General Question About How Much Water To Drink

[learning2cycle]

they always say to drink lots of water when exercising and all this stuff and im really confused.

i really need to know exactly how much usually to drink per mile

i also need it for the PCT trip http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/advice-for-doing-pacific-crest-trail-around-the-summer.147611/

links are helpful!!

need help with these too --
gps navigation http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/gps-navigation-advice-please.147607/
hilly & rainy problem http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/problems-with-hills-rain.147609/

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

i really need to know exactly how much usually to drink per mile

You really don't.

What you need to learn is what is right for you, or indeed if water is the right thing for your circumstances; or if something else would be better.

 

[MikeW-71]

It depends on how hot it is, how hard you are riding and how much you are sweating. On a normal ride I try to take a sip every 10-15 mins or so if its a warm day. On cold days I could drink half that.

 

[fossyant]

Varies by individual. Commuting to work I'll make sure I drink 250ml at least over 10 plus miles - just because is useful hydration in the morning. Weekend runs, then upto 30 miles, one 750ml bottle is enough for me - most likely water. Over 40 miles then two bottles or a litre bottle with a weak energy drink solution. If it's hot you'll need alot more.

 

[50000tears]

There is no precise answer as the amount changes depending on a number of factors

1. How hydrated you are before you start
2. How hot it is
3. How hard you work on the ride
4. Fitness

The key is to take regular sips so that you don't enter dehydration territory but whether that is every 5 minutes or every 30 is down to the individual and the situation.

 

[Hacienda71]

It is all down to how much you sweat. If you are hammering it and it is hot you will need far more fluid. If you feel thirsty and or hot and sweaty drink fluids, sweating is the bodies way of cooling, feeling thirsty is your bodies way of telling you to drink.

 

[ianrauk]

On a ride, drink when you a thirsty and drink when you are not thirsty.
Everyone is different and there's no great science to it.

 

[Chris1983]

Thanks to the great marketing people of the drinks companies there is now this cultural belief that we must consume vast quantities fluid (normally the product they are promoting) in order to under take even the lightest of exercise. This is all crap, for millions of years before coke a cola came along nature has been doing just fine at working out when you are thirsty and in need of fluids and nutrients.

Hyper hydration or water intoxication is becoming more and more common with athletes, mainly due to people listening to marketing hype rather than their own bodies. listen to what your body is telling and you wont go far wrong and dont forget its not just water that you lose when you sweat, you also lose a lot of salts (electrolytes) that need replacing.

Simply put if you feel thirsty then drink, feel hungry then eat

no science, just common sense

good luck with your ride

 

[Shadowfax]

Hello.
Go for a ride and weigh yourself before you leave. You could try an hour, do not eat or drink anything . Then weigh yourself on your return. The difference in weight in kilos between the 2 will be the litres lost in fluid you need to replace.

You will need to need to measure temperature and intensity and I would suggest several rides under different conditions this could include starting off 'warm'.

It's not exact, but if you test yourself and do the maths accurately you should come up with a pretty good ballpark figure for your own particular requirements.

 

[The Mighty Boosh]

depends on the individual, all though I carry a bottle with me in case of emergency's, I try not to drink it and prefer to eat an apple or banana for my hydration, it works for me but might not for others

 

[Hip Priest]

My advice is this - don't overcomplicate things.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I always have water with me (due to being asthmatic, a dry throat makes breath more difficult). But I rarely consume all of it anymore. A 650ml bottle of water is enough for me now I am fit enough for a 2 hour journey. It never used to be though and the difference is fitness, time of year, temperature, what I am used to and various other factors that are different to one person from another. My OH commutes to and from work without any water 12 miles each way. Out on a bike ride he will consumer half of what I drink, but will need a bathroom break more than two or three times more often than I do.

If I go out for a longer ride, or it is very warm, I will take 2 bottles of water with me. If we are out all day, then those 2 bottles will not be enough and refills will be needed.

I have my Garmin programmed to remind me to take a sip of water every 30 mins - it is also helpful for keeping track of how long I have been out because I am very good at loosing track of time

Each person is different. Simple as that.

 

[Venod]

In the winter I rarely take a drink with me doing 30 to 40 mile rides and I sweat quite heavily due to the warm clothing, I manage OK, in the summer a drink is the 1st thing I put on the bike, i find a 750ml enough for about 60 mile but on the hotter days I could take 2 bottles, just take a bottle with you and drink when your thirsty, on hotter days drink a bit more.

 

[Davidc]

There's a load of rubbish published on this subject, much from an unresearched publication by a US civil servant in the late 1940s.

The world No 1 expert is Barbara Rolls. Her book thirst is worth reading. 22 years old and still the most authoritative work. Link.

 

[Tin Pot]

Drink when you're thirsty.

End of.