market today. They are all affordable, get the job done, and taste good enough that people do not have a problem consuming them. Sometimes it feels difficult picking the right one, but these five are great starting points for those looking to finally jump into everything.
1. OSMO PreLoad Hydration
A lot of people ride their bikes in the middle of summer, and it can get pretty hot in so many different locations. Before getting overwhelmed with heat, one of the things that a person needs to do is make sure that they are loaded with fluids and sodium.
Some people might not understand the reasoning behind the sodium, but it will help to fight off any cramps that can be caused by heat exhaustion.
It is recommended to drink OSMO preload hydration (Amazon) before any big ride. Each serving has 3000 mg of sodium, and they made a formula that tastes pretty good for people who might not necessarily be crazy about salt-loaded drinks.
It is certainly not a struggle to get down, but people just need to make sure that they are taking care of business before they jump in any longer rides.
2. PureSport Workout Formula
Workout formulas, in general, can help out a lot of people who are doing longer bike rides. It is not much different going on a long bike ride compared to going to the gym and putting in significant exercise.
For that reason, looking for a drink that is loaded with protein and other nutrients is one way to go. The ingredients will help to keep the muscles well fed, and that will prevent any type of damage that can occur in longer rides.
In particular, a lot of people are looking to make sure that they do not do any tissue damage when they are pushing the pace and perhaps adding some mileage to what they normally do.
Having something inside the body already will help to make sure that nothing ends up happening. These ingredients also help with recovering quickly after a long ride, which definitely comes in handy for people who do not want to feel like they are overwhelmed.
As for the drink itself, it comes in a few different flavors and allows people to not feel like they are forcing down anything crazy. Along with those proteins, riders can also benefit from Vitamin C, carbohydrates, electrolytes, and so much more.
It is built for all types of athletes, and a lot of science has gone into making sure that everything works exactly as it should.
With the different flavors, a person can find exactly what they feel tastes best to them, and it can become part of a routine before jumping on the bike every single time.
3. GU Roctane Ultra Endurance
A lot of people like to drink something that is very well-rounded on race day. Not only does a person want to be properly hydrated, but they want to get some carbs into their body, as well as enough caffeine to keep them full of energy throughout the day. There are not many better options out there right now than GU Roctane Ultra Endurance (Amazon).
This carb blend drink does a great job of keeping muscles healthy and energizing them as much as possible. There is nothing worse than having muscles that just are not feeling it on race day, and this can put anyone in the mood to perform at a high-level.
It is easy to mix into the water right before taking off, and it has solid effectiveness right away.
The carbohydrates and electrolytes in the mix allow people to feel the effects for quite a long time. It is pretty amazing to really understand what type of impact it can make during the ride.
4. Veloforte Attivo electrolyte powder
Those who really need to make sure they get the proper amount of electrolytes in their body can go with an option like this powder from Voloforte.
It has 22 grams of fast release energy packed into each serving, and the 100% natural option is perfect for people who want to feel healthy when they are consuming a drink.
A lot of people are worried that they might not be getting a completely healthy carbohydrate and sport drink when they are ordering something online.
Maybe it seems too good to be true, and it can be extremely frustrating to deal with. Veloforte makes sure that they describe every single thing that they offer, allowing people to comb through the ingredients and see what they’re putting into their body.
The caffeine comes from guarana to help people feel extremely comfortable. There are no hidden additives or anything like that which can sometimes frustrate people.
5. Beta Red Pre-Workout Performance Formula
Looking at pre-workout options like Beta Red is perfect for those who need a lot of nutrients to go into their body. It is rich with nitrates, as well as amino acids beta-alanine and citrulline malate.
This means that the blood flow will increase steadily, muscle fatigue will be fought off, and muscles will stay activated throughout the ride.
A person does not need a huge boost of energy right from the beginning when going on a long ride. Having sustained energy throughout time is going to be better.
This drink does exactly that, and is perfect for people who are looking for something built pretty specifically for cycling in general.
As for the taste itself, it is a bit of an acquired option. Some people do enjoy drinking beet-flavored drinks, and they will have no problem putting this down. However, others might not be as big of a fan, and it takes some time to really get into the swing of things.
Keys to quality Pre-Cycling Drinks?
When looking at the high-quality drinks out there, there are a few solutions that make sense. Before a race, there are two things that most riders rely on heavily. After that, it is a matter of personal preference, how their body works, and other factors.
Overall Hydration
It seems simple enough, but a proper amount of hydration is huge with a pre-cycling drink. Hydration starts before going on a long ride, and people need to prepare their body so that they have everything they need and they do not start to break down when they are on the trails.
Hydration can start with drinking water and other pretty simple things overall. For a bit of a boost that will help protect against the body breaking down and other injuries, there is also the opportunity to go for a more specialized drink.
A lot of people learn the hard way about what happens when a person does not have enough in their body to get through a long ride.
Cramping or even injuries can start to occur. When the body starts to cramp up, it becomes very difficult to put it to an end. There are ways to rapidly get dehydration treated, but the better option is just to go ahead and be smart before taking off.
Carbohydrates
There are so many people trying to stay away from carbohydrates these days, as the body can negatively react to them. However, they do come into use when a person is going on a long ride and about to burn a lot of calories.
So many people do not consume enough calories or hydrate before taking off, and that could end up costing them.
Exercising at a high intensity means that a person’s body will use carbohydrates in the liver, the blood, and muscles. When a person starts to feel fatigued, it is connected to low blood sugar, liver glycogen, and muscle glycogen levels overall.
The way to fix this problem is to carbohydrate load as much as possible leading up to a ride. People will start to do that well before the morning of a ride if they are professional riders, but some people can get by with just starting it at that time.
Yes, there is always this thought that eating too much before going on a ride can be problematic. That is one of the reasons why people have turned to pre-cycling drinks and getting carbohydrates from them instead.
It is a lot more controllable to get those nutrients from a drink, and it is easier for the body to process.
Caffeine
A stimulant as far as energy is concerned can be very beneficial for riders out there looking to maximize their efforts on the bike. Some people might not react properly to caffeine overall, but others have really benefited from all that it brings to the table.
A lot of drinks out there will have some type of caffeine that can help with energy levels. The most successful pre-workout drinks will also increase stamina with caffeine and make sure that it is a healthy amount.
No one wants to have too much caffeine that only lasts a short amount of time. That can end up making people feel like they have this crashing feeling later on during the day.
Proper Amount of Drink When Cycling?
Since so many people do not drink enough during the ride, how much should actually be consumed? It comes down to a variety of factors, and a person needs to listen to their body so that they know exactly what they need to do.
The good news is that getting a lot of fluids in the body is usually going to be fine, as long as a person does not feel bloated.
One of the best ways to get into a better habit of keeping fluids in the body before going on a ride is setting a reminder on when to drink throughout the day.
People can just go with basic water leading up to a ride, and then their final drink might be something that has a bit more in it to provide proper nutrients.
It is a good formula to follow, and many people have been doing something similar to this for quite a while.
The common suggestion is to try to get to at least eight servings of water per day. If someone is riding consistently in hot weather and not getting at least that much water, habits need to change as quickly as possible.
Why is it so important to pick up a pre-cycling drink?
The importance of having something in the body before going on a ride is often overlooked. There are so many people out there who do not think about what their body needs until it is too late.
When the body starts to break down, that is when injuries can occur and people can feel like they are forced to stop their ride early.