Hydration

[magnatom]

Mmm. I am tempted by filtration and keeping something to flavour the water at work. How much would you expect to spend on filters a year though?

 

[hillrep]

Mmm. I am tempted by filtration and keeping something to flavour the water at work. How much would you expect to spend on filters a year though?

Well, if you believe the manufacturers, a cartridge should last 4 weeks, which would end up as ~£40/year. However this would be in a family kitchen, so I find they lasted at least twice as long.

 

[magnatom]

£40 would still be a lot cheaper than buying water. So any recommendations for a filter?

 

[Peter10]

I do an approx 40:60 mix of fruit juice:water. Nice taste and has a bit of natural fruit sugars to keep the carbohydrates in. Two bottles on the bike. One for the journey in and one home.

 

[hackbike 666]

Yes being dehydrated has become a big problem for me over the last ten years....Luckily in my work they have supplied water for a good few years as they realize being dehydrated knocks concentration.We used to have the big bottled water delivered but now there is a machine which is plumbed in and which I always use.Tea isn't any good although I drink it by the gallon.

 

[iendicott]

Magnatom,

I too work for the NHS, we have a special filter tap here that filters and cools the water. I drink 1 pint as I get into work as I sweat big time whilst riding and through out the day I drink another 3 pints right up until I go home. (Mines only a 10 miles trip all in all)

I stay away from Tea \ Coffee as it's a diuretic so you pee more than you drink in theory.

Agree water is pretty hard to drink in large quantities but I sip it throughout the day so it goes down quickly.

When I am out on a long club run I can easily go through 1.5 litres in 2-2.5 hours.

 

[hillrep]

£40 would still be a lot cheaper than buying water. So any recommendations for a filter?

I've used a Brita jug filter in the past - I'm sure there are other brands available too.

 

[zacklaws]

Have you thought of using a camelbak, the largest would allow you an extra 3lts of water

 

[400bhp]

Free water! In the NHS!! Are you kidding!!

You get a final salary pension scheme instead

Is your commute 11.5m each way?

 

[DrSquirrel]

So does anyone else have problems keeping hydrated when cycle commuting.

I now commute further than I ever have (about 23 miles a day). There are hills involved and, I'm not one to hang around, so I sweat. In fact I probably sweat a fair amount. Obviously I need to replace that sweat, however, I find it hard.

Obviously once getting to work I need to drink. I'm not really a coffee or tea drinker so for me in the past it has mostly been fizzy juice (diet of course). I'm trying to cut back on that due to the cost (which adds up) so I'm now drinking more water. The problem is at work, there is no decent free water. Yes the water in the tap is 'supposed' to be ok to drink. Hmmm. Hospital water is pretty disgusting. So I take some in from home. But i can't be doing carrying 1.5 litres to work each day (I need at least that to stay hydrated).

My other problem is that I find it hard to drink lots of water. Not much taste you see.

So bythe time I get home, having sweated some more, I'm usually mildly dehydrated.

I know the answer, 'carry more water and drink it, ya idiot!'. However, I just wondered if anyone else had similar problems and how they solved it.

Take a filter jug with you and leave it there (if possible)...

 

[fimm]

Have you tried fruit or herbal teas? Some of them can be a bit bland, but something like lemon and ginger has a bit more of a kick. I like peppermint myself. (Obviously they cost money - shops own brand seem fine to me, rather than the more expensive branded ones). Just another suggestion.

 

[buddha]

I hardly ever see anyone else carrying water on the commute. I take 2 750ml bottles, one with made up orange squash, the other plain tap water. And usually get through 2/3 of that each way. My only issue is sweat pouring down my face at lights!


I've heard that filtered water is approaching acidic, which may be an issue if you drink a lot of it. I'm prone to gout attacks, so need to keep hydrated and acid levels low. Apparently tap water is best.

 

[HLaB]

Yes they do work.
The filters do last much longer then the manufacturers are have you to believe.
You soon can taste when the filter needs changing.

+1 I used to use one when I lived in Dublin and like ianrauk says you can get much more out of the filter than the manufactures say.

 

[DrSquirrel]

I agree with the filters - I have a TDS unit so I can measure the output of it and watch it rise over time. Though my tap water has a lower TDS than most people get from their filters. Just have the likes of Chlorine in it still thats all.

I hardly ever see anyone else carrying water on the commute. I take 2 750ml bottles, one with made up orange squash, the other plain tap water. And usually get through 2/3 of that each way. My only issue is sweat pouring down my face at lights!


I've heard that filtered water is approaching acidic, which may be an issue if you drink a lot of it. I'm prone to gout attacks, so need to keep hydrated and acid levels low. Apparently tap water is best.

Water I put through filters comes out at a PH of 8.1...

 

[Crankarm]

23 miles ............ a warm up ride.

If you have a good drink of water PRIOR to your ride and then carry a bottle or two of water with you then you should be fine. Have a good drink when you arrive at work or back at home. We are now in autumn so temperatures are falling therefore less sweating.