Budget - star nutrition whey 80 - double rich chocolate.
It’s a Swedish brand…I have eaten about 1 kg every 15 days for the last 5 years. Still enjoying it with milk. Water…not enjoying it but I don’t hate it.
“Premium” - optimum nutrition Gold standard whey - double rich chocolate. Tastes great, mixes easy. But it’s more expensive than star nutrition and I eat kinda large amounts…
Maddymurda, that was my thought as well. This was my reply, which I will use to supplement your reply here:
How long are your workouts? If they are 90m or less, then why are you consuming protein before a workout? Protein is not a primary energy source. Your body had three energy systems: Creatine Phosphate (anaerobic) for 0-20s efforts), Glygolic (anaerobic) for 30s-3m efforts), and Oxidation based (aerobic) for anything above the first two. The first two systems use creatine phosphate and glycogen (carbs) respectively. The last, aerobic, uses glycogen, fat, and amino acids, but your body will use glycogen and fat as energy sources before amino acids to prevent canibalization of your muscles . If you eat the night before, you should have enough carbs and fat in your system already for a moderate workout. If you plan on doing high intensity work, then before your workout you should be consuming some simple carbs to replenish what you lost during the night sleep, but depending on what you ate the night before, that may not even be necessary, given that your muscles can store roughly 700-2000 calories of glycogen stores.
The general recommendation is to carb up before your workout, and then consume a recovery drink within 30 minutes after your workout (sounds like you are already doing that) – so here is where you would add your protein power, but mixed with some carbs (dextrose, banana, berries, etc).
Rather than doing a protein powder before the ride (see my longer reply on this), I would opt for some BCCAs and Glutamine. This will give your body a head start on processing the amino acids to start muscle repair, without cluttering your gut with an energy source that your body does not prefer to use in workouts that are 60-90m in length. Yes, on your long rides, like 60-100m +, you’d want to be consuming protein. Then after your workout, have at it with your protein and carb recovery routine. 
I use NOW Whey Protein Isolate and buy 10lbs at a time: https://service.netrition.com/now_whey_protein_isolate_page.html
It has no taste, so I can mix it with either milk or orange juice.
I would like to throw out there that after some serious research I chose BioChem Whey Protein.
Arsenic, mercury, lead, antibiotics, BPA, pesticides, etc are eating us from the inside out. BioChem Whey Protein has been tested by a few institutions to be containing the least amount (on average) of any of these things. Protein per serving is low, but I’m not trying to bulk and I am much happier knowing I’m not consuming all those things.
https://www.cleanlabelproject.org/products/biochem-vanilla-100-whey-protein/
For the last year or so I’ve been taking Bubs Collagen protein, and their MCT oil. I do it for more than the recovery reasons, and have recently found out that going through my oncology appointments that I actually can’t digest whey protein. This came as a shock to me after playing sports my entire life, lifting weights and always drinking whey protein drinks to recover. My oncologist noticed this after my blood work came back and my liver and kidney “numbers” were all out of whack. He asked what I was taking “osmo nutrition” he read the label and said stop taking it and take something else and we’ll re-test. I switched over to a collagen protein and MCT oil and I felt a thousand times better and my numbers were normal. According to my oncologist many people really struggle to break whey protein down, and may never know unless they have a blood test done specifically looking at kidney and liver numbers.
Collagen protein has other big benefits like limited weight gain, encourages digestive health The Ol’ Gi Tract, supports stronger hair, skin and nails, and aids in joint health.
Not pushing Bubs by any means, but I do love collagen protein. Mixes well in coffee, water etc for quick shake. Don’t expect for rich chocolate flavors or that sort of thing. It’s meant to be tasteless to add to anything. I’m interested if any of the TR team has tried collagen protein. After the last episode of the podcast seemed as though they could only think of whey, casein and vegan proteins.
OTE chocolate Soya protein for me…
Costco (Canada) LeanFit Vanilla. Mostly because it is cheap and doesn’t taste awful. The chocolate however, isn’t worth buying. I usually add a tablespoon of maple syrup which really helps the flavour.
I tend to mix two types of protein:
NAKED EGG – 3LB Non-GMO Egg White Protein Powder
Nutiva Organic, Cold-Processed Hemp Protein
Egg whites are a complete protein and contain all of the essential amino acids, high leucine content, and relatively high absorption rate. Hemp protein is rich in healthy fats and essential fatty acids, and a good source of vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc.
Let’s see what the data says, based on a scientific study. This is comprehensive and may be worth the read and allow you to get beyond the marketing hype and individualized anecdotal evidence.
Another vote for MyProtein. Highly rated on Labdoor (which is always my first stop before I pickup any supplement) and not expensive and pretty much always on sale.
I’ve had the natural chocolate, natural strawberry and vanilla flavours from theImpact Whey Protein product. Chocolate and Strawberry were fantastic - Vanilla was horrifically sweet and I barely choked my way through that bag.
Egg White Protein Powder, no flavor.
THis.
No Whey man! Either the Leanfit vanilla or Vega when on sale at Costco or SunWarrier Mocha if Goodness Me! is clearing it out. All plant all the time.
But chocolate…
NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate, Creamy Chocolate, 5-Pound
I like Arbonne for post workout protein but SIS do an overnight protein that I think works really well.
SIS Rego Rapid Recovery chocolate and strawberry flavors. 1) tastes okay with water (not as good as skratch recovery chocolate or coffee, but good enough), 2) as much as I dislike them sponsoring sky! , they claim to have less junk in it that might fail a doping test, so probably just ‘‘cleaner’’ in general, I’m not a tested athlete, but still appreciate less junk in my food 3) you can get 25% off any day of the week with a code from the Rapha podcast, get free shipping and normally get 6 - 12 free gels with it. (and often they do 40% off)
I’m planning to get their overnight protein too when the next 40% off sale happens. I’ll then take the Rego if a did a day/morning ride, and the overnight after evening workouts, or if I’m doing a really high TSS week and want a little more.
SP2 Raw Spirulina and Arbonne vegan protein. https://www.arbonne.com/Pws/homeoffice/store/AMUS/product/Chocolate-Protein-Shake-Mix-Powder-2069,1475.aspx
As of late, I’ve tried Huel. The taste is a little hard to get past without adding something like 12 oz of chocolate syrup.
