2 Bottles, 35 mile ride, what to put in them?

Secteur

Rather than carrying my camelback, I have bought a second bottle.

I will put water in one, but what is best to put in the other?

Ideally cheap "supermarket" suggestions, but if more expensive specialist liquids are better then please suggest those too

I'm a newbie, 3 months in, just about comfortable with 35 milers, and will be hoping to step up to 40 milers in the next week or two.

For tomorrow, I just got a strawberry/banana smoothie drink from ASDA - 60cal/100mls

Many thanks.,

guttertrash

On my longer rides I usually take a bottle of squash (can't stand plain water) and an electrolyte drink in the other and alternate between them.

BelgianBeerGeek

Longer rides -1 bottle water, 1 electrolyte (weakish) mix, depending if its hot. BTW, use it up! How many times have you seen people get home and bin water. Whats the point in taking it? If you are out and need water, stop at a cafe/pub and ask for a refill. I have done this loads of times and have always had an excellent response. Sometimes a chat with a pretty barmaid has got me through the next 10 miles without even thinking.

Pokerface

Secteur wrote:

I will put water in one, but what is best to put in the other?

Put water in the other one as well. Add some squash if it will help you drink more of it.

Secteur wrote:

For tomorrow, I just got a strawberry/banana smoothie drink from ASDA - 60cal/100mls
Many thanks.,

I hope you're not planning on putting that in one of your bottles for the ride! That would be gross. Great to drink it before or after the ride though.

cloggsy

I tried a sample of 'Zero Highs Low Calorie Berry' from Wiggle.

This is the official 'blurb'

Now you can have an electrolyte hydrating drink wherever you are with High 5 Zero Sport Hydration Salts. These fizzy tablets can be added to water or squash to make an electrolyte sports drink or combined with your regular sports drink to boost its effect...

It was nice!

Anonymous

For a 35 mile ride I'd just take water or maybe some squash. (tesco cherries and berries is my fave)
If it's really hot I might stick a bit of electrolyte mix in the squash, it's dead cheap!

I only use energy drink in races or long rides/hot days...

Alibran

It depends on the weather.

If it's relatively cool, just water. If it's 20+ degrees, water with an electrolyte tablet disolved in both bottles.

The temperature for my ride today was high 20s, and I got home with an inch or so left in my water bottle. Normally, I'm not fussed about the taste of the electrolyte drink - it's tolerable, but I'd prefer plain water - but I drank that last inch and though how good it tasted, so I obviously needed it.

I'd probably take a cereal bar with me as well, just in case I needed some extra energy but, from experience, would be very unlikely to eat it!

BelgianBeerGeek

In addition to above, you may find that as you travel further/faster your needs will change. For 35 miles I'm happy with water. A gel in the back pocket is good as backup.

meanredspider

Do you really need two bottles on a 35-mile ride? As a rule-of-thumb, you probably don't need anything for the first hour. I get by with one bottle of energy/electrolyte for 35 miles.

gmb

Just water for 35 miles.

Secteur

As a newbie (3 months, although I have trained hard - now averaging 80 miles a week), I still havent done more than 35 miles, so for me 35 miles is a fair whack and I need all the help I can get.

I know that I tend not to drink, and bonk home the last 4-5 miles with a headache - tomorrow I plan to force myself to drink 2 bottles to see if that helps, and hopefully get home fresher.

I also have 2 bananas and a flapjack in my jersey pockets!

I am still building my CV fitness, so I tend to sweat more that you fit people, and pant more, and so I reckon I lose more water than a fitter cyclist.

rjh299

meanredspider wrote:

Do you really need two bottles on a 35-mile ride? As a rule-of-thumb, you probably don't need anything for the first hour. I get by with one bottle of energy/electrolyte for 35 miles.

You don't drink anything for the first hour? Can't say I'd recommend that to the op. How long is it taking for you to do 35 miles? If your out for more than two hours an energy/electrolyte drink in one bottle and water in the other.

navrig

I am probably the same as most of the others. 35 miles is on the boundary between just water and some electrolyte depending on temperature. At 50 miles I introduce a carb drink (our local Asda sell PSP GO) and on the odd occassion I have dome more I'll take two bottles with carb drink but at different concentrations.

Always carry two cereal bars and two gels minimum, just in case.

colsoop

I would go with water in one squash in the other. Better to have it and not need it.

Perhaps have a cereal bar or something to eat as you say you are just about comfortable at 35 miles you might need an extra bit of energy due to working harder.

solosuperia

Slightly off topic but pretty impressive I think.
My local pub is on the London-Edinburgh-London Audax route. This guy comes in downs two pints of lager in the blinking of an eye then fills his water bottles the big ones, must be another two litres of lager! He was on his way back so must have something like 700/800k under his belt....I would have been unconscious!

solosuperia

Perhaps I shouldn't admit to this.....
When racing in Belgium a good few years ago now.
Black very strong coffee sweetened with honey.
I don't believe I have just admitted that, done in all innocence at the time.

MrChuck

For 35 miles just water. I'd start thinking about electrolytes/carb stuff for 50+ miles.

But as you say, everyone's different- some people on here seem to be able to go on and on on practically nothing!

Richa1181

You can get away with just water if you've also got some food in your pocket. It's always good to have some kind of carbs with you just in case but taking along 1 bottle of water and 1 of either carb or electrolyte works for me. It all depends on how hard you're working as to what requirements you have really..

Secteur

ok will have to look into these electrolyte drinks - any brand names to start with?

Did 47 miles in the end!

I put it down to taking one water, one fresh grape juice diluted a little, a banana and a home-made flapjack.

Not only did I take them, but I actually took the time to stop and have them BEFORE i felt tired, so I never got to the point of bonking (although I couldn't have gone further than I did).

My strategy worked, I think, as I did 10 miles more than I had planned, and 10 more than I have ever done before!

rc856

I totally overdo it.
Two 750ml bottles for anything over 30miles. PSP22 in one, water in the other.
I also carry about 3 bars and a couple of gels.

I'd rather have than have not.
The extra weight won't make any difference to my performance!

Richa1181

Well done

The key to long rides is keeping on top of fluids and fuel because if you get to the point where you really feel you need them then it's too late! Get into the habit of having a sip of water every 10 minutes or so and as you say, take time out to stop and eat -or even keep riding whilst you eat a bar/flapjack but make sure you do it. Getting home exhausted and eating the things you've been carrying around in your back pocket for 2-3 hours isn't the best way to do it

snickwell

I have to disagree with some of the posts here...

If you're taking two 750ml bottles with you on a 30ish mile ride, you're effectively carrying around an extra 1.5kg. In a sport where most of us are trying to shave weight wherever possible, 1.5kg is an awful lot!

I agree its important to stay hydrated and for 50 + miles, I'd take two bottles. For a 30 though? Not for me...

Dmak

2x 1 litre bottles. Special Brew in one and White Cider in the other. You'll fly!

mattward1979

Dmak wrote:

2x 1 litre bottles. Special Brew in one and White Cider in the other. You'll fly!

You might feel like you are flying, but really you are just pedaling while your bike is on its side after you crashed into the nearest bin! =P Fun times!

Personally, I go for 2x 500ml 50:50 water/lucozade body fuel for anything 30+ miles. I love the stuff!! Really gives a nice boost when you need it.

rcornejo

GMB wrote:

Just water for 35 miles.

I do second this opinion.
Furthermore: just one bottle.
Regards from Chile,

rca

-steves-

I too would only take one bottle of water, but most of that would be used to rinse the insects and stuff out of my mouth as I tend to gets lots of those from sucking them all in from about a 10 metre radius Certainly feels that way at times

EDIT: I am also no light weight and am not fit at all as only been doing this since end of Jan beginning of Feb and I sweat like a ******* ***

nferrar

35 I'd probably just take 750ml of an electrolyte drink (i.e. water with a nuun or zero tablet in), or possibly energy drink depending on what food I was carrying. Did 45 yesterday and ended up using all of a 750ml energy drink and 500ml electrolyte. It training so a bit of added weight doesn't really bother me

bakerstreet

I have just been taking 1 x 750ml Squash for 30 mile rides. Tesco summer fruits squash does it for me 8)

Just ordered a second cage for my bike, so I will probably start taking a second water bottle. Going to have to buy two water bottles though as I'd like to have matching ones!

cruiser33

For 30ish mile rides I have gone with one bottle of water with a `zero` electrolyte tab, and the other bottle has a small banana & granola bar shoved in it. ( On my last ride the grub was very welcome whilst doing a roadside puncture repair!)

Alibran

To be honest, I'd only take one bottle as well, but I was answering the OP's question about what to put in the 2 bottles. I carry spare nuun (electrolyte) tablets with me, and if I ran out of water and there wasn't a bar nearby to get some, I'd just stop at the first house I came to and ask if they'd mind refilling the bottle with water.

I don't use carbohydrate drinks because I prefer to eat food if I need energy, but then I'm not pushing too hard. If you're training hard or racing, I can understand wanting liquid or a gel that's easier to digest.

meanredspider

rjh299 wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Do you really need two bottles on a 35-mile ride? As a rule-of-thumb, you probably don't need anything for the first hour. I get by with one bottle of energy/electrolyte for 35 miles.

You don't drink anything for the first hour? Can't say I'd recommend that to the op. How long is it taking for you to do 35 miles? If your out for more than two hours an energy/electrolyte drink in one bottle and water in the other.

My post was a bit misleading - what I meant to say was that, if you're exercising for an hour, the guidance is that you don't need to hydrate during that time. Clearly, if you're dragging a bottle around with you for longer periods, you might as well drink from it at regular intervals. A lot depends too on how much fluid you are losing and how well hydrated you were before you started.