Sport / Cycling

Electrolytes for cycling

Long rides in Australian heat cost you far more sodium than most riders replace. This page covers what you actually lose on the bike, how much to put back per hour, and which format works best in a bidon, a jersey pocket or a saddle bag.

Shop cycling electrolytes How much sodium do I lose?

What goes wrong on a long ride

  • Cramp in the last hour

    Cramping usually shows up at the end of a ride, after hours of sodium loss that plain water and most sports drinks never replace.

  • Drinking more, feeling worse

    Topping up with water alone dilutes blood sodium. You end up sloshing, needing to stop, and still light headed on the climbs.

  • Sugar you did not ask for

    Traditional bottle mixes bundle carbs with the salt. Separating the two lets you fuel with gels or real food and dose electrolytes independently.

  • Salt stained kit

    White rings on your jersey and helmet straps are a salty sweater signal. Those riders sit at the top of the sodium range and need the most replacement.

Sweat and sodium on a three hour ride

Typical ranges for a trained cyclist riding endurance pace. Pick the conditions to see what you are losing and what it takes to replace it.

Sweat rate1.0 litres per hour
Sodium in sweat950 mg per litre
Fluid lost over 3 hours3.0 litres

4 × 750 ml bidons

Sweat rates and sweat sodium vary widely between riders. Salty sweaters can sit well above these figures — use them as a starting point, not a prescription.

Sodium lost in 3 hours 2,850 milligrams

Roughly 2.9 serves of a 1000 mg sodium electrolyte serve, or about 950 mg per hour on the bike.

Plain water replaces none of it.

Sweat rate and sweat sodium ranges are typical figures for endurance cycling, not a measurement of any individual rider — actual sweat rate can vary roughly tenfold between riders, and sweat sodium concentration around fivefold. Ranges drawn from USA Cycling's guide to calculating sweat rate and the American College of Sports Medicine's position stand on exercise and fluid replacement (300–600 mg sodium per hour for exercise over an hour). Use this as a starting point, not a prescription — see a sports dietitian for individual advice.

Brand in focus

LMNT

Zero sugar. 1000 mg sodium. Built for people who sweat.

The highest sodium dose we stock, which is why salty sweaters and hot weather riders reach for it.

  • 1000 mg sodium per stick
  • Zero sugar, fasting friendly
  • Free metro shipping over $149
Shop all LMNT

Brand in focus

SaltStick

Capsules and chews built for endurance racing, where you want to dose salt by the hour and keep your bottle for fuel or plain water.

  • 215 mg sodium per capsule, dosed by the hour
  • FastChews start working in about 45 seconds, no water needed
  • Free metro shipping over $149
Shop all SaltStick

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Shop by format

On the bike the format matters as much as the formula. Pick what suits your bottle setup and ride length.

Don't forget the other half of fuelling

Electrolytes replace what you sweat out. Carbs replace what you burn.

Past about 90 minutes, sodium alone will not stop you fading. Gels and chews top up the carbohydrate your legs are burning, so you can dose salt and fuel separately instead of relying on a single bottle mix to do both jobs.

Shop energy gels & chews

Not sure yet?

Three quick questions, one recommendation

Answer three questions about how you ride and we'll point you at a brand to start with. Prefer the full version? Take the complete quiz.

How salty do you sweat?

What Australian buyers say

Real reviews from verified LYTES orders across this range.

4.8 from 1,395 reviews
5 stars 92%
4 stars 4%
3 stars 2%
2 stars 1%
1 star 1%
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Collected from verified orders by Judge.me

words can't express how much more active, calm & relaxed I've become since I was put onto this product. Extremely happy 👍🏼

Rob · Verified buyerLMNT Big Fruity Pack - 30 Sticks

Excellent product from an excellent online retailer

I'm happy to be buying my LMNT electrolytes from LYTES. My subscription is easy to manage and adjust as my needs change. I appreciate the free shipping on my large orders.

K.C. · Verified buyerLMNT Lemonade Salt Electrolyte Mix - 30 Sticks

Cycling and electrolytes, answered

How much sodium should I take per hour on the bike?

Most cyclists land between 400 and 1000 mg of sodium per hour of riding, scaling with heat and sweat rate. Start near the middle of that range on a hot ride and adjust based on how you feel in the final hour.

Is 1000 mg of sodium per serve too much for cycling?

Not for most riders doing long or hot sessions. 1000 mg lines up with what a heavy sweater can lose in an hour on the bike, which is why LMNT sits at the top of the sodium range we stock. If you sweat lightly or ride shorter, SaltStick's 215 mg capsules let you dose in smaller amounts across the ride instead.

Is an electrolyte drink the same as a sports drink?

No. A traditional sports drink is mostly carbohydrate with a small amount of sodium. An electrolyte mix is the reverse, high sodium and little or no sugar, so you can fuel with gels or food and dose salt independently.

Can I take electrolytes on the bike without mixing a drink?

Yes. Chewable formats like SaltStick FastChews are built to take dry, mid ride, with whatever water you are already carrying.

Do I need electrolytes on a one hour ride?

Usually not, unless it is very hot or you are a heavy, salty sweater. Under about 90 minutes in mild conditions, water and a normal diet cover it.

Capsules or a drink mix for cycling?

Capsules keep your bottle neutral and let you take salt by the hour, which suits long and hot rides. A drink mix gets fluid and sodium in together, which most riders find easier to remember in a bunch.

How fast will my order arrive?

We dispatch from Wollongong within 12 to 48 hours. Many customers report next day delivery, including regional addresses.

Not sure which brand is right for you?

Take our electrolyte finder quiz and we will match you to a brand and format based on how you ride.

Do you only sell one brand of electrolyte?

No. LYTES stocks 31 brands, including LMNT, Re-Lyte, Sodii and SaltStick, and we only stock what we would use ourselves.

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Not sure which brand suits you?

Take our quiz and we will match you to a brand and format based on how you ride, or start with a taster pack and try a few before committing to a full size.