With 90 degrees F temperatures coming 'round here in NJ, I thought it'd be helpful to post this. Everyone here knows to drink water while riding, but a recap won't hurt.

Be careful riding in the heat. Drink water often, cool down if you feel you're overheating or having trouble thinking straight. Listen to your body. My rule of thumb is that, if I'm having trouble remembering to watch the road, or keep a good distance from parked cars, I pull over.

This article (http://unplanmoisi.blogspot.com/2006/07/weekend-rides-riding-in-heat.html) is a pretty good summary. Links to a lot of tips on how to detect heatstroke, and how to treat it. Also, make sure to ingest something with salt and potassium. Banannas are good. Lightly salted nuts arte good as well, but they tend to get caught in the throat, so you have to , yep, keep drinking water. If your pee is clear you're doing well. And if you don't have to pee, keep drinking until you do. Anyone know if protein intake has any effect on heat tolerance?

Skip the banannas and use potassium vitamins that way you don't have to eat so many. Drink something at least every 45 min of riding and if you get thirsty it is time to stop.

This article (http://unplanmoisi.blogspot.com/2006/07/weekend-rides-riding-in-heat.html) is a pretty good summary. Links to a lot of tips on how to detect heatstroke, and how to treat it.

Actually, by the point you have heatstroke, you're probably not going to be self-treating, but are in for a fast trip to the hospital. Dehydration -> heat exhaustion -> heat stroke, that's the progression, and of course the key is to become more skilled at detecting heat-related symptoms early and become better at prevention. Hydration is key to prevention, but one other tip that the article mentions (and that frequently gets overlooked) is getting acclimated to heat: the more time you spend in the heat under non-exercise conditions, the better you will be able to handle the heat when you exercise. On the other hand, if your house is air-conditioned and your car is air-conditioned and your workplace is air-conditioned, the heat is going to hit you a lot harder. Think about adjusting the thermostat or cutting out the A/C altogether -- humans can survive pretty warm temperatures.

Skip the banannas and use potassium vitamins that way you don't have to eat so many. Drink something at least every 45 min of riding and if you get thirsty it is time to stop.

I'd heard that the body olerates potassium better when it's in the form of food, as opposed to a supplement. Anyone have proof on this?

FWIW, here's my $.02

Drink a good sized glass of water before you go out riding.
Drink roughly 1 bottle of water per hour. More if you need it.
Start using electrolite replacement drinks after the first hour or two.
Being thirsty is your body's way of telling you that you're slightly dehydrated. Drink before you get thirsty.
If you haven't had to pee in a few hours, then you're slightly dehydrated.
If your pee isn't clear, or pretty close to clear, then you're slightly dehydrated.

If you EVER stop sweating during strenuous physical activity, this is a serious warning sign. Get off the road, find some shade or air conditioning, and get some fluids in you. You're pretty close to heat stroke at this point, and your workout is definately done for the day.

-DR

I freeze my water bottle so they stay colder longer.

There is a saying in the hiking biz..."Clear and Copious"...referring to two qualities which should alwys describe your urine.

I freeze my water bottle so they stay colder longer.

I'm not entirely sure icy cold drinks are good for keeping body temperature down... I think they may do the opposite, but perhaps I'm thinking of hot drinks in winter...

Although I know with dogs it's not good to give them ice water in the heat.

Anyone with better info on this?

Regarding the water temperature - I asked the same question at my coaching class when we were discussing hydration. To the instructors knowledge (he's a trainer for the University of Iowa football team), there are no official studies relating to humans. I've also heard not to give very cold water to dogs or horses, especially after a workout.

By the way, I'm a Cyclone fan (Iowa State), not a Hawkeye. So I'm cool with you other Big 11 folks.

I'm not entirely sure icy cold drinks are good for keeping body temperature down... I think they may do the opposite, but perhaps I'm thinking of hot drinks in winter...

Are you saying that hot drinks in winter (or cold) lower your body temperature? How d'ya figure?

The problems of keeping warm and keeping cool are a little different. In both cases, the most important thing is to regulate the core temperature, and to counteract the environmental challenge. The difference is that in order to preserve body heat in a cold environment, you reduce circulation to the extremities, whereas to lose excess body heat, you increase circulation to the extremities (and that's an ovesimplification too, but it's close enough). I suppose that a very cold drink in hot weather could have the effect of tricking your brain into believing that all's well (and, from the brain's perspective, it is) and that there's no need to push circulation to the extremities...but if that happens and the extremities get hot, that's just not a huge deal anyway. The opposite is not true in sub-freezing temps. In that case, hot liquids would reassure the core that all is well and that it's okay to push circulation to the extremities, thus helping to preserve fingers and toes from frostbite.

Ah! Cool. Glad to have that clarified.

I remember when I lived in Yuma, Az (possibly the closest summer temps next to Hell), I was amazed at all the coffee people drank. Common wisdom was that it helped keep you cooler in the long run.

As for being in the cold, I wasn't sure what the rule was. You drink warm stuff outside in the winter just by instinct. But I do remember there's a rule about not drinking alcohol in the cold... it restricts those blood vessels just as you were saying, lil brown bat.

Anyway, I do like the icewater idea for starting out so you have cool water late in the ride.

I'd heard that the body olerates potassium better when it's in the form of food, as opposed to a supplement. Anyone have proof on this?


I don't know about absorption, but I do know the amount of potassium in supplements is deliberately kept extremely low, almost to a useless level. There's a lot of potassium in things that are in the form of potassium chloride, but that's extremely erosive to the digestive system. This is why getting it from food is better. Well, it's not just better, it's the only way - unless you have some prescription potassium supplements. A single banana contains a lot more potassium than a supplement does, so why not just eat the banana. But that's assuming you actually need potassium during a ride, which is questionable. Unless you have some kind of medical abnormality, your body should have plenty of potassium, and it should be able to conserve it if necessary.

There are several problems with alcohol in the cold, number one being that it interferes with your judgment and thus your self-preservation instinct. Physiologically, alcohol dilates the surface blood vessels (that's why people who have been drinking get flushed), which speeds heat loss. It's also a diuretic, which decreases your ability to thermoregulate in either temperature extreme.

If you're riding in the heat and you're not replacing electrolytes, you'll be in a world of hurt after a couple of hours.

I never go on extended rides without Enduralytes (http://www.hammernutrition.com/za/HNT?PAGE=PRODUCT&CAT=ELECT&PROD.ID=4037&gclid=CNv8_c_r1I0CFSSQYAod4R4oYg) in my jersey pocket.

I still drink plenty of water, as well as some sort of sports drink (I prefer Cyclomax and Heed). For long rides, rides with lots of climbing, and centuries, I use Perpetuem to get the bulk of my calories. Liquid calories are absorbed and put to use MUCH faster than calories from food that has to be broken down and digested, and I find that the "breaking down and digesting" process is detrimental to my performance.

I'd much rather ride the bike while feeling good than ride the bike while being nauseous and having cramps. But I'm funny that way.

Too much protein intake riding on a hot day or too much fatty food and it'll be coming back up the way it went down......

Exercise draws blood away from the stomach and high density, difficult to digest foods just sit there, because stoomach motility is also reduced. Basically, it'll slosh with the water you're drinking and up it comes!

Stay with light and easily metabolizable nutrients and small amounts at a time. This is where liquid nutrition comes in handy!With 90 degrees F temperatures coming 'round here in NJ, I thought it'd be helpful to post this. Everyone here knows to drink water while riding, but a recap won't hurt.

Be careful riding in the heat. Drink water often, cool down if you feel you're overheating or having trouble thinking straight. Listen to your body. My rule of thumb is that, if I'm having trouble remembering to watch the road, or keep a good distance from parked cars, I pull over.

This article (http://unplanmoisi.blogspot.com/2006/07/weekend-rides-riding-in-heat.html) is a pretty good summary. Links to a lot of tips on how to detect heatstroke, and how to treat it. Also, make sure to ingest something with salt and potassium. Banannas are good. Lightly salted nuts arte good as well, but they tend to get caught in the throat, so you have to , yep, keep drinking water. If your pee is clear you're doing well. And if you don't have to pee, keep drinking until you do. Anyone know if protein intake has any effect on heat tolerance?

There are several problems with alcohol in the cold, number one being that it interferes with your judgment and thus your self-preservation instinct. Physiologically, alcohol dilates the surface blood vessels (that's why people who have been drinking get flushed), which speeds heat loss. It's also a diuretic, which decreases your ability to thermoregulate in either temperature extreme.

Both extremely accurate! Great post, l_b_b!:D

I'm not entirely sure icy cold drinks are good for keeping body temperature down... I think they may do the opposite, but perhaps I'm thinking of hot drinks in winter...

Although I know with dogs it's not good to give them ice water in the heat.

Anyone with better info on this?

Cold drinks are good, but need to be SIPPED! Not guzzled. You will get cramps and possibly barf if you guzzle it on a hot day after exercise. Sip it slowly and deliberately. Try to sip every few minutes during your ride and for a while after as well to recover fluids.

Skip the banannas and use potassium vitamins that way you don't have to eat so many. Drink something at least every 45 min of riding and if you get thirsty it is time to stop.
Every 45 min? I try to drink a bit every 4-5 minutes. In hot weather I want my first bottle to be gone in about 30 minutes if it's a small one, 45 if it's a large one.

Every 45 min? I try to drink a bit every 4-5 minutes. In hot weather I want my first bottle to be gone in about 30 minutes if it's a small one, 45 if it's a large one.

I'm a "sipper" so I take a mouth full every 5 +/- minutes or so. I put down a large bottle an hour unless it's really hot then, it's on every 45 minutes. Hense my need to figure out a way to carry 4 bottle instead of just 2.

My top tip for riding in the heat? Get a Camelbak. It moves the water access to a more usable position which means you'll be more apt to use it. Bananas are a good thing as well.

Talk about luck Nashbar's having a sale
http://www.nashbar.com/images/07NB_08_01_MainBtns_01.gif (http://www.nashbar.com/results.cfm?subcategory=&category=&browse=all&storetype=estore&estoreid=995&start=1&orderby=discount&cm_re=C1-_-biggie-_Hydration)
http://www.nashbar.com/images/07NB_07_31_CPNbtn.gif (http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_bike_coupon_code.cfm?cm_re=C1-_-king-_-Coupon)

I have no affiliation with them, but I figured I'd share.

I'm a "sipper" so I take a mouth full every 5 +/- minutes or so. I put down a large bottle an hour unless it's really hot then, it's on every 45 minutes. Hense my need to figure out a way to carry 4 bottle instead of just 2.
Hmmm, Rochester, MN. My brother lives there, nice place. I've never carried more than two bottles, even for longer, hot rides. I've always come across some little store, gas station, or whatever that would allow for a quick water stop. I usually support them by buying a bottle of gatorade and something to munch on and pouring half of the gatorade in each bottle and then topping it off with water.

My hot weather riding tip is don't be afraid of it and make sure you get out there as often as you can as long as you can, and to drink a lot of full strength electrolyte drinks, especially critical if you are a heavy sweater as I am. If you do not need to urinate during and after reasonably long rides, hydratioin is insufficient. DRINK LOTS and OFTEN! And RIDE LOTS and OFTEN.

I like the idea* of hydro packs, but the actuality of it grosses me out.

Gatorade and other sports drinks are* electrolyte drinks, aren't they? Why do people use other things? Or should I not be relying on it? I've been using those propel powders mixed into my water. Does that count?

I like the idea* of hydro packs, but the actuality of it grosses me out.

Gatorade and other sports drinks are* electrolyte drinks, aren't they? Why do people use other things? Or should I not be relying on it? I've been using those propel powders mixed into my water. Does that count?

They're not all nutritionally equivalent. Furthermore, some (many) that are sold in liquid form are too concentrated to be a good rehydration drink at full strength -- they will slow down your small intestine's ability to absorb water, and thus will slow down your rehydration.

Thanks, Raiyn! I've been wanting a Camelbak... :)

I like the idea* of hydro packs, but the actuality of it grosses me out.

Gatorade and other sports drinks are* electrolyte drinks, aren't they? Why do people use other things? Or should I not be relying on it? I've been using those propel powders mixed into my water. Does that count?

Correct about gatorade and at least powerade and a few others too. I can't speak about propel powders. Others will disagree, but I think Gatorade is the original and still the gold standard for correct isotonic strength for most rapid absorption through the stomach, electrolyte balance and carbohydrate replacement. Why people use other things include:

1. They try them and like them.
2. Effective advertising.
3. Hey, I think I am smarter than anybody else and I can figure out the best solution and not have to bother with any actual research.

Reason number 1 is of course legit.

I like the idea* of hydro packs, but the actuality of it grosses me out.

Gatorade and other sports drinks are* electrolyte drinks, aren't they? Why do people use other things? Or should I not be relying on it? I've been using those propel powders mixed into my water. Does that count?

I'm not ready for a pack yet either. I just don't want one on my back.

I only drink water unless I plan on riding 3 hours or more. Then I will throw some gaterade in after 2 hours. I know gaterade isn't the best, but all the gas stations carry it, so I can just stop in and get one.

Just as we're all saying to drink during a ride/workout, don't forget that it's just as important to drink before -- even the day before -- you ride. Put down a liter or so of water after dinner or before going to bed.

It takes some time for the water to disperse throughout your body; the path from your stomach to your skin is, in a sense, pretty long & convoluted. Pounding water the night before will let you scoot pretty easily the next morning.

And, as always, don't overdo it. It doesn't happen often, but you can die from over-hydrating.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication

Replenishing electrolytes helps, yes. However, sports drinks, gels, and whatnot still need to be digested into the body, and that process requires some amount of plain water fluid -- and that can take some water away from the supply available to cool your body and from your muscles. You should also be getting enough electrolytes from the foods you eat anyway. Regarding sports drinks, I'd say a safe balance would be one sports drink for every two equivalent bottles of plain water (it's a recommendation similar to what they do in the military; of three canteens, two would be plain water, and the third would have a dash of salt and a packet of sugar mixed in).

The body is already capable of a lot of things. It's not necessary to try to overthink it.

If you want to ride hard in extreme heat there is a way. Have your support crew fill a big zip-lock bag with ice, wrap it in a terry cloth towel, and stuff it down the back of your jersey while you are moving. We did that for our rider in the 1988 RAAM and she gained 12 hours on her nearest competator in the time it took to cross Kansas. Then and also in 1996 I filled a hand pumped sprayer with ice and some water. Whenever the rider started to dry out I would spray them again with the ice water.

If you want to ride hard in extreme heat there is a way. Have your support crew fill a big zip-lock bag with ice, wrap it in a terry cloth towel, and stuff it down the back of your jersey while you are moving. We did that for our rider in the 1988 RAAM and she gained 12 hours on her nearest competator in the time it took to cross Kansas. Then and also in 1996 I filled a hand pumped sprayer with ice and some water. Whenever the rider started to dry out I would spray them again with the ice water.

:rolleyes: OK! I'll do that! Who's available tomorrow between 6-8 in the morning?

Cold drinks are good, but need to be SIPPED! Not guzzled. You will get cramps and possibly barf if you guzzle it on a hot day after exercise. Sip it slowly and deliberately. Try to sip every few minutes during your ride and for a while after as well to recover fluids.

so I freeze my water bottles half full when the temp is 90+ (pretty much this whole summer), but I can tell you that as I drink the water isn't cold, seems the ice melts and is gone for the most part within 30 mins. So by the time I get to the second bottle it is just cool, by the time it's gone, it's pretty much around warm.

I have also found that acclimation is the a big key as well, recently we went on a ride, the temp was around 90, my wife and I rode about 35 min, nothing to had, just a nice easy ride. we both kept hydrated, but when we got back my wife was not feeling well at all due to the heat and exercise, I however was feeling great, but then I've been riding home in the afternoons for 2 months and it's generally 90+. I will forgo the ride home if the temp is over 95, at that point it is nearly impossible to dump the excess heat in the body.

Just my .02

Just as we're all saying to drink during a ride/workout, don't forget that it's just as important to drink before -- even the day before -- you ride. Put down a liter or so of water after dinner or before going to bed.

It takes some time for the water to disperse throughout your body; the path from your stomach to your skin is, in a sense, pretty long & convoluted. Pounding water the night before will let you scoot pretty easily the next morning.


The body is already capable of a lot of things. It's not necessary to try to overthink it.


This was the advice my daughters coach gave her before she races, he basically told her to load up on the liquids before the race, due to the nature of Mtb racing she will get dehydrated and there really isn't much you can do about it. but by loading up before the race and then drinking during the race it helped a lot. the other thing that helps is in the feed zone on the race she gets water dumped on her back and helmet, sort of a pick me up for the next lap.

the other thing that helps is in the feed zone on the race she gets water dumped on her back and helmet, sort of a pick me up for the next lap.

That makes sense, too. It's like getting the evaporative cooling effect of sweat without drawing from internal body fluids (or, well, like jumping into a pool).

Just as we're all saying to drink during a ride/workout, don't forget that it's just as important to drink before -- even the day before -- you ride. Put down a liter or so of water after dinner or before going to bed.

It takes some time for the water to disperse throughout your body; the path from your stomach to your skin is, in a sense, pretty long & convoluted. Pounding water the night before will let you scoot pretty easily the next morning.

Hell yeah. In hot weather, when I'm commuting morning and evening, I rarely drink alcohol, because it'll interfere with getting nicely hydrated. Instead I drink water and/or water/sports drink mix slowly and steadily all evening, and in the morning I'm fine.

I know gaterade isn't the best.


Who else has the research to back their stuff up to show it is better?

Who else has the research to back their stuff up to show it is better?

Gatorade is sweetened with HFC (High Fructose Corn Syrup). It is known and acknowledged to stimulate an insulin production spike, which in turn triggers a drop in blood sugar levels after an initial high spike in Glu levels.

Just as we're all saying to drink during a ride/workout, don't forget that it's just as important to drink before -- even the day before -- you ride. Put down a liter or so of water after dinner or before going to bed.

It takes some time for the water to disperse throughout your body; the path from your stomach to your skin is, in a sense, pretty long & convoluted. Pounding water the night before will let you scoot pretty easily the next morning.

And, as always, don't overdo it. It doesn't happen often, but you can die from over-hydrating.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication

Replenishing electrolytes helps, yes. However, sports drinks, gels, and whatnot still need to be digested into the body, and that process requires some amount of plain water fluid -- and that can take some water away from the supply available to cool your body and from your muscles. You should also be getting enough electrolytes from the foods you eat anyway. Regarding sports drinks, I'd say a safe balance would be one sports drink for every two equivalent bottles of plain water (it's a recommendation similar to what they do in the military; of three canteens, two would be plain water, and the third would have a dash of salt and a packet of sugar mixed in).

The body is already capable of a lot of things. It's not necessary to try to overthink it.

I agree about pre-ride hydration. I disagree about plain water enhancing the absorption rate of a balanced electrolyte replacement drink.

I agree about pre-ride hydration. I disagree about plain water enhancing the absorption rate of a balanced electrolyte replacement drink.

Electrolytes are absorbed by osmosis in the stomach and small intestine.

High concentrations of particulate or solutes will reverse the osmosis flow and slow down hydration.
< or > indicates the direction of osmotic flow, -= balance, no flow
Mechanism

Solution in stomach (High concentrations of electrolytes)<lower concentration in the interstitial fluid in the cells
Homeostasis is reached-interstitial fluid in the cells
Solute stable in levels in stomach/GI Tract>exertion releases perspiration and interstitial fluid concentrations of solute increases due to fluid volume loss

Osmosis transports fluid from lower concentrations of solute to higher to reach homeostasis, or a balance in the solute level
That help any?

Gatorade is sweetened with HFC (High Fructose Corn Syrup). It is known and acknowledged to stimulate an insulin production spike, which in turn triggers a drop in blood sugar levels after an initial high spike in Glu levels.

But I thought that sugar was one of the things you should take to keep yourself from bonking...

But I thought that sugar was one of the things you should take to keep yourself from bonking...

But there's sugar and sugar!

Good sugars for activity:

Maltodextrin-(Complex Sugar, processes through the liver primarily, long burn though and breaks down directly to Glucose or Glycogen)
Glucose-(Simple Sugar, stimulates an insulin response, but is also the ONLY sugar the brain can assimilate directly)
Galactose (Complex Sugar-burns like a simple sugar, but with a sustained burn)
Pure Fructose (Simple, processes through the liver, where it is processed into Glucose and Glycogen)

Not so good:
HFC (Complex Sugar)
Sucrose (Complex Sugar)

Both of these complex sugars require insulin to break down into glucose and glycogen, but stimulate a large insulin spike for processing and tend to cause a blood glucose level crash after a large spike.

The solute/osmosis mechanism referred to above is the reason for small amounts over a longer period of time rather than big boluses of food/nutrient during the ride and why liquid is absorbed faster than solid.....

Tons of good info here - look under the heading of Nutrition and Hydration for Endurance Sports (http://www.the508.com/insight/index.html)

But there's sugar and sugar!

Good sugars for activity:

Maltodextrin-(Complex Sugar, processes through the liver primarily, long burn though and breaks down directly to Glucose or Glycogen)
Glucose-(Simple Sugar, stimulates an insulin response, but is also the ONLY sugar the brain can assimilate directly)
Galactose (Complex Sugar-burns like a simple sugar, but with a sustained burn)
Pure Fructose (Simple, processes through the liver, where it is processed into Glucose and Glycogen)

Not so good:
HFC (Complex Sugar)
Sucrose (Complex Sugar)

Both of these complex sugars require insulin to break down into glucose and glycogen, but stimulate a large insulin spike for processing and tend to cause a blood glucose level crash after a large spike.

I don't know where maple syrup stacks up on that list, but I use it often to make up my own sports drink because it's a good source of minerals (one of the few natural food sources of zinc, as I understand it). Well, that and I've got more maple syrup than I know what to do with, and I like the taste.

I like the idea* of hydro packs, but the actuality of it grosses me out.

I'd be interested in understanding this statement. I believe you, just curious as to why.

I don't know where maple syrup stacks up on that list, but I use it often to make up my own sports drink because it's a good source of minerals (one of the few natural food sources of zinc, as I understand it). Well, that and I've got more maple syrup than I know what to do with, and I like the taste.

Real Maple syrup... which I assume is what you are talking about, will be mostly fructose and glucose, I'd have to dig out the ol' Harold McGee to check, but it should be fairly ok. I like Honey as well.

Paul

Well don't know how this fits, but I heard a little story about the Patriots and their superbowl with the Eagles. The Eagles seemed very tired toward the end of the game and someone was commenting on why they were and the Patriot players were not. Apparently the Eagles players were out drinking alchohol during the week but stopped before the weekend and that in turn dehydrated them toward the end of the game, but Belichick does not allow his players to drink alchohol at all the entire week and has a hydration program set for the entire week because you can not properly hydrate the day of any endurance event.

Hydropacks/CamelBaks are fine for me. It's an easy way to carry at least a half-day's worth of water and a snack or light change of clothes. They don't seem to suck anything back into the reservoir, either.

One rule that I always follow is to never put anything but plain water in them. Anything with any form of sugar is just asking for a mess since it'll get sticky and moldy. CamelBak sells an electrolyte/vitamin mix without any sugar (sucralose is substituted) that's safe for use in a pack.

Real Maple syrup... which I assume is what you are talking about, will be mostly fructose and glucose, I'd have to dig out the ol' Harold McGee to check, but it should be fairly ok. I like Honey as well.

Yeah, it's the real stuff -- my neighbor is a producer and gives me a gallon a year in return for posting a sign on my land. Lucky me!

My mix, by the way, is the juice of half a lemon plus 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup in a liter water bottle (and you can add a tiny pinch of salt if you want, too).

Here's my tip besides the fluid and minerals, ride early in the morning or after the sun has gone down. I have really gotten into my night riding habit and find it hard to ride during the day. I guess I am a vampire on a bike now.

I don't know where maple syrup stacks up on that list, but I use it often to make up my own sports drink because it's a good source of minerals (one of the few natural food sources of zinc, as I understand it). Well, that and I've got more maple syrup than I know what to do with, and I like the taste.

Maple Syrup is actually pretty good....flavorwise.

It's 66.5% Sucrose by mass and volume though, so there is that sugar/insulin spike issue, however; that primarily applies to diabetic and prediabetic individuals with Type II diabetes.

Data on sugar content is from http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~dbertuca/features/maple.html