creatine has been rumored to induce cramping or to hinder thermoregulation but the latest research doesn't seem to support that idea.
Putting to rest the myth of creatine supplementation leading to muscle cramps and dehydration.
in some instances i believe personal experience trumps research. it's your call.
by time-based performance i assume you mean an individual time trial (ITT or even a TTT). i think the research is mixed on this. it does not seem to improve this type of performance but i haven't seen a study design i particularly like (double-blind, good control, large sample size, well-trained cylcists, occuring over a long period of time, etc). i assume that anyone who is serious about these types of performances is employing interval training of some kind and i have to think they
might benefit from creatine. (italics imply conjecture). remember, creatine supplementation only improves the performance of a racing cyclist's rarely called upon phosphocreatine system. the biggest improvements occur in VERY short, VERY intense efforts, ie sprinting. the longer the interval, the less consequential. creatine isn't going to transform andy schleck into mark cavendish either. i'm not pushing creatine on cyclists, only communicating that it's not laughable or silly as the tone of the thread was beginning to suggest.