Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Drinking on long rides

I don't know what exactly qualifies as a long distance ride for purposes of this discussion, but I just did my first metric century last weekend. Sure it was a hot August day, but I went through 8 bottles of water and a bottle of iced tea the lunch stop. My normal training and club rides are usually 15-30 miles and I have found that I average about a bottle of water every ten miles so carrying two bottles on the bike is usually just enough. Anyway, what do you guys do for water on the long rides that last several hours? Are you accustomed to drinking less, do you bring more with you somehow, or do you simply stop at gas stations, etc.?

I have a double water bottle cage mounted to my seatpost plus I use one set of the water bottle mounts on the down tube.

I want 3 bottles while I ride, this will last 2 hours unless it's above 85F. I'll stop twice to get additional fluids on a long day. When I do stop, I'll drink one liter in addition to what I add to the bottles on the bike.

Michael

Water? I thought I was upposed to fill those bottles with Scotch! Learn something new every day...

I carry two 24 oz bottles and I will stop to refill them during the ride. How much fluid I take in depends greatly on the temperature and how hard I'm riding. For a 60-mile ride in the SoCal summer weather (70's) I might go through 3-4 bottles, but I'm also a smaller woman.

Water? I thought I was upposed to fill those bottles with Scotch! Learn something new every day...

:roflmao2:

Talking mileage doesn't tell much. It's hours. One 24 oz. bottle/hr is a good standard. If you're drinking a lot more than that, you can get into difficulty with hyponatremia (google). I like to take two one-liter bottles, which usually will take me 50 miles, a normal distance between controls (stops). If I need more than that, I can catch up at a control by drinking more there and then refilling. For really hot brevets out in the boonies, a Camelbak and bottles may be necessary.

Drink a sports / energy drink so that you get some electrolytes.

If it's a really hot day, consider using a Camelbak. That way you can carry 1.5 - 2+ liters of liquid, and it stays much cooler than even an insulated bottle.

Otherwise, typically you'd either stop to pick up more liquid somewhere, or carry extra liquid, e.g. in a trunk rack.

Yeah, I'm a fan of my hydration backpack.

Dang, and here I thought somone had finally solved the problem of getting a beer bottle to fit nicely in a water bottle cage.

Dang, and here I thought somone had finally solved the problem of getting a beer bottle to fit nicely in a water bottle cage.
You could settle for one of these....

http://www.ahearnecycles.com/pages/flaskholster.html

http://www.ahearnecycles.com/images/flask.jpg

I have a mental directory of where I can fill up my water bottles. I also went through the bike store to figure out the largest bottles they had that would fit in my cages. And I can hold a third bottle (1L Sigg) where the jacket ought to be on my trunk bag:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2426/3715882238_369d199de9_m.jpg
Total capacity is 2.8L which compares quite well to what you get out of a CamelBack. :)

You could settle for one of these....

http://www.ahearnecycles.com/pages/flaskholster.html

http://www.ahearnecycles.com/images/flask.jpg

LOL Nice! I know you can get a DUI on a bike, but can you also get a ticket for driving (pedaling) with an open container if that really WAS full of liquor?

I have a mental directory of where I can fill up my water bottles. I also went through the bike store to figure out the largest bottles they had that would fit in my cages. And I can hold a third bottle (1L Sigg) where the jacket ought to be on my trunk bag:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2426/3715882238_369d199de9_m.jpg
Total capacity is 2.8L which compares quite well to what you get out of a CamelBack. :)

You guys carry trunk bags on long rides?

You guys carry trunk bags on long rides?

I do, but I'm paranoid, used to be a boy scout, and most of the time ride alone and unsupported.

I carry two 750 ml water bottles in my panniers rear pockets and keep one in the bottle cage for 60 miles rides.

You guys carry trunk bags on long rides?

A long ride will usually require luggage (http://www.veloweb.ca/tourpages/bikebags.html) to carry clothing, tools and accessories (http://www.veloweb.ca/randopages/randokit.html) appropriate to circumstances.

I don't know what exactly qualifies as a long distance ride for purposes of this discussion, but I just did my first metric century last weekend.
On days when people here are being generous, a century (100 miles) might be considered a "long ride".


do you simply stop at gas stations, etc.?
For most of the people I do 62-75 mile rides with, this is basically what they do. Typically, people have two 24oz water bottles. Some people use Camelback-type systems to carry more water.


You guys carry trunk bags on long rides?
Many of the the people here are going for long rides (200+km) over many hours without a lot of support.

You guys carry trunk bags on long rides?

For a longer ride I can't imagine how ya'd do it without a bag of some sort. I routinely carry a PB&J, banana or two, powerbars, Gatorade (frozen before ride), tools, pump, wallet, phone, and tube in the bag. Two water bottles frame mounted. Enough to keep me going for the better part of a day.

I carry three 24oz water bottles (I have a third water-bottle holder under the down tube). On a hot, hot day (95 to 105), I can easily go through all three in an hour and a half (pouring some over my head to cool down).

The subtitle to the "Long Distance" forum says "Do you enjoy centuries, double centuries, brevets, randonnees, and 24-hour time trials? Share ride reports, and exchange training, equipment, and nutrition information specific to long distance cycling." Most people posting in the forum are riding the type of rides described, and so are carrying a fair amount of "luggage" -- trunk packs, saddlebags, handlebar bags &/or panniers.

2 X 750ml bottles and try and plan my rides so I have somewhere to stop and refill.

Also carry lots of nuun tablets.

2 water bottles will get me between 30 and 75 miles depending on the heat/climbing/elevation. If I know I 'll need more, I plan my (unsupported) rides so that I pass a convenience store and can refill/get a snack. Then I always drink 16-32 oz of a sports drink right after a HOT ride, and continue drinking water until my body is willing to "part with fluids" (pee).

On a century I'll take two 750ml bottles and a 3L camelback. I live in FL and sweat like a pig. I need a lot more fluids than the average person. Depending on the temps I may have to refill the bottles as well. I sweat just reading the paper in the morning, much less riding in 100 degree temps. A lot of fluids are needed. :p

On a century I'll take two 750ml bottles and a 3L camelback. I live in FL and sweat like a pig. I need a lot more fluids than the average person. Depending on the temps I may have to refill the bottles as well. I sweat just reading the paper in the morning, much less riding in 100 degree temps. A lot of fluids are needed. :p


+1 on that. I'm in Georgia- hot and humid.

I carry a 100-oz Camelbak, and on anything longer than 50 miles, a 24-oz bottle on the downtube. That way, when I start sucking air out of the C'Bak I have a 24-oz reserve to get me to an oasis. It can be a long way between convenience stores in rural North Georgia.

I use a 2 litre Camelback, for rides up to 62 miles, weather and terrain dependent. On longer rides, or hilly rides or hot rides I'll back that up with a 750ml bottle mounted beside the bladder. I ride on a recumbent and the Camelback fits into a bag on the back of the seat.

I did a 80 odd mile ride once on a bike with only one bottle cage. I took a bottle and an apple. At 20 miles I'd finished the bottle and eaten the apple. I then filled up from a water fountain in a park.

I then stopped at a service station at about mile 45 to buy some drink and a couple of candy bars. I didn't need much (or any) water on the return journey as the weather turned from fine to cold, driving rain.

I was slightly dehydrated when I got home but a couple of mugs of herbal tea soon fixed that.

My goal is two water bottles every 30 miles -- less if it's cool/wet; more if it's over 75F. I refill at convenience stores, fast food outlets, park ranger offices, private residences ... whatever comes along.

Having said that -- if it's one of my "normal" training rides of 70 miles, I'll manage with just two water bottles and no refill, going into deficit. If it's a 200k brevet, I'll shoot for my 2x30 goal and probably fall a little behind, on the longer brevets I really try to keep my consumption up. If I know that there are no water stops, like when I was biking in the desert in Mexico, I'll put two water bottles in my jersey pockets as well and drink those first.

+1 on that. I'm in Georgia- hot and humid.

I carry a 100-oz Camelbak, and on anything longer than 50 miles, a 24-oz bottle on the downtube. That way, when I start sucking air out of the C'Bak I have a 24-oz reserve to get me to an oasis. It can be a long way between convenience stores in rural North Georgia.

How is riding with a Camelback? Is that uncomfortable or do you barely know its there?

There are a lot of variables such as temperature, your average speed (slower = more water), capacity of your waterbottles, and even state of hydration before you start the ride (many people aren't real well hydrated to begin with).

As CarbonFB said, the general rule of thumb is one water bottle (24 oz) per hour. You might drink 50% more than that if the temperature is over 85 deg. F and sunny. Drinking 8-24oz bottles of water and an iced tea in 62 miles sounds like a lot of fluid to me, but I suppose if you started the ride not real well hydrated, average less than 15 MPH, you take several breaks and ride in the heat of the day, eight bottles may not be excessive at all.

How is riding with a Camelback? Is that uncomfortable or do you barely know its there?

I don't actually use a CamelBak, mine's an old GoLite Pulse with a CamelBak bladder, but it's the same deal, and I have no complaint about it at all. Make sure you get one with a waist belt and a sternum strap to keep it in position.

I know people who say they're too hot to wear, but that's not the case for me. In fact, it keeps some of the direct sun off your back. I keep the basics in it and it's always ready to go, as essential as helmet and gloves, in my opinion, but probably overkill for urban and suburban riding where resupply is not a problem.

This thread is pretty much like talking about which hamburger is juicier - or which lawn is greener. Nothing of substance to be exchanged. Just ideas that can't possible apply to the person reading the thread. Thanks so much.

I thought this thread would explain how the French and Germans ride PBP (vin rouge and beer, respectively).

Oh well, maybe next time.

This thread is pretty much like talking about which hamburger is juicier - or which lawn is greener. Nothing of substance to be exchanged. Just ideas that can't possible apply to the person reading the thread. Thanks so much.

This is a public forum. Try to show a little more civility and tact in your posting, please.

This thread is pretty much like talking about which hamburger is juicier - or which lawn is greener. Nothing of substance to be exchanged. Just ideas that can't possible apply to the person reading the thread. Thanks so much.

You seem to be the only one complaining, and yet you continue to post...

Thanks so much for YOUR contribution.:rolleyes:

And as OP, I find all this information to be useful, so piss off!

This thread is pretty much like talking about which hamburger is juicier - or which lawn is greener. Nothing of substance to be exchanged. Just ideas that can't possible apply to the person reading the thread. Thanks so much.

The people who normally surround me don't understand or care about cycling... especially any cycling that takes them more than about 20 minutes to complete. I suspect that many others are in the same boat as me. These forums give us the opportunity to chat amiably about all those cycling topics that mean nothing to the non-cyclists around us.

Each thread is sort of like a conversation... and not every conversation deals with life altering truths. Sometimes we just want to bounce ideas off of one another... to just see what works for others... we're just curious as to how that guy gets his lawn so green.

If you don't want to be part of a friendly chat, then fine. But please be courteous with your input.

Do you run up to your coworkers and berate them for talking about juicy burgers instead of world peace? If so, I'll bet you don't get invited to many birthday parties...

I've seen you post some very helpful and insightful posts, Dick. But posts like the one above just earn you a big "Buzz Off".