[Closed] Hydration on long solo road rides

I get water from the garages. If I'm worried about the bike, I put it where I can see it from the shop, helmet strap through spokes and if possible around something on the forecourt. My theory being, I will see somebody bending down at my bike before they can grab it and ride off. Also flick the levers when I get off so that the chain will crunch if somebody does try to ride off on it. Having said that, I've not had a single worrying moment in years of riding.

Camp sites are a good place to find drinking water - especially in the middle fo the night when everything else is closed.

Sounds creepy, but a lot of churches will have taps outside somewhere for watering the plants in graveyards. I've done this quite a few times when touring in the UK and in Europe.

Normally get the bottle filled up at a cafe with a coffee and a bun. Far prefer real food to 'energy' food.

I just go into a village shop and buy some drink. Never thought this a problem. Carrying 3 big bottles seems a bit much. Once one is empty I keep an eye open for a shop.

I take two full bottles and some spare tablets in a pocket.
If you are worried about leaving your bike(even for a short while) ,take a bit of cable and a small shackle(replace shackle pin with and allen bolt).You don't need much more than something to slow down an opportunist thief.

You know that Strava automatically stops the clock when you stop?

You know that Strava automatically stops the clock when you stop?

No it doesn't - you can see stops.

I just go to shops or garages. Leave bike directly outside window and you can keep an eye on it the whole time. Given the security and surveillance at most garages, I reckon the chances of your bike being taken or pretty slim anyway.

Pub while you have your mid ride pie and pint.

For a solo non stop century I make sure I am well hydrated, carry 2 750ml bottles and taken it easy.

Garages, peoples outdoor taps, shops, pubs. Once just got given a bottle of water by a motorist when I stopped in a car park to check the map.

I did a reasonably flat century ride on two bottles a few weeks back, and the last 20 miles were hellish. I thought I was going OK until then. Worst thing was, I actually stopped at a garage at the 20 mile to go mark (OK, maybe it was about 24...I like to tell myself there's only 20!) I popped in, thinking great, I need some water. Walked out with a can of Dr Pepper - after all there were only 20 miles left, and I thought I'd treat myself. I was cursing approximately 3 minutes later once I'd finished it. Spoiled the ride really. Like being on a liquid bonk.

I've done a few centuries this year and never taken more than one 750ml bottle. At the start I fill the bottle with 2 x high 5 tabs and water then make sure I have a few quid too buy the cheapest Isotonic bottles from the Spar. I did 109 miles yesterday and spent around £1.10.

If all else fails, simply knock on someone's door and ask them if they would be so kind as to fill your bottles for you.

I've used and added taps to this Android app:

[url= http://wetap.org/ ]http://wetap.org/[/url]

It shows you public tap locations on google maps, so that can help with forward planning. Other than that, improvise like the people above.

Don't most petrol stations have an outside tap anyway?

I set off on a three hour ride once after forgetting to fill my bottles.
I just waited until I saw someone in their front garden and asked if I could use their outside tap.

Why would you not stop at a cafe when on a long ride ......?

#doesnotunderstandthequestion

I do carry a small Abus cafe lock in case I need to deter casual thieves at shops or cafes as well.

I always set off with 2 bottles on a long ride. One 750mm & a 500mm ( can't fit 750mm bottle on down tube cos frames too small ).
If weather not too hot, then that's enough for a century ride.
Sometimes though I will have to stop in a garage or shop. Worse case scenario has been bringing bike just inside door .. never had anybody complain as long as you smile and ask them in a friendly way if it's ok.

Hydration / mineral tablets are a boon as well I find, seem to reduce the need to take on huge amounts of fluid - doesn't remove but does reduce the "must drink more water" feeling..

I'm an avid Church go'er me.

I set off on long rides with only one 750ml bottle, call me a dick/ponce/prancing horse/idiot/fashion victim/support car refugee..

I then stop at Churchs, often there is a tap (mentioned) near the rear of the building in the edge of the graveyard for folks to water flowers/plants etc. And this trick has been the saviour for me on hot rides for years.
Failing that I stop off at Garages, if you ask nicely they let you take your bike in and I've never known anyone refuse a request so far, often you get a "how far you been?" question too. failing that by Law all Garages should have a tap available for the Firebrigade (BIL is a Fireman) and I've used this if I can't be bothered to go into the shop.
I have filled out of running streams before now. Most in the South Downs run over chalk and you can see how clear and running the water is, haven't died yet.
Sometime I take tabs with me, but I've tended not to these days.

So as an example yesterday I did Raphas "Hell of the North" 100k's. Starting in Highgate running up into Herts and back to Barnet. It was hot, I took one bottle (normal) and found two Garages along the route and filled up along the way, took my bike in one, found the tap at the other.

I never drink fizzy "pop" Coke/Dr Pepper/Lemonade no nothing, does my gut in. I can see why folks do it, sugary sweetness and all that but as mentioned above I too fall fowl to the suger overload and almost vom.

Stopping off at Pubs and Cake holes is a no no for me too. I'm out to race and pace myself not hang around chatting about what tyres or pressures I'm using, what bar tape or even discuss tan lines. I hate that type of banter, pretentious wannabies.

HTH

[quote=bikebouy ]
Stopping off at Pubs and Cake holes is a no no for me too. I'm out to race and pace myself not hang around chatting about what tyres or pressures I'm using, what bar tape or even discuss tan lines. I hate that type of banter, pretentious wannabies.I guess it must get tiring for you if the only topic of conversation you have in your repertoire is cycling.

Different people have different preferences shock.
If I'm out for a ride, then I just want to keep going, with a flying stop to refill a bottle if needed.
It's the inevitable mid ride cafe or pub stops that put me off club rides.

People really go out on centuries with one bottle? Guidance seems to be 1 litre per hour, so unless you guys are much much faster than me that's at least 6 to 7 stops to refill on route.

As for stopping in pubs and cafés. Yes, if I am with someone else, but these rides I'm on my own and would rather just ride and spend more time with the family when I've finished.

I have a little cable lock I'll can take with me for peace of mind when using a garage.

I've used Icecream vans in the new forest before but they have a tendency to move or not be there all the time.

I'll take a look at the map, thanks for the link.

As above - churches, graveyards etc. Riding in France is particularly easy for this. Every town/ village has a little walled cemetery with a tap or well at the entrance. Just roll up, fill up and off. No faff.

Here, a little bit of hunting round the back of a church for the gardeners tap is often needed. Still not much faff and most villages have a church.

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/04/hydration-for-cyclists-how-important-is-it-really/

http://www.adventure-journal.com/2011/09/almost-everything-you-know-about-hydrating-is-wrong/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24464774

http://www.runnersworld.com/drinks-hydration/study-hydration-guidelines-overstate-athletes-fluid-needs

Golf courses are another one. There's usually a tap outside for the golfers to wash their balls (fnarr, fnarr).
And railway stations. Assuming there's no barrier to get on to the platform, you can probably get away with taking your bike in to the toilet and filling your bottle at the sink if it's not busy.

*prepares to run away* 😀

bikebuoy, If it's all about the racing, why not enter a race instead of a sportive?

*runs away*

[quote=DT78 ]People really go out on centuries with one bottle? Guidance seems to be 1 litre per hour, I used to ride with someone who followed that advice. We were always stopping for pee breaks.

Stopping off at Pubs and Cake holes is a no no for me too. I'm out to race and pace myself not hang around chatting about what tyres or pressures I'm using, what bar tape or even discuss tan lines. I hate that type of banter, pretentious wannabies.

You sound like a barrel of laughs 😉

Oh and to answer the OP, I take a couple of bottles and then stop at garages, pubs, village shops, cafes or ice cream vans to get a drink/bite to eat as needed.

macavity, interesting link there - http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/04/hydration-for-cyclists-how-important-is-it-really/.

"And it remains unknown whether or not athletes need to drink more than they instinctively would in order to maximise performance for events longer than two hours."

I've found that eating small amounts of low GI food every ~45 mins helps my 6-8hr+ performance compared to larger amounts every 2hrs or so, but water volume doesn't make any appreciable difference, more than ~300-400ml an hour and it just cycles through. Esp after good coffee. Good hydration with the meal after a ride helps with digestion (and perhaps recovery/rehydration) though. On a multi-day ride I'd make more effort not to dry out too much and just use obvious signs when you pee as a warning, nothing more.

Interesting links, to be fair I don't adhere to the 1 bottle per hour rule, on a hardish hot 3hour/50miler 2 x 750 is fine for me, and I'll finish a bit dehydrated, so far on cool 7hr/100miler 3 x 750 has been okay.

A single bottle though must mean a good few stops scrounging round for water in a 7hr ride.

Some of the stuff I've read recently (especially from Ross Tucker & Tim Noakes) has been pretty conclusive that it's worse to drink too much compared to too little - Noakes' recommodation is to never exceed 650ml/hour, even in the hottest conditions (ignore stats from the Tour de France etc - when it's reported that riders have been through 12l a day they've chucked at least half of that over their heads to cool down).

However, the advice to "drink to thirst" is pretty hard to follow, especially if you've spent a few years training yourself to have sips of liquid every few minutes it's difficult to know what proper thirst feels like!

I use a hydration pack.

I'm atrocious for drinking whilst riding, so anything under an 80 miler on a non-baking hot day is a 1-bottler anyway.

I usually stop at village shops for food and drink, as and when I need it. Leave the bike somewhere where I can see it from inside, or take it in with me if it's something bigger like a Co-op.

i never realised it was so complicated

one large bottle, stop briefly at taps behind pubs/garages/churches/village halls for water, drink when thirsty

been doing this for 30+ years, for rides of anything up to 120 miles, sometimes run out of water, kept going, haven't died because of it yet

I'm 'new' to this but on really hot summer day rides on the mtn bike I've always planned to - avoid alcohol the night before, drink lots of water two days upto and......ride as early as humanly possibly in the morning.

Rusty Spanner - Member
*prepares to run away*

bikebuoy, If it's all about the racing, why not enter a race instead of a sportive?

*runs away*

Done enough Racing thanks, now I just ride.

I'm a **** really, I know that. I just have a few riding mates who ride similar to me and you know what, we ride well together, when they're not around or I'm not at home I ride alone...

I have to point out that this mentality I have has been born out of years ridng/racing on the front pulling others along only for other guys to claim the glory at the end, I'm still a bit pissed off about that time in my life.

I just like to crack on, soft peddling when I want to and rocking out when I want to 😆

Don't let that put you off me please 😉

I did an impromptu 98 mile ride last summer, set off about 6am with the intention of doing around 40 miles. No money, only a couple of gels, one water bottle.

My wife was down south and heading home that day so I called her up to see when she was leaving and headed south to meet her. So I set off towards Dougles and then down the B7078 which runs parallel with the M74.

Hot day, didn't pass any houses on the route with anyone around. I've never been so pleased to step into a garage and be told that 'yeh, there's a water cooler in there with cold or ice cold water'.

I was a bit tired at the end of it.

I have pondered this and never really got a great answer but came up with a few options.

If it is really hot then stop. Just come back from Italy. 4 miles, 400 miles, 30C+ Drank lots, stopped to refill.

In the UK I can do a century on two bottle if I start hydrated and it is not 20C+

For hotter and longer stuff SIS do 1L bottles. They look ugly on the bike but let you carry more water. I also bought a collapsable 500ml pouch. Goes in my pocket. Again not great as it makes the jersey sag and you have really full pockets but once it is gone then it takes up no space. Final option is to take a throwaway bottle for your pocket. Drink it, then bin it when you get the chance.

sometimes run out of water, kept going, haven't died because of it yet

you mean this a marketing ploy?

[img] [/img]

I just top my bottles up in a river or stream.

2 500ml bottles for any ride over 75 miles, 1 bottle for any ride under 50 miles is a rule that see to have worked for me. Often come back with water still in the bottle

[i]2 500ml bottles for any ride over 75 miles, 1 bottle for any ride under 50 miles[/i]

What about rides between 50 and 75?

I admire the bravery of people who say the fill up at a stream or river (if you live in Britain that is). Sure, some streams will be fairly clean, but as with all open water sources, you should really treat it before drinking it. You may have got away with it so far, but it will not be pleasant when you don't. Even a small crystal clear stream can have some nasty pathogens in it, or they could be polluted from human activity or contain harmful levels of heavy metals...

Luckily, I'm not in Britain & you can still do that down here.

I filled up from a mountain stream at Brechfa once and got a performance boost by imagining it was elven water.

i never realised it was so complicated

It's not. I just take a camelbak because, well, I just don't give a shit. It's so much easier 🙂

I admire the bravery of people who say the fill up at a stream or river (if you live in Britain that is).

Depends heavily on where you are in Britain.