I would say just use crack instead of crystal man…
How do you think the cells make more ATP?
“Your cells absorb glucose and convert it into energy to drive the cell.Specifically, a set of chemical reactions on glucose creates ATP (adenosine triphosphate), and a phosphate bond in ATP powers most of the machinery in any human cell.”
Your cells use glucose as an immedate scource of energy and fats if you run out. It takes more energy to break down a triglyceride (fat) so it can be converted to ATP than it does to use the Monosaccharide (glucose).
I can’t belive your telling a chemist he is wrong about this. 
In high heat I’ve had luck:
. Drinking a 2 liter an hour before the ride.
. Taking a couple multi-vitamins (high in potassium) with the 2 liter.
. Wetting my t-shirt with cold water (and rewetting during the ride if possible).
. Also, ironically, caffine seems to make me feel better (mentally).
Drew
This is the Krebs cycle. It is named after it's discoverer. It is the complete chemical explanation for how the cell creates ATP from carbs, fats or proteins. Note there is no mention of glucose there, it is first converted to the succinic acid at the bottom. Note the keto glutaric acid on the right, this is derived from fat metabolism. My point being that you do not need to eat sugar to have energy. Proteins or your own muscle or fat can be used just as well. You do not need to be a chemist to learn about this. Many animals are quite strong and never eat carbs (sugars). This is the reason why it is unnecessary. There are many possible pathways a cell can make energy from,
glucose metabolism is just one of many. 
And did anyone get my point that there is a useless amount of electrolytes in gatorade ?
Hey feel the light (can I just call you FTL?),
I did a looooot of reading this evening on sports drinks/electrolyte replacements…and I have to say it was really interesting and I learned a lot. At this point I have to say I agree with you in regards to sports drinks, especially Gatorade. IF they are going to put sugars into the drink, they should use simple sugars, not the high fructose corn syrup they use. They also don’t need as much as they do use. And though you say they use too little salt in Gatorade (I think that’s what you’re saying…), all of my reading has hinted that they use waaay too much. You are certainly right about the potassium, though. A proper electrolyte replacement should have more potassium than sodium, and Gatorade hardly has any.
The key here is the difference between an energy drink and a electrolyte replacement drink. An energy drink focuses (correctly or not) on providing carbs (sugars), while an electrolyte replacement drink seeks to replace exactly what you sweat out.
An electrolyte replacement drink can be helpful, I believe, if you are really exerting yourself and sweating lots for an extended period of time. These electrolytes need only be present in small amounts, though.
Now, as for the glucose issue, I have to admit I don’t know too much about biochemistry. However, as I understand it, your body’s first source of energy is the glycogen reserves stored in the liver, because they are very quick to mobilize. These will always be burned first, and are constantly being burned to generate energy, and produced from blood glucose. These glycogen reserves are how the body manages blood sugar: if you eat a bunch of sugar, insulin is released and turns some of the glucose into glycogen and stores it. If your blood sugar drops, some of the glycogen is converted to glucose.
Once your body uses up its glycogen reserves, either you need to ingest some more sugars (preferably glucose, as these are absorbed quickly as there is no need to digest) or your body must start burning fat. Fats are much more energy dense than sugars, but take much longer to be transported and metabolised.
While the electrolytes are not actually used up during excercise, glucose is actually burned and converted to energy, so it most definitely needs to be supplemented or replaced in some form during exercise. You are right, however, that you can’t “sugar load” in the same way that you can “carbo load”.
P.S. I know how the Kreb’s cycle works, and I know ATP can come from more than one source 
In the recipe I mentioned earlier, the reason why you add the lemon juice is for the potassium.
Per volume, orange, lemon, grapefruit, and cranberry juices all have about the same level of potassium (w/in about 20%). If you want to add a bit of caffeine, add in some fruit flavored black tea instead of water.
W/ the 50% OJ drink, I tried the 500 mg of salt (a bit less than 1/8 tsp) but it didn’t seem to be enough. Plus since I was filling a 64 oz bottle instead of a 32 I quadrupled it, adding just under ½ a tsp. I also added a scoop (about 20 mg) of soy protein powder (don’t now if that part helped or not). I also brought a 1.5 liter water bottle and drank everything over 6 hours of practicing some skills.
You can make your own “gel” by mixing creamy PB, some more salt and honey. Then put it in a small ziplock bag and cut off the lower corner. If you want to add some caffeine grind up a 200 mg caffeine tablet between two spoons and mix it in. By mixing it in your “gel” or drink you get a bit at a time, and not a “buzz” or the following slump.
If you make your own food just about the only sodium in it is going to be what you add.
Before unicycling, I never added salt to my food, and avoided pre-maid foods that are typically high in sodium. The normal high number of my blood pressure has always been 110 to 120. I’ve always been active, so I’ve sweated out what sodium I took in. Now I’m adding salt all over the place and my BP is still around 120.
Getting my shirt and shorts wet has helped quite a bit on hot rides up to about 45 min.
If you want to loose weight AND keep your energy up for the whole ride using a diluted “energy” drink (say 50%), will work a lot better than just water. You still need some simple carbs.
Awesome, thanks for telling us more about this. However, in a lot of the reading I did this afternoon, it seems that even 500mg of sodium is a little too much for 32 oz, though it is probably about right for 64 oz, if your aim is to replace the amount of salt lost in sweat. The fruit juice is right on track for potassium, though, as that’s more important than sodium to avoid cramping and maintain proper muscle function.
I’m still trying to decide where I stand on sugars in my water…but I’m not sure how much peanut butter will help you while unicycling/working out. It’s mostly protein and fat, neither one a good quick energy source.
I’m also curious to know whether I am eating enough sodium…I eat home made meals with no added salt, and often fruit for lunch, and cold cereal for breakfast. I sweat a ton, and drink straight water a ton, no sodas and not much juice for me, so I can’t see many sources of sodium that a typical American might have. I’d be cautious though, skilewis, about bumping up your salt intake so dramatically based solely on your blood pressure, as these kinds of things can have delayed consequences…
Yeah, best used when the ride is measured in hours and not minutes, but still not as good as the gels. I’ve considered going for a Muni ride, starting when it starts to get light @ 5:30, going until 11, when it really starts to get hot, and using that “gel” and OJ drink. Since I don’t have insurance for my car, I’d be riding my b*ke there and back (1 hr each).
For something like this I think it is proper to go to a sport that has more expeirence then us. Road biking has much more expierence.
Hot Days Riding
Feel the Light and Onelesscar are both correct. Sugars give fast energy boosts. the important thing is to drink water. And you don’t have to go nuts here. Just drink enough to quench your thirst and make sure that you are pissing regularly and that it is somewhat clear and not a dark yellow color.
I ride hard MUni for 3 hours in 100F weather and rarely drink more than 2 liters of water. I stop every 5 to ten minutes and take a few swallows of water. If you feel like you need more energy then chocolate or any other candy should do the trick.
My Brother is a Doctor and he says that there is such a thing as water poisoning! That is when you drink too much water! He says to just jrink to quench your thirst and never to force yourself to drink.
By the way has anyone tried the SixSixOne Core Cooler?
Unicorn
This is my experience with Electrolytes…
If you read the write up here Google Maps and Heat Exhaustion - A ride writeup you can see where I went pretty good into heat exhaustion. When I finished… I was hoping that some water and sugar would fix the problem. It didn’t… 2 hours after finishing, I was still cramping like crazy and completely exhausted and run down…
My wife went and bought some Pedialyte… After drinking about a quart of that my body significantly recovered in about half an hour…
Since then, I have brought gatorade and water on all my longer rides (3+ hours)… I have not had anything like that since…
For me… I don’t think its a sodium issue… I had trail mix and salty stuff… I think its the other salts… Potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc… Since Gatorade has been helping, I am gonna guess its the potassium…
-Keld
Yeah, from what I’ve read, it’s the potassium that’s the culprit for the muscle cramps.
In addition, I was reading somewhere else (not sure how true it is) that when you’re dehydrated and you eat some food or drink really concentrated sugar drinks, your muscles will cramp hard as your body pulls water away from your muscles to help digest the newly eaten food.
Keldrige
Sounds like you might have overdone yourself in addition to dehydradion. You probably had the first symptoms of heat exaustion too. I don’t think that you had a problem with electrolytes. Time usually solves most of these issue.
As feel the light said we have more than enough salt in our body to last for a day under hard conditions. My brother who is a Doctor also says that as long as we drink water the healthy human body can go for days under hard conditions without any adverse effects. I don’t think that a 3 or even 5 hour MUni ride is going to harm us along as we drink some water. However if you are out of shape and you over exert yourself especialy in the heat you can get some wicked bad muscle cramps.
Unicorn
SixSixOne Core Cooler
Well I just put an order in for the SixSixOne Core Cooler. I will write a review about it after I get it and use it some. It it works half as good as advertized it should be a handy peice of apparel!
By the way I ordered it from the Motorcycle Super Store.
I have ordered form them in the past. They give good service and have great prices.
Unicorn
yeah i’ve seen that core cooler, was kind of wondering how it worked - it’ll be great to get a review.
I beat the heat by staying in England, if you ride 4 miles, the weathers bound to go crap for at least one of them.
Looking forward to it.
Please put a link to it hear in RSU. I rarely look at the review forum.
you could get a space suit… i think they have A/C and heat in them.haha 
but seriously… water. if your going on a Muni ride get a camel pak and fill it up. mabe put a second bladder in it for even mor water( that would be heavy but it’d keep you cool. many times camel paks keep water cool for a generally long time also.
i ride w/ a camelpack, another water bottle, and i soak my head w/ REALLY cold water( then put my helmet on). but i ride in FL doing street tricks and some trials off all kinds of crap, not trail riding. but it should work
I never wear a helmet… I think I should, but w/e. It makes the hear more bearable.