How much water do you really need on the ride?

I ride early usually so afternoon in the sun doesnt apply.

This morning I made a mistake. I’d frozen my 3lt camelbak with Torq powder (didnt want to waste it so froze what I’d made up previously).

Took it out of the freezer at 4.40am and post-4 hour ride it was still 90%+ frozen. I didnt feel bad in anyway though.

If you hydrate before setting off only 500ml-1lt required?

Depends how hard you are pushing, how hot it is, there are so many variables to how much water to take, I always aim to take too much, at worst it’s ballast.

I always finish the ride, of what ever length, with loads left over. And, like others, I have yet to die of thirst out there.

Depends if you stop on the way round at a cafe as well. Lots of variables, just have to try it and seem

Years ago I used to start rides with raging hangovers in summer. Hence the need for 3lts to ‘rehydrate’ I guess

I find about a litre an hour when pushing it in uk summer temperatures a good rule of thumb.

Can easily manage 2-3 hours on 750ml water, and that’s at a decent but non-racing pace.
Camelbak is only used on all day rides, but even then I usually just take an extra bottle as I don’t really enjoy riding with a pack, particularly in summer.

Today, about 400 ml in two and a half hours. On Tuesday, 2.5 L in two hours.

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I can survive on not a lot of water but it reduces my physical comfort and ability. If I weigh less after a ride I haven’t taken on enough drink.

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Last week, I did 6 hours on the road bike. In that time I had 6 x 750ml bottles. I peed once during the ride and was clearly still dehydrated afterwards.

Hydrate well before you go and you don’t *need* anything for up to 2 hours, have a drink when you’ve finished, or a San Miguel works well for me. Did you know the act of burning glycogen liberates water anyway? Every gram burned releases 3 grams of water that goes straight back in to plasma volume.

Depends if the bottle is the right size (careful not to buy one too big).

I’m easily smashing a litre per hour at the moment, but then I sweat more than anyone I have ever ridden a bike with!

I’m not mega-fit, but I’m not unfit either, so I guess it is just about different people and different metabolisms.

I put some extra sugar in with some weak cordial and a pinch or two of salt.

I have weighed myself once pre and post summer ride and deducted the weight of my fluid intake and it was a bit scary. I’m going to try it again soon as I seem to be getting sweatier as I get older. By the end of a summer ride (particularly when it is a bit ‘heavy’ in the evening) I can wring my shirt out and every item of clothing is soaking.

In an ideal world one would go without one’s breakfast coffee. No chance!

I always have a good drink before setting off (prob best part of a pint).
A 750ml bottle will do for up to 4hrs on the road bike in normal conditions. If its a very warm day and I am pushing hard this can double.

On a mtb I find I dont drink that much at all. Did just under a 5hr ride yesterday and still had a third of a 750mm bottle left when I got home.

However much it takes to pee clear/light yellow.

Limiting fluid intake is a bad idea. Why would you want to?

If your mouth or your lips are dry then you need a drink. You can tell how well hydrated you were on a ride by the colour of your urine when you take a pee, see the links below.
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Limiting fluid intake is a bad idea. Why would you want to?

Sums it up perfectly.

I can only think of one reason and that is to not run out and end up drinking water out of a stream in desperation as I did once in South Africa. It was ridiculous dry heat, so I really dehydrated badly. I chose a stream that was marked as drinking water ok on the map.

A day and a half later I was praying whilst sitting on the throne for the umpteenth time with the old ‘electric leg’ going ten to the dozen.

Take more than you think you’ll need!

Not a good idea to limit fluid intake but I weigh up the negatives (weight penalty, bottle dropping and taking me/others out, shit all round the spout, having to clean it all) and ask myself if it’s necessary for a 2 hour blast which, on a club ride, means 1 hour of riding and one hour pissing about.

Of course a camel back stops some of those issues but they’re still a pain in the arse to clean. I’ll stick with post ride beer unless it’s an epic ride somewhere far flung, in which case it’s port and brandy in the hip flasks.