Sorry for the confusion -- "we" means Machka and me.

Both of us have dealt with all this sort of nutritional stuff over the years as randonneurs. So we have practical experience. But she also has a bookmark library that is stunning for its depth of resourcing and knowledge. We've even got one of Arnie Baker's books sitting right here at the moment.

Even so, the principles still come back to the basics.

Fluid retention is something that is not unusual after any sort of distance ride, in our experience, and that of other endurance riders.

I have actually noticed it more in the past couple of months, but that may be due to my paying a bit more attention to my weight -- that minutia stuff that really I should worry less about.

But the issue for on-bike energy consumption is that the devices used to calculate it aren't very good. There are huge variations in them and they overestimate, for reasons that others have to explain... some of it has to do with using heart rate rather than power, and even their algorithms may be off. It's a subject that comes up regularly in both Training and Nutrition, and the Road forum (and presumably the Race forums).

There have been numerous examples on BFs and elsewhere when someone has stated they are unable to lose weight even though they are cycling a lot, and their calorie burn for rides has been in the thousands. But when it comes down to it, they are overestimating their energy use on the bike, and over-replenishing after the ride.

At the other end of the scale, many people underestimate their food intake, too. So it becomes a circle of unders and overs with a result that no weight is lost, or it's even gained.

Anyway, I would say fluid retention is still it. Some of it might have to do with the creation of water molecules in the physiology of glucose being converted to energy. Some of it might have to do with your rehydration routines on the bike (which, if the case, you shouldn't alter).

Remember, it is all opinion. And some experimenting by you may be needed.