I agree almost completely and think your advice is great, except for the above quote. Do you say this because you feel that diaretics will hinder your pre-ride hydration? I normally start to drink extra water to a few days before a big ride to ensure good hydration, but I also drink my coffee every morning and an occasional soda (not a huge soda drinker anyways), and I've never noticed dehydration problems as a result. The only reason I would stay away from diaretics before a ride is that they create too many bathroom stops (and that's only if I drink them immediately before). Anywys, just curios where that advice comes from.