Water on Ventoux

mimizan

For my mid-life crisis I am riding Ventoux from Bedoin in June of this year.

I’ve got what I hope is a simple dilemma for anyone else who his ridden this climb.

Is two bottles enough? If so… is it best to take one and re-fill at Chalet-Reynard (is there a shop/fountain or do you need to go into the cafe?) or carry two bottles the whole way? (I'm not a weight weenie.. but want this to be as easy as possible!)

I’d rather do it without stopping… because starting again can be so darn difficult!

mercia_man

Carry two full bottles from the start, drink them as you go along and you'll be fine.

smoggysteve

South of France in July..........

You think it might get a bit mild?

bristolpete

2 large bottles (750ml = 2.2lb on the bike) with relevant tabs.

Set your garmin to beep every ten minutes. Sip upon the beep. A recreational rider should to it in 1.30 - 2 hours so I suspect 2 x bottles ideal, though you will have the option to stop if required ?

laguna

Take plenty of money if you are going to buy water at Chalet Reynard. Seem to remember paying 3 Euro for 500ml about 5 years ago. Now carry 4 bottles when I go in August (32 degrees by lunchtime usually).

jdee84

Can just fill up bottles at the taps in the toilets at chalet reynard if more than two bottles is needed

Brakeless

bristolpete wrote:

2 large bottles (750ml = 2.2lb on the bike) with relevant tabs.

Set your garmin to beep every ten minutes.

That would really pi** me off

bristolpete

Brakeless wrote:

bristolpete wrote:

2 large bottles (750ml = 2.2lb on the bike) with relevant tabs.

Set your garmin to beep every ten minutes.

That would really pi** me off

Nah, its genius in the summer.

svetty

bristolpete wrote:

2 large bottles (750ml = 2.2lb on the bike) with relevant tabs.

Set your garmin to beep every ten minutes. Sip upon the beep. A recreational rider should to it in 1.30 - 2 hours so I suspect 2 x bottles ideal, though you will have the option to stop if required ?

It would have to be a pretty decent 'recreational' rider to do it in 90 minutes. 2 hours is a reasonable club cyclist time....

Bugger the beeping phone thing. You want to savour your experience, take in the surroundings and enjoy it - not be a slave to a sodding mobile phone!

2 750ml bottles and a refill 2/3rds of the way - eg Chalet Reynard is fine. If it's really warm an early am start might be prudent

dodgy

If you start well hydrated, even slightly over hydrated, you'll be fine on 2 bottles.

smoggysteve

You could get a small camelbak .

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CamelBak-Mens-Vest-RaceBak-Hydration/dp/B00437UXKS

svetty

SmoggySteve wrote:

You could get a small camelbak .

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CamelBak-Mens-Vest-RaceBak-Hydration/dp/B00437UXKS

Because cycling uphill for 2 hours carrying water on your back in the heat is .......fun?? Nah, thought not.......

smoggysteve

Svetty wrote:

SmoggySteve wrote:

You could get a small camelbak .

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CamelBak-Mens-Vest-RaceBak-Hydration/dp/B00437UXKS

Because cycling uphill for 2 hours carrying water on your back in the heat is .......fun?? Nah, thought not.......

Running out of water is no fun either in 30 degrees plus at altitude

Common sense says drink the camelbak first. Leave the bottles til last

burnthesheep

SmoggySteve wrote:

South of France in July..........

You think it might get a bit mild?

Ha ha! I live in the south of the US. 90's to 100 F all summer with high humidity. Three months straight. It's part of life. Two bottles and mapping your route around filling points is a way of life here. Or riding at night once the temperature falls into the 80's F.

Good luck and fun on your venture.

svetty

In all seriousness, assuming approximately 90 mins to Chalet Reynard from Bedoin - a reasonable time for most keen cyclists, two 750 ml bottles gives you a fluid intake of a litre an hour. If this isn't enough you must be starting out pretty dehydrated. The climb is also through the trees and is partially shaded......

Secteur

burnthesheep wrote:

SmoggySteve wrote:

South of France in July..........

You think it might get a bit mild?

Ha ha! I live in the south of the US. 90's to 100 F all summer with high humidity. Three months straight. It's part of life. Two bottles and mapping your route around filling points is a way of life here. Or riding at night once the temperature falls into the 80's F.

Good luck and fun on your venture.

There's also no hills in the humid South of US! Unless you count bridges ;-)

DeVlaeminck

Just looked back at first time I did it - 1.45 from Bedoin and that wasn't racing up it - 2 750s to the top is plenty and take some money for the extortionately priced cans of pop before descending. Climbing Ventoux as a one off isn't all that hard - you'll see all sorts of people climbing it on different types of bike.

I've stopped for a snack at Chalet Reynard before now and remembered it as being reasonably priced given the location but I could be wrong.

aberdeenal

There's a pick n mix stall at the top too :-)

durhamwasp

As already said, its 15km from Bedoin to Chalet Reynard, 2 x 500ml bottles will be enough, 2 x 750ml if you prefer, then refill at Chalet Reynard.

There is also a water tap mid-way through the forest section, after about 10km from Bedoin.

Also, why not set off early (8am) when its not so hot? There will already be dozens of cyclists going up from earlier than that.

keezx

Done the Ventoux a couple of years ago in june 2x from Bedoin and Malaucene, weather not hot.
Both times with 1 0,75 l bottle, no need for more , riding time app. 1h 40 min.
2 Bottles within 2 hours would give me a waterpoisoning.

sancho_panza

about 1km past Reynard there's a fountain on the right hand side. Fontaine de la Grave it's called; tucked into one of the bends, you'll not miss it.

itboffin

Good tip thanks, i found this rather useful website

https://en.eau-cyclisme.com

term1te

I'll be undertaking a time trial up Ventoux in October, I hadn't imagined I'd take any water. If I start fully hydrated, would this be totally reckless? There'll be something to drink at the top, champagne hopefully :-)

Rodrego Hernandez

Term1te wrote:

I'll be undertaking a time trial up Ventoux in October, I hadn't imagined I'd take any water. If I start fully hydrated, would this be totally reckless? There'll be something to drink at the top, champagne hopefully :-)

Thats probably a good idea. Remove your bottle cages and screw your rear mech to stop you using the lowest gear will also help ;-)

mimizan

Just logged back on first time since posting.... overjoyed at the number of responses, cheers!

Yeah . am an early riser, so will be heading out 07:00 at the latest... so avoiding the mid-day sun anyway.... Just would;t fancy carrying a bottle full of water I'd never use all the way to the top.

I suspect by the time I make it to the top, I'll be happy to pay any price for "Un Coca" .... 10000 Euros? No problem!

DavidJB

Keezx wrote:

2 Bottles within 2 hours would give me a waterpoisoning.

:roll: what a load of tosh

durhamwasp

mimizan wrote:

Just logged back on first time since posting.... overjoyed at the number of responses, cheers!

Yeah . am an early riser, so will be heading out 07:00 at the latest... so avoiding the mid-day sun anyway.... Just would;t fancy carrying a bottle full of water I'd never use all the way to the top.

I suspect by the time I make it to the top, I'll be happy to pay any price for "Un Coca" .... 10000 Euros? No problem!

The bar at the final hairpin isn't too badly priced, had a couple of deserved Jupilers in there! And of course, have one with your lunch in Chalet Reynard on the way down.

sloppyschleckonds

mimizan wrote:

Just logged back on first time since posting.... overjoyed at the number of responses

You must be new to the internetz

keith57

There's a spring / fountain thing just after Chalet Reynard too. Very handy when I went past the 2nd time uphill when doing the triple a few years ago :-)