How much do you drink on an audax?

[Ming the Merciless]

How much have you been drinking on an Audax, how many bottles worth, and what is the size of your bottles?

 

[Nebulous]

Not enough. I have two 750ml bottles on my bike. I rarely drink more than one of them between controls, often I don't even finish the first one. I drink quite a bit at controls however to make up for it.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Last summer on a 300 around lumpy South Wales in record temperatures, I needed just under 8 litres. (A Rough Diamond) There was a chap who was blue lighted near Gospel’s Pass with renal failure.

 

[screenman]

Not forgetting drinking too much can be very dangerous, although the chances are slim on a bike.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Not forgetting drinking too much can be very dangerous, although the chances are slim on a bike.

Yes. Marathon participants have been known to die. I seem to remember they were not taking electrolytes in the water. Reverse osmosis?

I drank my water with electrolytes just for the record.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Yes. Marathon participants have been known to die. I seem to remember they were not taking electrolytes in the water. Reverse osmosis?

I drank my water with electrolytes just for the record.

What is the record and did you reclaim it?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

It all depends on the route and how many pubs it passes.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It all depends on the route and how many pubs it passes.

At least we know it's a multiple of pint :-)

 

[ColinJ]

I don't really ride 200s any more but when I did, I was drinking 5-6 750 mL bottles, plus a couple of Cokes/coffees. (They were hilly-ish routes, 2,500-3,000 m of ascent.)

I don't drink as much now - maybe 2 x 750 mL and a coffee/Coke on a hilly 100km route or 3 x 750 mL plus a couple of Cokes/coffees on a flattish/undulating ride of 160-175 km.

I think I really need about halfway between the 2 extremes. I'm getting back from long rides feeling a bit dehydrated.

 

[lane]

Yesterday on my 100k - not Audax but makes no difference - 2× 750 plus can of coke. So on 200k should be roughly double which I think is probably what I do drink. I expect ideally it should be a bit more.

 

[Broadside]

Reverse osmosis

I think it’s usually Hyponatremia where too much water dilutes the levels of electrolytes in the blood which equals a big problem.

 

[ColinJ]

I forgot to add that weather conditions (obviously) are a factor - I drink 25-50% more on a hot day than a cool/warm one.

I find that I often forget to drink enough on cold days and can get dehydrated. There is an interesting article HERE.

 

[Broadside]

I forgot to add that weather conditions (obviously) are a factor - I drink 25-50% more on a hot day than a cool/warm one.

I find that I often forget to drink enough on cold days and can get dehydrated. There is an interesting article HERE.

Good link. I rode 60 miles yesterday and didn’t drink anything (stupidly) as it was cold and I just didn’t feel thirsty at all. I spent the rest of the day trying to sort out the resulting dehydration.

 

[Redlight]

I did a 200 at the weekend and got through about 1 litre of electrolyte drink and 1.5 of plain water. That felt about right at the time but I realised I was fairly dehydrated by the time I got home a couple of hours after finishing.

 

[lane]

British cycling seem to recomend 500 to 750ml per hour. So my bottles should last me two to three hours so let's say 60km at my speed. On an Audax probably should aim to drink both bottles between controls then refill at the control.