Water Bottle Weight

badhorsy

Hi all,

dumb question.

I've recently started taking more water with me on training rides. I now have two water bottle holders, with 800ml SIS bottles in them.

Is the weight from this much water likely to alter my performance at all? Will I even notice it?


Thanks.

rolf_f

They are there to replenish the water you are sweating out. If you don't do that your performance will suffer more for the lack of water than the additional weight.

I'm not that great at keeping hydrated unless the weather is pretty hot - I tend to only carry as much as I need. So, in winter, I won't even use one complete bottle on a hundred mile ride. In summer, I'll need both and then some.

navrig

I prefer to drink warm water as I find it more pallatable. I think it is more easily absorbed and is better for you that very cold water.

Difficult to avoid cold water in the winter though.

alistaird

Well, 1ltr of water weighs 1kg so you are carrying about an extra 1kg with the extra bottle. Will this make a difference, don't know but I wouldn't have thought so for most of us (for me anyway.)

Peddle Up!

Try not to fill your bottle with deuterium oxide.

brin

Why do you need 2 bottles for training? surely 1 will be adequate, personally i find 1 600ml bottle does me. If you are doing a sportive or similar, they usually have plenty of fluid at the feed stops, if your'e not sure it will be the type you use, put a measure of the powder in the empty bottle and when you stop just top up with the water

mrbrightside

If you're worried about the extra weight you could always drink a bottle-full before approaching a steep climb

acidstrato

better safe than sorry an all that

besides, an extra 800g....seriously!

some people add a hell of alot more weight to make them train harder

Garz

Why not take some change on a ride and a sachet of electrolyte in the emergency of you ever falling short. That way you can always refill to rehydrate.

On century rides in the heat however there is nothing wrong with utilising both water bottle bosses though...

emx

badhorsy wrote:

Is the weight from this much water likely to alter my performance at all? Will I even notice it?

your riding kit must weigh as much as a couple of full bottles - have you considered riding naked..?

Dmak

MrBrightside wrote:

If you're worried about the extra weight you could always drink a bottle-full before approaching a steep climb

Get a divers weight belt and on top of that give an obese person (fattie) a backie.

cougie

No I really doubt you'd notice it. What's your weight added to the bike ? Best part of 100kg ? So prob 2% difference ? Unless you're some kind of android you won't notice - plus hydration is essential. If you need a drink you need a drink. Dunno why you'd piss around stopping for water rather than taking two bottles out with you.
I've gone through a good few bottles on long hot rides - on one memorable occasion I had to beg water off a lady gardener - and she hosed me down too. :-)

T-Rekster

My advice re hydration is drink plenty, if anything more than you actually want, I could not figure out why two to three hours after a 20-30 mile run I would have a major headache lasting up to 48 hrs, I was consuming less than 300ml of water.

I started carrying two 600ml bottles with electrolyte drinks and make a point of consuming at least one per 30 mile, since then, riding harder for longer and no more post ride head aches.

Hydration is a funny beast and each to their own but I would recommend you drink as much as possible

T-Rekster

Mister W

If you're on a training ride surely carrying a bit of extra weight will help you improve. It might be a better question to ask if you're racing.

And running out of fluids in the middle of a long ride is not a pleasant experience.

ShutUpLegs

Plan to stop and refill or buy a bottle of water somewhere on route, or carry a couple of gel sachets if it concerns you that much

Yossie

On the training bike I carry two large water bottles full of damp sand - approx 3.2 kgs each. Its an arzzze when you first start doing it (start with 1, then two) but after a couple of weeks you don't notice it.

Work supplied the bottles to everyone as an incentive to drink more water but they are shhyyyyyte and leak so I stole some more and filled them with sand instead.

When you jump back on the good bike you will fly as not only have you dumped nigh on 6kg of sand but you've also dumped all the training bike weight as well. You can then factor in all the efficiencies from having the good groupset, wheels etc as well.

The handy thing about doing this as well is that if you are having an off day then you can take the sand off, as opposed to running just a really heavy bike.

When you add the winter lights and all that jazz it all helps as well.

When overtaking all the all the gear/no idea dudes up hills and they make comments about "ooh, your bike must be well light" you can either a) hit them with a bottle of sand or b) just point them out. Always an ego boost and worth an extra 2mph top end.

Racing: carry two, drink them as you need them - to an extent you can't hydrate enough.

jehannum5

i love the comment: just drink your water before you climb that hill... do you think the weihgt of 600 mls of water in you gut just vanishes or are you taking the piss?

rogerthecat

jehannum5 wrote:

i love the comment: just drink your water before you climb that hill... do you think the weihgt of 600 mls of water in you gut just vanishes or are you taking the wee-wee?

I think he was joking!

As to the OP, you will benefit from carrying the water / added weight to so some degree, either by as stated better hydration or strength training, however if you always carry two bottles then you would not notice the difference regarding going faster!

This is my opinion and like A-holes everybody has one!

I will finish on this point, hydration is very important and I would rather finish a ride with fluid left in my bottle, than ride 10 miles de-hydrated!

Butterd2

The extra weight will make less difference than getting dehydrated will.

amaferanga

Try weighing yourself before each ride - you'll probably find that the weight of you varies by up to a kg from day to do.

Buckled_Rims

jehannum5 wrote:

i love the comment: just drink your water before you climb that hill... do you think the weihgt of 600 mls of water in you gut just vanishes or are you taking the wee-wee?

And it produces a higher centre of gravity in the gut rather then the lower bottles carriers.

floosy

Does it matter.. its a training ride...

One Man And His Bike

springtide9

Water bottles? So last year. Just get yourself Camelpak mid-layer vest!

Camelpak's are a bit like a man bag. People don't think they look cool - but they look a lot better than having everything crammed into your pockets LOL


[ grabs coat and runs for life.... ]

dirkdiggler69

i did my first sportive last weekend and used just about a full 2 litre camelbak of water in 45 miles.
i'd say it's a lot better to arrive where your going with just enough water to get that final nutrigrain bar down your neck and feel absolutely fine.
rather than arriving with your tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth and a massive headache for the rest of the day.
if your bothered about the weight of the bottles ease up on the pies a bit instead.

P_Tucker

It's been said already, but jesus - it's a training ride. Yes you will go marginally slower for the same effort up a hill, but who really cares BECAUSE ITS A TRAINING RIDE FFS.

Ok, I need a lie down.

peejay78

extra weight - training benefit.

emx

dirkdiggler69 wrote:

i did my first sportive last weekend and used just about a full 2 litre camelbak of water in 45 miles.

2 litres in 45 miles..? You'd better think about towing a water bowser behind you for when summer comes....

Peddle Up!

emx wrote:

dirkdiggler69 wrote:

i did my first sportive last weekend and used just about a full 2 litre camelbak of water in 45 miles.

2 litres in 45 miles..? You'd better think about towing a water bowser behind you for when summer comes....

If it's on tap you'll drink it. I believe I may have a similar problem in pubs.

Buckled_Rims

emx wrote:

dirkdiggler69 wrote:

i did my first sportive last weekend and used just about a full 2 litre camelbak of water in 45 miles.

2 litres in 45 miles..? You'd better think about towing a water bowser behind you for when summer comes....

So in simple maths he'll need a gallon of water to do a 100 miler and it's not even summer!

That's 8.34lbs extra weight he'll need to carry minimum.

Your'e right, get a towbar and a bowser, Dirk

dawebbo

Yossie wrote:

On the training bike I carry two large water bottles full of damp sand - approx 3.2 kgs each. Its an arzzze when you first start doing it (start with 1, then two) but after a couple of weeks you don't notice it.

Work supplied the bottles to everyone as an incentive to drink more water but they are shhyyyyyte and leak so I stole some more and filled them with sand instead.

When you jump back on the good bike you will fly as not only have you dumped nigh on 6kg of sand but you've also dumped all the training bike weight as well. You can then factor in all the efficiencies from having the good groupset, wheels etc as well.

The handy thing about doing this as well is that if you are having an off day then you can take the sand off, as opposed to running just a really heavy bike.

When you add the winter lights and all that jazz it all helps as well.

When overtaking all the all the gear/no idea dudes up hills and they make comments about "ooh, your bike must be well light" you can either a) hit them with a bottle of sand or b) just point them out. Always an ego boost and worth an extra 2mph top end.

Racing: carry two, drink them as you need them - to an extent you can't hydrate enough.

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever read. Are you sure you haven't hit yourself over the head with one of these bottles?