Water on big rides

hammerite

I go through about half a 750ml bottle on a 50 miler, around 2 x 750ml bottles on a 100 miler. I don't think I drink enough though.

People looking for water sources..... if you go past a graveyard or allotments they've more often than not got a tap somewhere to fill up from. The task is finding the tap though!

Butterd2

Monty Dog wrote:

As a contrast, I've occassionally ridden with John Woodburn, whose still riding competitively in his 70s and has won more national champs than anyone else. Anyway, back in the day, drinking water was seen as a sign of weakness and so riders would train themselves to drink as little as a single bottle every 4 to 5 hours. Riding with John you rarely see him take a swig. Likewise, on Saturday's 5 hour ride (90 miles) I only drank about 750ml (not including the cafestop) and yet needed to stop for a wee about 4 times - showing I was well hydrated. Experience will help you understand how much you need to drink on rides as much as theoretical estimates.

Mmm not sure about that, I pee a lot when I'm on the piss but I'm certainly not hydrated.

procyclist

200ml per hour of fluid is about par for the course for an 'average' (17-19 degree) ride at 60-65% tempo

sungod

as others say, cafe/shop for refill, but if it isn't hot and/or you don't lose a lot of fluid then 2 bottles can be more than enough for 50 miles

if you need more and are riding out into the deep sticks another option is to get a small water purifier, then you can refill at streams/ponds/puddles without having to worry if there's a decomposing yak/body/whatever upstream or whether the rats have contaminated it, i use an mwp when going across country on foot, works very well

for cycling the swp is smaller/lighter at 60g, but you can't change the cartridge so you need to replace once you've reached the rated capacity

http://www.pre-mac.com/MIL_P1.HTM

it takes about 4-5 minutes to fill a bottle, then you leave it for 2 minutes before drinking

you get used to the faint iodine taste, i actually like it, tangy :-)

MattC59

lifecyclist2010 wrote:

ideal...and your two bottles and works as a base layer too!!

http://www.camelbak.com/Sports-Recreati ... -Mens.aspx

other than the fact that you look like the hunchback of notredam. Just MTFU and get one of these: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=57087

I have one, and being used to a large camalbak from mtb-ing, I don't have an issue with it. However, I've now been sucked in by the vanity of road biking and have two water bottles instead However, it holds 1.5L of your favorite tipple and you can still carry two bottles on the bike. I also find it a lot more convenient to have a drink and don't really notice that it's there.

It might be worth trying the electrolyte tabs, as previously mentioned. I have these: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=28605 and they're as good as any others on the market. I find that when I use them I'm not constantly reaching for a drink.

i tend to drink a pint of water before I start out as well.

red ed

awh18awh wrote:

Hi all,

Been road cycling for a few months now and really enjoying it. Just started pushing the distances but starting to have a bit of a problem.

On longer rides of 50+ miles I find myself running out of water. I carry two 750ml bottles, one with plain water and one with water and a energy tab in. After 40 odd miles im clean out and end up just carrying on without. The other day i did 55 miles and ran out at about 40 miles when i got home I was massively dehydrated and felt awful!

Ive thought about carrying my camelbak but dont really want to carry it on my back, how does everyone else make their water last??

Thanks!!

Seriously, if anything you're drinking too much already. There must have been another reason you felt bad when you got back - did you have anything to eat while on the road? Or was it just the first time you'd ridden so far?

Alibran

red ed wrote:

awh18awh wrote:

On longer rides of 50+ miles I find myself running out of water. I carry two 750ml bottles, one with plain water and one with water and a energy tab in.

Seriously, if anything you're drinking too much already

50+ miles would take me over 3 hours (due to hills round here and lack of fitness), so I'd have the same problem. I get thirsty when I'm riding, but I try to limit myself to 500ml an hour, since my body can't use any more than that. But it would have to be pretty cool for me to drink less.

red ed

Alibran wrote:

red ed wrote:

awh18awh wrote:

On longer rides of 50+ miles I find myself running out of water. I carry two 750ml bottles, one with plain water and one with water and a energy tab in.

Seriously, if anything you're drinking too much already

50+ miles would take me over 3 hours (due to hills round here and lack of fitness), so I'd have the same problem. I get thirsty when I'm riding, but I try to limit myself to 500ml an hour, since my body can't use any more than that. But it would have to be pretty cool for me to drink less.

Yeah, but to be fair you do say you're in Malaga, where it does get a bit warm. Assuming the OP and most others on this thread aren't in Malaga, there's some serious over-thinking going on here with all this talk of Camelbaks and bottles behind saddles and water purification devices There's club runs going out for 4 or 5 hours every sunday where only the most extreme will carry is 2x750ml bottles, most will have 2x500ml and some less than that. That's plenty of fluid. There will still be at least one pee stop where everyone will run very clear.

Try taking some nutrigrain bars in your pocket and eat one of those every couple of hours and cut back on the fluid a bit.

DCowling

red ed wrote:

Alibran wrote:

red ed wrote:

awh18awh wrote:

On longer rides of 50+ miles I find myself running out of water. I carry two 750ml bottles, one with plain water and one with water and a energy tab in.

Seriously, if anything you're drinking too much already

50+ miles would take me over 3 hours (due to hills round here and lack of fitness), so I'd have the same problem. I get thirsty when I'm riding, but I try to limit myself to 500ml an hour, since my body can't use any more than that. But it would have to be pretty cool for me to drink less.

Yeah, but to be fair you do say you're in Malaga, where it does get a bit warm. Assuming the OP and most others on this thread aren't in Malaga, there's some serious over-thinking going on here with all this talk of Camelbaks and bottles behind saddles and water purification devices There's club runs going out for 4 or 5 hours every sunday where only the most extreme will carry is 2x750ml bottles, most will have 2x500ml and some less than that. That's plenty of fluid. There will still be at least one pee stop where everyone will run very clear.


Try taking some nutrigrain bars in your pocket and eat one of those every couple of hours and cut back on the fluid a bit.

I went out yesterday on a 55 mile ride which I done in 3hr 22 ( which is v,good for me) and used 3x 500ml bottles. I did not stop to pee ( never do ) but I sweat buckets, so I know if I go on a ride over 40 miles I need to plan going passed a refill point at some stage

Herbsman

I drink one 700ml bottle every 40 miles or so. Two in the same distance sounds excessive.

Cleat Eastwood

If you sweat alot drink a lot. Theres no hard and fast rule, some experienced riders drink less, some drink more. Either way to re-hydrate you’ll have to drink one-and-a-half times the fluid you’ve lost and on long rides its better to be safe.

rodgers73

Feltup wrote:

Make sure you are really hydrated before you set out. Two 750ml bottles in 40miles is a lot and would hint that you are not properly hydrated to start with. Otherwise get a friend to carry a spare bottle for you, tell them it is practice for when they turn pro.

I drink a lot of water on a typical day in the office and have bottles in my car as well. I gave up caffeine and alcohol a long time ago. Yesterday I did 100 mile sportive and only needed 2 x 750ml bottles for the whole thing. My mouth is a little dry today but nothing too bad. I'd suggest you need to work on your hydration generally.

HamishD

As people have said: if you sweat a lot, drink a lot.

BUT

No Camelbaks - it's in the rules . . .

springtide9

HamishD wrote:

As people have said: if you sweat a lot, drink a lot.
BUT
No Camelbaks - it's in the rules . . .

These are the rules:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /index.htm

Not sure what this site appears to think it is...
http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/
But appears to be a company that has made up it's own 'set of rules' to create a bit of a following, with the intention of selling it's merchandising to cyclists. Amazing the power of marketing and advertising.
Next companies will be bottle tap water and trying to sell it to us consumers? Oh yes, they have already tried that

'No Camelbaks' lol. People will be saying no personal stereos or mobiles while riding next!

red ed

springtide9 wrote:

HamishD wrote:

As people have said: if you sweat a lot, drink a lot.
BUT
No Camelbaks - it's in the rules . . .

These are the rules:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /index.htm

Not sure what this site appears to think it is...
http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/

Every single one of those is either wrong or so obvious that it's offensive to see it written down.

springtide9 wrote:

'No Camelbaks' lol. People will be saying no personal stereos or mobiles while riding next!

If you need to be told not to wear a camelbak then you might as well go ahead and wear one because there is already no hope for you.

springtide9

red ed wrote:

springtide9 wrote:

'No Camelbaks' lol. People will be saying no personal stereos or mobiles while riding next!

If you need to be told not to wear a camelbak then you might as well go ahead and wear one because there is already no hope for you.

There is no hope for me