[Closed] Any positives to not hydrating during a hot sweaty ride?

Do you want to weigh less at the end?

There's an awful lot of downsides of being dehydrated, so I can't imagine it's a good idea, especially in the summer.

No loosing weight isn't a goal, maybe a sliver of belly fat but other than that no.

Depends how hot it is. I can happily ride two hours without water or food in normal temperatures. The only issue I have, if I'm going for it and sweating a lots is cramps at 2 in the morning. I find an electrolyte drink when I get home normally sorts that out.

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Recently however I've been taking a drink with me for anything over an hour and a half.</span>

Oh and positives, your bike will weigh 500g less if you forgo the water bottle.

Because dehydration is awesome.

Oh, wait.. it's not is it?

With the amount I sweat (dripping off me after a 10 minute commute in this weather) I'd probably go through a litre an hour of water.

I dunno, perhaps heat stroke is a positive for you? For an hour in hot weather, I'd take a bottle anyway but if not I'd drink a fair bit before leaving and a load on arrival. TBH, there are no positives and lots of possible negatives.

I rode for 2 hours yesterday in 35 degree head at a bit below tempo and it took me a few hours to get the dehydration under control again. That was with one 750ml bottle but admittedly I'd been in the sun a fair bit before. I understand your question but I don't see any positives but lots of potential negatives.

I'm not aiming to KoM Alpe d'Huez so a bottle or two on the bike is no drama really. If you're commuting I assume the same applies.

You’d be marginally more likely to get a ride in an ambulance, which sounds quite exciting.

So no adaption by the body leading to an improvement in one's water conservation properties? Or anything similar?

Actually googling it I found at least 1 article (aimed at runners) claiming a similar sort of benefit to training at altitude.

Years ago a mate trained for some adventure riding and endurance racing (in the US IIRC) by riding for hours on little or no water.  I can’t remember his rationale but it made sense at the time.

Needless to say, he hardly enjoyed the experience.  But he said later that he felt it strengthened his mindset when he was suffering with various conditions.

Not something I would do though, especially as I’ve suffered heatstroke and dehydration and have no wish to do so again.

Lower blood pressure ftw

Not having to go for a pee every 20 mins?

As above really, why? with the weather we having at the moment I would say it is a stupid idea, it's hard enough to stay hydrated through out a normal day at the mo with out adding to it.

Used to work with a guy that was training to be a UIAGM mountain guide - he would often do training sessions without sufficient water/food/sleep. He said it was mainly useful in learning how he coped with each deprivation and helped him recognise when he needed to slow down or stop before it got too serious. I guess if you are training for an endurance event it could be useful to experiment but otherwise can't see the benefit day to day commuting.

What a strange question. I can't even go for a walk without taking water at the moment.

So no adaption by the body leading to an improvement in one’s water conservation properties? Or anything similar?

I remember there was a fad for this sometime in the 90's. From what i can remember it was based more on a hunch that the body would work this way than any hard science and lost traction after a year or two. Not really heard of anyone doing it recently.

It was just something I thought was an interesting question which arose due to regularly riding without drinking while on the bike because I never or rarely take fluid with me on the commute because the distance is short and I'm not very organised about the longer extensions on the way back. Weekend rides I'll always take a drink with me. Thanks for the answers though😎

So no adaption by the body leading to an improvement in one’s water conservation properties? Or anything similar?

If you are a camel, maybe. For a human, no. If you are hot, you have to sweat to avoid death from overheating. If you sweat and don't drink, you will dehydrate. When you feel thirsty, you should drink water.

Drink the water you need to stay hydrated.

Overtime as you get fitter and more used to the heat your body will adapt and be slightly more efficient in the heat, but you are still very very daft to ever purposely hold back on hydration.

The main benefit is that it makes the post-ride drink taste better.  An iced coffee (double espresso, ice cream, mik, double cream, loads of sugar) is my choice in this weather.

As if to prove you all right, I had quite a strong cramp in my left calf this morning, just as I was about to climb out of bed. Half stood up felt a bit light headed, went to go get 18month from his room, felt like I was going to pass out, saw violet blotches, had to sit down for 5 minutes, all over body sweat, called OH to get me a drink of water. Then went to bathroom, piss a rather rich brown colour, felt light headed again. Ok now.

I used to not bother with drink on a 1h40 commute.

I just drank as much water as I could physically consume during the 10 minutes before setting off - and then was completely fine.

I found I could carry almost the contents of a hydration pack in my stomach!

 Then went to bathroom, piss a rather rich brown colour, felt light headed again. Ok now.

What are you pissing the right colour or have the immediate symptoms gone away. sounds like you are very dehydrated.

You’d be marginally more likely to get a ride in an ambulance, which sounds quite exciting.

LOL

Can't think of any benefits, other than the self knowledge side-benefits and tongue in cheek ones above.  If I didn't have a water bottle, I wouldn't worry too much about riding without one for an hour or an hour and a half. I don't usually take one for our evening rides of that length.  I'd guzzle a pint, or more if I could, before I left.  Bit of sensible precautions too: If I was on for a hard extension to the after work commute, I'd probably not go for a boozy lunch then spend the afternoon only drinking coffee.

If you're doing it regularly, just take a bottle with you.  No downside (extra weight is extra training!), and you might get caught out if you never take one:  manic afternoon working or meetings, and then leave in a hurry, you might be dehydrated before you start

You'll not piss yourself

As per others doesnt come across as the best idea.

Think the only advantage is not having to carry water. I do hour rides without carrying water but then I would adjust the intensity to suit, eg in this weather would keep it fairly low key, and make sure I am properly hydrated before hand.

In long-distance running (can't imagine cycling is much different) it's considered safer to underhydrate than overhydrate. More people die of overhydration in events than underhydration.

FWIW at one time or another I've done both.The overhydration was worse - only time I've ever had to pull out of a race.

In terms of performance, the best thing* is to take on water that has the correct concentration of electrolytes. Then you're just correctly hydrated, which is a good place to be.

Whether there's a training benefit is not something I've ever considered. there's probably something to be said for experiencing both, to know what they feel like to help avoid it in future.

*My opinion, based on personal experience. I'm not claiming this is gospel.

I remember the wee feeling very tingly after a XC race where I ran out of water. That could be a benefit, I suppose. Tingly. And brown.

Dehydration and heat stroke are two different conditions.  A little sweat goes a long way in a breeze.  If you are wearing excessive clothing or a backpack that reduces airflow over your back, you could have impaired cooling which would be worth thinking about but it isn't the dehydration that is taking its toll - it is the accumulation of core temperature.

Being transiently dehydrated is tolerable but is often conflated with heat related distress; the two are (largely) independent states.  Controlling heat is to do with convection and ambient humidity.  Outdoor motive exercise (running/cycling) seldom results in heat stroke unless there are mitigating circumstances but when you stop exercising (stop the breeze) you should ensure your temperature can be maintained.

It is ok to be transiently dehydrated.  Just don't defeat your mechanisms of temperature control by wearing excessive clothing for the conditions or otherwise compromising your cooling.  Be more aware of the risks in very humid conditions.  Extended hill climbing at slow speeds also represents a large workload with reduced airflow.

After exercise, there is no reason to expect your body to be the same weight it was before exercise.  You also should not just immediately reinsert water (electrolytes or not) to the same amount as the missing weight.  Give your poor body a few hours of steady inputs rather than flush it with a big hit.

Re. positives.  The distinction is again between acclimation to dehydration and acclimation to temperature.  In response to repeated exposure to exercise in elevated temperatures (both dry and humid) there is evidence of acclimation: increased plasma volume, reduced heart rate, increased sweating.

Dehydration isn't the driving mechanism - we are broadly tolerant of varying hydration levels; temperature control is the driving mechanism - bad things happen if the body cannot maintain temperature in a narrow band.

There are no positives to not hydrating, but you can overdo it. That's something that can happen over very long efforts like what kenneth is talking about above, triathlon ironmans and things like that - so not 90 minutes. Hyponatremia - very low sodium levels in the blood brought on by excessive water intake.

There does seem to have been pushback on excessive hydration in recent years, like the bobbins camelbak and their ilk would push on how much you need to drink. In more normal English weather when it's a bit cold it feels easy to a couple of hours on not much water and not feel thirsty.

I remember the wee feeling very tingly after a XC race where I ran out of water.

tingly or lumpy?

<div class="bbp-reply-author">ndthornton</div>

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I found I could carry almost the contents of a hydration pack in my stomach!

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Mee too, although I started using CO2 cartridges instead of a pump

There does seem to have been pushback on excessive hydration in recent years, like the bobbins camelbak and their ilk would push on how much you need to drink. In more normal English weather when it’s a bit cold it feels easy to a couple of hours on not much water and not feel thirsty.

remember reading about this and pretty much they reckon everyone’s overhydrating as everyone that bangs on about it is usually trying to flog some magic powder or a camelback.

You really don’t want be experimenting in this weather thou, wasn’t that long ago that three people died in the sas selection tests over in the brecons. 🙁

Just rode more or less off-road to the Peak 35 miles with no water.

I'm not claiming to be a martyr but I don't need it for such a short ride. I do drink before and afterwards, and yes I think you adapt.

My stomach bloats on anything so I have over time limited food and water to a degree.

I wouldn't say my performance actually benefits at all but it is doable.

I read this a while back and thought it was quite a good starting point:

https://www.outsideonline.com/2148776/new-rules-hydration

One of the things I'm conscious of is that I seem to be quite a salty sweater - lots of salt deposits on clothes, helmet straps, very salty deposits left on skin etc. Not sure if this is an issue and what, if anything, I should do about it.

Regularly go for an 1.5hr run even in these temps in the evening without water, don't particularly load before or after, I do sweat like a b'stard but have never experienced darkening wee colour. Most advice on hydration amounts are over hyped IMO.

One of the things I’m conscious of is that I seem to be quite a salty sweater – lots of salt deposits on clothes, helmet straps, very salty deposits left on skin etc. Not sure if this is an issue and what, if anything, I should do about it.

Make sure you never, ever wear an On-One helmet.