Fifty Plus (50+) - Lesson 2 for Newbies

When riding and drinking out of a water bottle, hold the water bottle to the side of your face instead of straight in front of your face. Holding the bottle out to the side allows you to not have anything obstructing your vision while riding. It's especially important when riding in pacelines.

This just might be the start of a series of incredible tips you just won't get anywhere else.........

Sounds like you've been there, done that? :)

Thanks for the tips, keep 'em coming!

Ok, I'll chime in for newbies.......when drinking from the bottle or reaching in a jersey pocket or checking if your seat bag is zipped (!), etc., the closer the single hand on the bars is to the middle-- to the stem-- the more stable your steering will be.

When riding and drinking out of a water bottle, hold the water bottle to the side of your face instead of straight in front of your face. Holding the bottle out to the side allows you to not have anything obstructing your vision while riding. It's especially important when riding in pacelines.

This just might be the start of a series of incredible tips you just won't get anywhere else.........

One of the reasons I use a Camelbak, its much easier to drink out of. If I use a bottle, I tend to aspirate & choke on some of the fluid, especially if I'm breathing hard. I guess I'm too dumb to ride & drink out of a bottle at the same time.

One of the reasons I use a Camelbak, its much easier to drink out of. If I use a bottle, I tend to aspirate & choke on some of the fluid, especially if I'm breathing hard. I guess I'm too dumb to ride & drink out of a bottle at the same time.


It's even more fun when you're in a tightly packed bunch of riders trying to just find a time to steal a sip of fluids without running over someone in front of you.

Another water bottle tip I remembered during Tuesday's ride. When you are on a ride segment long enough to empty one water bottle and start using a second bottle, switch bottles while you still have a few swallows of water left in the first bottle. Having a little bit left after finishing the 2nd bottle can be a very good thing.

Another tip is to squirt the water into your cheek rather than trying to squirt it down your throat and then swallow. If you shoot it straight in at one point or another its going to go down your windpipe rather than your esophagus and cause coughing problems.

When riding and drinking out of a water bottle, hold the water bottle to the side of your face instead of straight in front of your face. Holding the bottle out to the side allows you to not have anything obstructing your vision while riding. It's especially important when riding in pacelines.

This just might be the start of a series of incredible tips you just won't get anywhere else.........

I always had a little trouble reaching down to get the bottle out of the cage until I bought the Polar water bottle with the finger loop. That little finger loop has made a big difference in getting the bottle out of the cage and keeping the bike in a straight line.

http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Insulated-Bottle-Orange-Yellow/dp/B000F7Z0KI

When adjusting your rear view mirror, helmet, eyeglass or otherwise...don't spend too long looking back and forget where you are going.
peace

When riding and drinking out of a water bottle, hold the water bottle to the side of your face instead of straight in front of your face. Holding the bottle out to the side allows you to not have anything obstructing your vision while riding. It's especially important when riding in pacelines.

This just might be the start of a series of incredible tips you just won't get anywhere else.........

Great tip JPPE. While riding with a large group a couple of weeks ago I saw a practice that I really liked and have adopted regarding water bottles. A lady rider was third in our pace line and she wanted to drink from her bottle. She reached down grabbed the bottle, but on the way up held the bottle out to the side so all behind her could see she was going to take a drink from her bottle. Like you said JPPE, she drank from the side of her mouth, then held the bottle out to the side again so we all could see it as she put it back in holder. I thought that was a nice safety precaution because we all knew someone up front was drinking, give them a little space.

Ok, I'll chime in for newbies.......when drinking from the bottle or reaching in a jersey pocket or checking if your seat bag is zipped (!), etc., the closer the single hand on the bars is to the middle-- to the stem-- the more stable your steering will be.

Unfortunately, I had to learn that one the hard way and have the scars to prove it.:(