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.
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 rideTypical 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
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
SaltStick FastChews Electrolyte Chews - Tart Orange - 25 Serves - Best Before 01 Jul 2026
SaltStick
$29.95
Electrolyte Capsules - Buffered - 100 Capsules
SaltStick
$69.95
Electrolyte Capsules + Caffeine - 100 Capsules
SaltStick
$79.95
FastChews - Chewable Electrolytes - Lemon Lime - 25 Serves
SaltStick
$39.95
Also stocked for cycling
Re-Lyte Hydration - Lemon Lime - Tub - 60 Serves
Redmond
$74.95
Re-Lyte Hydration- Strawberry Lemonade - Tub - 60 Serves
Redmond
$74.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Mixed Berry - Tub - 60 Serves
Redmond
$74.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Watermelon Lime - Tub - 60 Serves
Redmond
$74.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Unflavoured - Tub - 75 Serves
Redmond
$74.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Mango - Tub - 60 Serves
Redmond
$74.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Pina Colada - Tub - 60 Serves
Redmond
$74.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Variety - Stick Packs x 30
Redmond
$59.95
Re-Lyte® Hydration Variety Pack (7 sticks)
Redmond
$21.95
Redmond Real Salt - 737g
Redmond
$38.95
ReLyte Hydration - Lemon Lime - Stick Packs x 30
Redmond
$59.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Single Stick
Redmond
$3.35
Redmond Real Salt - 284g
Redmond
$18.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Cran Apple - Tub - 60 Serves - Limited Edition
Redmond
$74.95
Re-Lyte Hydration Plus Caps - 120 Capsules
Redmond
$39.95
ReLyte Hydration - Unflavoured - Stick Packs x 30
Redmond
$59.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Orange - Tub - 60 Serves - Limited Edition
Redmond
$74.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Chocolate - Pouch - 45 Serves - Limited Edition
Redmond
$64.95
ReLyte Hydration - Strawberry Lemonade - Stick Packs x 30
Redmond
$59.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Salty Palmer - Tub - 60 Serves - Limited Edition
Redmond
$74.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Grape - Tub - 60 Serves
Redmond
$74.95
ReLyte Hydration - Mixed Berry - Stick Packs x 30
Redmond
$59.95
ReLyte Hydration - Mango - Stick Packs x 30
Redmond
$59.95
ReLyte Hydration - Pina Colada - Stick Packs x 30
Redmond
$59.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Mojito - Tub - 60 Serves - Limited Edition
Redmond
$74.95
Re-Lyte Electrolyte Caps - 120 Capsules
Redmond
$37.95
Re-Lyte Electrolyte Mix - Passionfruit Orange Guava - Tub - 60 Serves - Limited Edition
Redmond
$74.95
ReLyte Hydration - Watermelon Lime - Stick Packs x 30
Redmond
$59.95
Re-Lyte Kids Hydration - Sample Pack - 6 Stick Packs
Redmond
$19.95
Re-Lyte Electrolyte & Caffeine Caps - 120 Capsules
Redmond
$54.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Grapefruit - Tub - 60 Serves
Redmond
$74.95
Redmond Real Salt - Coarse - 454g
Redmond
$22.95
Re-Lyte Kids Hydration - Grape - Tub - 45 Serves
Redmond
$64.95
Re-Lyte Electrolyte, BCAA & Turmeric Caps - 120 Capsules
Redmond
$43.95
Re-Lyte Kids Hydration - Pink Lemonade - Tub - 45 Serves
Redmond
$64.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Strawberry Lemonade - Bulk Pouch - 175 Servings
Redmond
$189.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Mixed Berry - Bulk Pouch - 175 Servings
Redmond
$189.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Lemon Lime - Bulk Pouch - 175 Servings
Redmond
$189.95
Re-Lyte Kids Hydration - Pineapple - Tub - 45 Serves
Redmond
$64.95
Real Salt Pocket Shaker - 6g
Redmond
$4.95
Real Salt Pocket Shaker - 6 Pack
Redmond
$29.70
Redmond Real Salt - Coarse Grinder - 135g
Redmond
$14.95
Re-Lyte Hydration - Watermelon Lime - Bulk Pouch - 175 Servings
Redmond
$189.95
Re-Lyte Energy - Sample Pack - 6 sticks - Best Before 28 Feb 2026
Redmond
$16.15
Ancient Sea Salt Crystals - 226g
Redmond
$24.95
Redmond Real Salt - Kosher - 454g
Redmond
$22.95
Redmond Real Salt - 55g
Redmond
$9.95
Chef's Blend Smoked Real Salt Shaker - 156g
Redmond
$19.95
Re-Lyte Pre-Workout Peach Mango - Tub - 30 Serves - Best Before 31 Jan 2026
Redmond
$59.45
Redmond Real Salt - Kosher Shaker - 284g
Redmond
$22.95
Redmond Real Salt Bulk Pack - 4.4kg (6 x 737g)
Redmond
$210.35
Cherry Smoked Real Salt Shaker - 156g
Redmond
$19.95
Chef's Blend Smoked Redmond Real Salt - 396g
Redmond
$33.95
Variety Electrolyte Powder - 30 Sachets
Elyte
$69.90
Hickory Smoked Real Salt - 396g
Redmond
$33.95
Raspberry Lemonade Electrolyte Powder - 12 Sachets
Elyte
$34.90
Hickory Smoked Real Salt Shaker - 156g
Redmond
$19.95
Pineapple Electrolyte Powder - 12 Sachets
Elyte
$34.90
Wildberry Electrolyte Powder - 12 Sachets
Elyte
$34.90
Salt Tablets - 100 Tablets
Saltabs
$11.25
Raspberry Lemonade Electrolyte Powder - 30 Sachets
Elyte
$69.90
Orange Zest Electrolyte Powder - 12 Sachets
Elyte
$34.90
Citrus Electrolyte Powder - 12 Sachets
Elyte
$34.90
Shop by formatOn the bike the format matters as much as the formula. Pick what suits your bottle setup and ride length.
Sticks
One sachet per bidon. Easiest to carry in a jersey pocket and mix at a servo stop.
Best for road and bunch ridesCapsules
Salt without touching the taste of your bottle. Dose by the hour, fuel separately with gels or food.
Best for hot weather and ultra distanceTablets
Drop in effervescent tubes that live in a saddle bag. Low sugar and light on the stomach.
Best for commuting and shorter ridesChews
Chewable salt you can take without a bottle in your hand. Useful in a fast bunch or a technical descent.
Best for racing and criteriumsTubs
Best value per serve and scoopable to the dose you want. Mix bottles at home before a long day out.
Best for training weeks and gravel daysDon'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?
How long is your typical ride?
How do you like to carry it?
Based on your answers, start with
LMNT
high sodium suits a salty sweater on a long, hot ride
Shop cycling electrolytesFree shipping over $149
Shop now
Cycling and electrolytes, answeredAnswers to what riders ask us most. These same answers power the FAQ schema on this page.
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.
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.
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.
Yes. Chewable formats like SaltStick FastChews are built to take dry, mid ride, with whatever water you are already carrying.
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 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.
We dispatch from Wollongong within 12 to 48 hours. Many customers report next day delivery, including regional addresses.
Take our electrolyte finder quiz and we will match you to a brand and format based on how you ride.
No. LYTES stocks 31 brands, including LMNT, Re-Lyte, Sodii and SaltStick, and we only stock what we would use ourselves.
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.