Fifty Plus (50+) - Question about hydration

When I first returned to cycling last summer, I found myself drinking on the ride like they had just invented water. I often had to find a way to refill my water bottle, even on a ten mile ride.

Now, I find it hard to remember to take a drink every now and then. I even have an unwritten rule for myself -- drink some water every ten miles whether you're thirsty or not.

I realize that the weather is cooler, and I'm in better condition than when I started. But I can often go fifteen or twenty miles without hydrating, or even thinking about it. Unless it's a VERY hot day, I hardly ever pick up the water bottle.

Is this normal?

One bottle per hour on a long ride is my rule of thumb, or on a hard ride, two bottles for every 20-25 miles.

Cooler weather can be deceptive, and lull you into thinking that you are not thirsty. In the summer, on a hot day when I am working hard, I will take at least 1 litre of water every hour, then as the cooler weather arrives, I slacken off to about 500mls per hour, but then I will not be on a long ride at this time of year. This morning with the below freezing weather, I had to force myself to drink, Over a 3 hour ride I had 2 litres of water, and 2 cups of coffee.

Not feeling thirsty, not having to take water to keep hydrated is normal, but it is not a good practice to do this. Every 10 minutes or so, you should be taking in fluid. Just sipping is ok, but keep sipping all the time. Just in case it has not hit you yet- a little warning. If you feel thirsty, it is too late to get re-hydrated. For me that means taking at least 1 bottle of water immediately, and at least 1 litre more as soon as possible while I ride along slowly. Normally takes about 20 minutes to even start to recover, and has taken longer. For that reason, I do not take the chance, and just keep drinking. I don't care how many bushes I have to find, but I just drink.

Same with Food. you will start off with some energy in the body, but 20 minutes or so before the ride top up with a Carbo hydrate food. Then on the ride- unless you have a stop planned where you can eat, take a cereal bar every 45 minutes. I say every 45 minutes, but then cereal bars are small. Take a power bar every hour if you want- if your stomach, teeth and jaws can take them. Have some dried fruit. doesn't matter what it is, as long as you top up on the ride.

In fact this is one of the joys of cycling- All that energy used has to be replaced. Do an extra 10 miles and the diet can go out of the window to get a second slice of Irma's pie in. I would say or something just as good, but the pictures tell me that they will take a lot of beating.

Irma's pie is passing into myth....makes a Clif bar seem like sawdust. All of what Stapham said is right on--pretty much as usual. Moreover, consider keeping a few "power" gel packs in your saddle bag permanently. Takes about 20 minutes for their energy to hit your muscles (we're not talking Clark Kent to Superman or anything--but often times noticable). They work a little faster than solid stuff if you don't mind their almost cakefrosting sweetness--but aren't as satisfying. Drink plenty of water with them.

To encourage drinking you might try "flavoring" one of your water bottles with a little electrolyte solution....something like Cytomax (there's a bunch of brands) or a even little Gatorade--even some lime juice. Just don't worry about RULES for drinking, eating, scratching, shifting, inflating, burping.........so many protocols we forget to have FUN. Consider all this stuff "pointers" you can test out in your own experience.

I often forget to drink, then get parched, drink off half a bottle, get the bloat, and feel like the Goodyear blimp. I recall many years ago the trend was de-fizzed coke with which to wash down your fig newtons. Good old days, right.

I recall many years ago the trend was de-fizzed coke with which to wash down your fig newtons. Good old days, right.

Now I don't bother to de-fizz. Coke is one of my staples on long rides (80+ miles) and fig newtons are some calories that I can stomach when riding. I have been using Clif bars this year and I can take them. Others cannot tolerate them at all. You just need to find what works for you.

Hi Gary....When I'm on a short ride of 20 - 30 kms (12-18 mi) I have a terrible time getting myself to drink enough water. Just reaching down, pulling the bottle out of the cage, sucking on it, and ramming it back in place seems to be more trouble than it's worth. So I wasn't drinking enough....until I bought a Camelback. Now it's no problem keeping up with the hydration. And on long, hot, summer trips, it's invaluable. Wouldn't trade mine for a gallon of de-fizzed coke or a carton of fig newtons........well...maybe the fig newtons......

Regards, Murray

I don't remember where I read it but I did read that you should divide your weight in half and drink that much fluid in ounces on a normal basis. Placing the body under stress would logically increase the demand for fluids. Regardless of how thirsty you feel drink on a regular basis, stapfam is right. Having had a kidney stone in the (not far enough) distant past, fluid replacement is one of the only areas in which I practice what I preach. Some things just aren't worth repeating!

FORCE yourself to drink in cooler weather! Otherwise, as you noted, you forget. I like to add some dilute Sqwincher electrolyte solution to my bottles - not for minerals, but because it removes the "plasticey" taste of the bottle.

Drink - Drink! Its'a good for you!

I noticed a significant performance improvement with disciplined nutrition and hydration.
One bottle of water per hour sipped every 20 minutes. Regardless of weather.
More if over 95 degrees.
500 calories of energy/hour regardless if hungry or not.

I am very bad on nutrition except on my longer rides, but I am very serious about hydration. One ride without hydrating properly this summer convinced me. Now it matters not whether it is cool or warm, I stop frequently to drink. Now that it is cold I sometimes force myself to drink. I think the results are worth it.

There was quoted some scholarly article a few yrs ago that purported to show that competitive (read university student team members) who were compared in 40km TT,
done with one 24-28oz water bottle full (can't recall what liquid) which the rider was required to drink completely during the TT versus TT without water bottle run dry showed a consistent 45-60sec faster time for the hydrated group. OTOH I don't think it matters much upto 20mi or so whether you drink or not, unless you are tooling around in 20% humidity and temps above 55-65F. Beyond that mileage the fluid drinkers will definitely pull away and the abstinent risk some sort of hydrational bonk.
This assumes non competitive endeavors. Warmer weather is another matter.

I switched cool weather clothing from water resistant feather weight jacket to wind block vests only about 7yrs ago when I came in from a 40miler at 40-46F and weighed the jersey and undershirts of polypro just after pulling them off and again after wash/dry and found they had 14 oz of sweat. Didn't include the shorts and leggings in the weighing, but because of the chamois suspect they would have at least that much sweat. Rehydrating intra ride is definitely necessary.

One other thing I have noticed: cool weather diuresis. Temps in the mid 40s to mid 50s seem to stimulate the kidneys and natural moments occur twice as often as at 75F or above temps riding.
Steve

There was quoted some scholarly article a few yrs ago that purported to show that competitive (read university student team members) who were compared in 40km TT,
done with one 24-28oz water bottle full (can't recall what liquid) which the rider was required to drink completely during the TT versus TT without water bottle run dry showed a consistent 45-60sec faster time for the hydrated group. OTOH I don't think it matters much upto 20mi or so whether you drink or not, unless you are tooling around in 20% humidity and temps above 55-65F. Beyond that mileage the fluid drinkers will definitely pull away and the abstinent risk some sort of hydrational bonk.
This assumes non competitive endeavors. Warmer weather is another matter.

I switched cool weather clothing from water resistant feather weight jacket to wind block vests only about 7yrs ago when I came in from a 40miler at 40-46F and weighed the jersey and undershirts of polypro just after pulling them off and again after wash/dry and found they had 14 oz of sweat. Didn't include the shorts and leggings in the weighing, but because of the chamois suspect they would have at least that much sweat. Rehydrating intra ride is definitely necessary.

One other thing I have noticed: cool weather diuresis. Temps in the mid 40s to mid 50s seem to stimulate the kidneys and natural moments occur twice as often as at 75F or above temps riding.
Steve

This is good inf IMHO.
I noticed performance increase for 20 mile intense ride IF hydrate every 20 minutes.

For me I take one 24oz bottle on my 20mi daily and (2) 24oz bottles on my 50mi rides on Sat & Sun. I always finish them. This seems enough for me and we are still in the 80s with 70% humidity down here so I am sweating heavily. I use Gatoraide and have no cramping.