Triathlon, duathlon, or simply just cycling, if you asked a group of riders how they hydrate and fuel, you’d get as many unique answers as there are riders. Everyone has slightly differing views, and that’s okay, but the one uniting viewpoint is the shared belief in the importance of proper energy intake and hydration.

Cycling nutrition and hydration aren’t one-size-fits-all, but there are some core principles that every rider can use as a starting point. Let's break down exactly where the value of hydration supplements comes in, and how to work out if they are worth prioritising for you. 

What are Hydration Supplements and Why are they Important?

Hydration supplements are specially formulated products designed to help your body absorb and retain fluids more effectively during exercise. They typically contain a mix of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium, minerals that are lost through sweat and play a key role in muscle function, nerve signalling, and fluid balance. 

When you’re cycling, especially for longer durations or in hot conditions, plain water often isn’t enough to keep your hydration levels stable. That’s where supplements come in. They can help prevent dehydration, reduce the risk of cramps, and support sustained energy levels by ensuring your body maintains the right balance of fluids and electrolytes throughout your ride.

How Does Cycling Compare to Other Endurance Sports?

Cycling poses some unique hydration challenges compared to other endurance sports. Unlike runners or triathletes on foot, cyclists often train for longer stretches without regular breaks, meaning hydration has to be managed on the move. 

Sweat rates can still be high, especially in warm weather or during climbs, but because sweat evaporates quickly in the wind, many riders underestimate how much fluid they’re losing. Unlike swimming, where hydration is limited to specific breaks, or running, where carrying bottles can be awkward, cyclists have easier access to fluids via bottle cages, but that doesn’t always mean they’re drinking enough. 

The key difference is that cyclists may not feel as thirsty due to wind cooling, making structured hydration even more important to avoid fatigue, cramping, and performance dips on longer rides.

Should You Take Hydration Supplements Before Cycling, Whilst, or After?

Ideally, hydration supplements should be used before, during, and after cycling, but the timing and amount depend on the length and intensity of your ride.

• Before: Pre-hydrating with a supplement around 60–90 minutes before a long or intense session can help top up electrolyte levels and reduce the risk of starting your ride already slightly dehydrated. This is especially useful on hot days or if you’ve had caffeine, which can increase fluid loss.
  
  

• During: For rides over an hour, or when riding in heat, hydration supplements during your ride are key. Electrolyte drinks or tablets help replace the minerals lost in sweat and support fluid absorption, reducing the chance of cramping or energy dips.
  
  

• After: Post-ride hydration helps with recovery. Replenishing lost fluids and electrolytes supports muscle repair and reduces the risk of post-ride fatigue or headaches caused by mild dehydration.

The bottom line? Don’t just rely on water, strategic use of hydration supplements throughout your cycling routine can make a noticeable difference in how you perform and recover.

How Much Should You Drink on the Bike?

One of the simplest ways to estimate how much fluid you need during a ride is to carry out a 60-minute sweat test. Start by staying well-hydrated throughout the day, then weigh yourself nude before your ride and make a note of it.

Next, ride for 60 minutes at your usual training or racing intensity, without drinking any fluids. As soon as you finish, towel off any sweat and weigh yourself again (also nude). The weight you’ve lost, in grams, roughly equals the amount of fluid lost in millilitres.

Of course, your results will vary depending on factors like temperature and effort level, so it’s worth repeating the test a few times in different conditions to get a clearer picture. Most cyclists will lose somewhere between 500–1,000ml per hour. If you're losing fluid at the higher end of that scale, it may not be realistic, or even necessary, to replace every drop, but aiming to replace around 75% is a sensible target.

What Happens if You’re Dehydrated When Cycling?

Dehydration affects more than just how thirsty you feel, it can have a major impact on your cycling performance and overall wellbeing during and after a ride. When you sweat, you're not just losing water, you're also losing essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. These minerals are critical for muscle function, nerve signalling, and fluid balance.

Even a fluid loss of just 2% of your body weight can lead to a noticeable decline in endurance, power output, and focus. Your heart rate increases, your perceived effort goes up, and it becomes harder to regulate your body temperature, all of which can make your ride feel far more exhausting than it should. Dehydration can also trigger muscle cramps, nausea, headaches, and even slower reaction times, which isn’t ideal when you’re navigating roads or trails.

This is where hydration supplements come into play. Products like SALT! that contain electrolytes, especially sodium, can help your body absorb and retain the fluids you’re drinking, rather than just flushing them through. Sodium is the key player here; it helps draw water into your bloodstream and maintain that crucial fluid balance. By using a hydration supplement before, during, or after your ride, you’re not only replacing lost electrolytes but also improving how effectively your body hydrates overall.

In short, drinking plain water alone often isn’t enough, especially on longer or hotter rides. Hydration supplements offer a smarter, more efficient way to stay on top of fluid loss and keep your body performing at its best.

What to Look For in Hydration Supplements

If you're going to use a hydration supplement, make it one that actually helps! When you're pushing your limits on the bike, you need more than just a fancy label. The best products go beyond simply replacing water; they actively support your body’s ability to absorb and use that water effectively. And that all comes down to electrolytes.

The best hydration supplements are formulated with three key electrolytes:

• Sodium: This is the one you lose most through sweat, and the most important to replace. Without enough sodium, your kidneys can’t move water into the bloodstream efficiently, no matter how much you drink. This can lead to fluid build-up and, in extreme cases, hyponatremia, where the body essentially drowns in water it can’t process. Sodium is non-negotiable if you want to stay properly hydrated. If your sodium levels drop by just 7%, your performance can take a hit of up to 10%.

• Potassium: This helps maintain pH balance in the kidneys and plays a crucial role in lactic acid processing, which is key for avoiding that heavy-legged, cramping feeling during hard efforts. It also helps stop blood from thickening due to low fluid levels and supports nutrient delivery throughout the body.
  
  

• Magnesium: An essential mineral involved in over 300 processes in the body, from energy production and muscle contraction to electrolyte regulation and protein synthesis. Magnesium can help reduce lactic acid build-up and delay fatigue. However, too much of it can upset the digestive system, which is why smart supplements (like Salt!) use just the right amount so it’s safe to use pre-ride, during intense efforts, and afterwards for recovery.
  
  

A good hydration supplement should also be:

• Low in sugar (to avoid unnecessary energy spikes and crashes)
  
  

• Easy to mix and naturally flavoured
  
  

• Portable and practical, with no gimmicks, just the right minerals in the right amounts
  
  

Salt! ticks all those boxes, delivering 750mg sodium, 300mg potassium, 60mg magnesium, and 50mg calcium per sachet, in a clean-tasting, 2-calorie drink. Whether you're cycling, training, following keto or paleo, or even just recovering from jetlag or a hangover, it does what it says on the packet.