Water Bottle Weight

badhorsy
badhorsy Posts: 107
edited April 2011 in Road beginners
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.
«1

Comments

  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    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.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • navrig
    navrig Posts: 1,352
    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
    alistaird Posts: 290
    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.)
    Alistair


    Best Weather Bike - Time ZXRS
    Summer Road Bike - Pinarello FPX Dogma
    Winter Road Bike- Colnago E1
    Being Dismantled - Sintesi Blade
    Mountain Bike - Sold them all....
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    Try not to fill your bottle with deuterium oxide. :D
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • brin
    brin Posts: 1,122
    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
  • If you're worried about the extra weight you could always drink a bottle-full before approaching a steep climb
  • acidstrato
    acidstrato Posts: 945
    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
    Crafted in Italy apparantly
  • Garz
    Garz Posts: 1,155
    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
    emx Posts: 164
    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
    Dmak Posts: 445
    If you're worried about the extra weight you could always drink a bottle-full before approaching a steep climb

    :D

    Get a divers weight belt and on top of that give an obese person (fattie) a backie.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    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
    T-Rekster Posts: 110
    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
    Mister W Posts: 791
    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
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    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
    Yossie Posts: 2,600
    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
    jehannum5 Posts: 54
    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
    rogerthecat Posts: 669
    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
    Butterd2 Posts: 937
    The extra weight will make less difference than getting dehydrated will.
    Scott CR-1 (FCN 4)
    Pace RC200 FG Conversion (FCN 5)
    Giant Trance X

    My collection of Cols
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    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.
    More problems but still living....
  • Buckled_Rims
    Buckled_Rims Posts: 1,648
    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.
    CAAD9
    Kona Jake the Snake
    Merlin Malt 4
  • floosy
    floosy Posts: 270
    Does it matter.. its a training ride...
  • springtide9
    springtide9 Posts: 1,731
    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.... ]
    Simon
  • 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
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    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
    peejay78 Posts: 3,378
    extra weight - training benefit.
  • emx
    emx Posts: 164
    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!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    emx 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. :D
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • Buckled_Rims
    Buckled_Rims Posts: 1,648
    emx 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 :wink:
    CAAD9
    Kona Jake the Snake
    Merlin Malt 4
  • dawebbo
    dawebbo Posts: 456
    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?