Originally Posted by bigskymacadam
I have since switched to liquid fuels for all my rides whatever the distance. It's taken me months to dial in my current fueling strategy and here's what works for me. I'm convinced that food other than a banana takes away from your performance because your body is forced to digest rather than work for your legs.
I also get most of my calories from liquid - accelerade in my case. I'll add half a clif bar now and then, some fruit, or a few newtons, but that's mostly to help keep my stomach settled.
I've found a significant difference on how strong I feel after 60-75 miles when I do this.
On the camelback question, I can estimate how much I've drank by reaching back and squeezing it, but I usually don't bother. How much water I drink depends on the temp, how hard I'm riding, how much solid food I'm eating, phase of the moon, etc. Over time, I've gotten pretty good at estimating how much I need to stay properly hydrated.