[reply]I might find a way to carry little 'bullets' of single-serving Cytomax powder to dump in my aerobottle one-at-at-time.

LC[/reply]

Have you looked into NUUN? That is what that system is. Little alkaseltzers of replacement you drop into each bottle as you need it.

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Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks

nuun has no carbs as far as I know. Cytomax is a vastly different product. Unless I am mistaken.

[reply]nuun has no carbs as far as I know. Cytomax is a vastly different product. Unless I am mistaken.[/reply]

You are right but calories are easy to store. It is hard to get in enough calories for an IM from your drink alone. Calories are more efficiently stored and injested in solid form. The most important thing about hydration systems is the hydration. Everything else is icing on the cake.

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Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks

[reply]Constant Cytomax on the bike with a gel every 45 minutes is all I've needed. Get me to the run and start over.

LC[/reply]

That is cool but you didn't do it with fluids alone. Most of our calorie needs during an IM come from burning stored fuel, most of it fat. If you didn't have the carbs in the cytomax you could make up for that loss easy enough with a few more gels I suspect. What is your average Cytomax intake during an IM and how many calories is that worth?

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Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks

[reply][.reply]nuun has no carbs as far as I know. Cytomax is a vastly different product. Unless I am mistaken.[./reply]

You are right but calories are easy to store. It is hard to get in enough calories for an IM from your drink alone. Calories are more efficiently stored and injested in solid form. The most important thing about hydration systems is the hydration. Everything else is icing on the cake.[/reply]

wait...I have heard the exact opposite (from a number of highly respected nutritionists). Solids take too much energy and water for your body to break down to its essential elements. They have told me that solids are the most inefficient method of refueling your body for that reason. Water is taken from vital areas of your body and pumped into the stomach to aid in the breakdown of the foods. Whereas a liquid "diet" will flow through the stomach and into the intestines right away, which gets the fuel into the bloodstream faster.
M~

[reply][.reply][..reply]nuun has no carbs as far as I know. Cytomax is a vastly different product. Unless I am mistaken.[../reply]

You are right but calories are easy to store. It is hard to get in enough calories for an IM from your drink alone. Calories are more efficiently stored and injested in solid form. The most important thing about hydration systems is the hydration. Everything else is icing on the cake.[./reply]

wait...I have heard the exact opposite (from a number of highly respected nutritionists). Solids take too much energy and water for your body to break down to its essential elements. They have told me that solids are the most inefficient method of refueling your body for that reason. Water is taken from vital areas of your body and pumped into the stomach to aid in the breakdown of the foods. Whereas a liquid "diet" will flow through the stomach and into the intestines right away, which gets the fuel into the bloodstream faster.
M~[/reply]

That is only true if the concentration of the sugars are correct. Too concentrated and it interferes with fluid uptake and sugar uptake. Ever wonder why we don't put simple syrup in our water bottles? Not only do we need to get these calories (and water) into our bodies we need to get them out of our stomach for them to do us any good. Cytomax (or any of the others) is fine alone and a fine strategy for something reasonably short like a marathon. It is essentially impossible to get enough calories into your body through fluids alone to satisfy the needs of an IM unless you are going really slow. This need for additional calories is better handled with solids or gels than increasing fluid intake (and the risk of over hydration).

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Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks

[reply][reply]
That is cool but you didn't do it with fluids alone. [/reply]


Thank you for pointing out what I already knew.

LC[/reply]

It is not clear to me that everyone else realized that. Didn't mean to point out the obvious to you but it went directly to my point.

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Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks

Back to your original question: I bought one of the early NeverReach systems a couple years ago. I liked the concept and still think it's a good idea. But I ride a Softride and I didn't like the way the beam felt having that thing hanging back there with water sloshing around in it. I used it on a couple long training rides, then took it off and haven't used it since although I may experiment with it again in the future.

The wife a poster here uses one, and she loves it.

I'm going to try to put one on my softride.

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_________________
Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

Frank, stole a nugget from your post for a new signature line. Do you mind?

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a fine strategy for something reasonably short like a marathon.

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Sorta sums up the ST mindset.

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Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*

[reply]Frank, stole a nugget from your post for a new signature line. Do you mind?

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a fine strategy for something reasonably short like a marathon.

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Sorta sums up the ST mindset.[/reply]

Now that I read it it seems absurd . . . but so true here. Of course I don't mind.

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Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks

I bought one for my boyfriend because he is really bad about staying hydrated. With the NR its right there i his face so he remembers to drink. Otherwise he gets too focused on the road and ends up dehydrated and suffering.......kj

PS: I can't believe how many of you guys don't like it because its not pretty enough for your bikes. Hello its a bike, not your girlfriend.

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Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax

[reply]PS: I can't believe how many of you guys don't like it because its not pretty enough for your bikes. Hello its a bike, not your girlfriend. [/reply]

Haha, too funny! LOL, well said.

I have one and for me it just works. I drink far more often and never notice it behind me (though I am big on a big frame - 200lbs+)

 
PS: I can't believe how many of you guys don't like it because its not pretty enough for your bikes. Hello its a bike, not your girlfriend.[/reply]

Depends on your perspective. :)

My bike won't bitch at me if I ride it for 5 hours. ;)