A Guide to Fluid Intake for Cycling
Tags: Hydration
A fluid strategy is important not only for performance but also for safety and enjoyment. Without a good fluid plan you won't be able to make the most of your training. A common theme coming out of the round Taupo ride was people running out of fluid late in the ride. Not wanting to lose contact with their bunch, riders wouldn't stop to grab needed water.
How much fluid do you need?
Everyone is different, if you live in a cold climate and are going to race in a warmer one then not doubt you will need to drink more than usual. If you practice drinking good amounts of fluids you will be able to drink more in events as well. Your body will adapt to what you show it. Below is a general guide to give you a ball park figure.
Fluid Intake Per Hour (Note: These are good starting points only - you still need try out your fluids as everyone is different)
Set up a system for drinking
Most of the modern heart rate monitors and many of the good sports watches have timers that can be set to beep every 15 minutes. Your stomach is like a balloon - the more fluid inside it, the more pressure forcing fluid into your gut where fluid is absorbed. So you need to drink 300-400mls at the start to get your fluids into your body and once you have done that you can top up every 15 minutes with 150-250mls. You need to practice this in training.
Don't forget to monitor how you feel
If you feel nauseous then you may have consumed too much carbohydrate - cut back your eating, drink water or dilute your sports drink.
If you feel bloated, your stomach is full. In this situation reduce both your eating and drinking as you are consuming more than your body can process. This can also be caused by drinking strong drinks that sit in your stomach.
How do you carry your drinks?
There are a lot of good products out there to ensure that you can carry enough fluid. A Camelback drink system is great and the standard unit can hold up to 2.2L of fluid. With the insulation the drink can be kept reasonably cool and freezing it the night before a really hot ride means that as it melts you will be able to drink nice cold fluid. This product is really great for mountain biking and riding in bunches as you don't need your hands to drink and the volume they hold makes them great for long training rides and for events like Round Lake Taupo.
Additionally for those competing in Triathlons or longer races like the 500km Enduro Taupo Ride, one of the front handlebar drink system is a good idea. These mount inside aerobars and have a drinking straw that is right in your face reminding you to drink. They also hold a reasonable amount and can be refilled from other bottles very easily.
Drink bottles with the wide screw top neck are great as it's easier to mix a sports drink in the bottle without getting the powder all over the outside , thereby avoiding the 'sticky hands' syndrome that I hate on long rides. Also if you are going to ride over 40km it will also pay to have more than one drink bottle and to use larger drink bottles. Small bottles hold 500mls, medium size bottles will hold 750mls and you can get large bottles that hold 900mls. I have two 900ml bottles, on a hot day that's enough fluid for 3 hours when training or 2 1/2 hours when racing.
What about sports drinks?
The general rule is less than one hour and water is fine but once the length of the ride starts to increase, you will need to take in energy and electrolytes. Sports Drinks are designed to optimise fluid and energy intake. There now is enough research to say that sports drinks improve performance in events as short as one hour, so once you reach this point it is a good idea to start to either eat some food or use a sports drink. There is now some good evidence that sports drinks improve performance in endurance events. They are also a good way of getting in some of the energy you may need plus they are absorbed faster than water.
To use Coke or not to use Coke
Coke seems to be a really good product for enhancing performance. It's got water, sugar and caffeine. But it's a bit strong so you need to dilute it to at least two-thirds strength. The big draw back with coke is that once you start using Coke you need to keep using it or you will hit the wall big time. You must practice with coke in training and NEVER EVER drink fizzy coke. Coke is very acidic - see the notes below about looking after your teeth.
Look after your Teeth
A lot of the sports drinks and cola's are quite acidic and can be harsh on your teeth. Having said that, they are going to empty from the stomach faster than plain water and provide needed energy and replace salts lost in sweat. So what can you do to get around this problem?
There are three options:
1) Drink water and eat solid foods such as banana's and fruit bars.
2) Drink sports drink/coke followed by water.
3) Use the sports drinks but rinse you mouth with water after your ride (a good idea anyway).
After your rides don't brush your teeth as the acid in the drinks will have weakened your enamel, the best thing to do is to rinse your mouth with water.
Final point for the competitive cyclist
It is not uncommon for cyclists to attack when another athlete takes a drink from their water bottle. Practice getting your drink bottle to you mouth, gulping down what you need, and getting your bottle back into your bottle cage.
When you run out of water don't let your competitors know by throwing your bottle away. Otherwise you may be attacked just before a feeding station. If you miss your pickup that will cost you, if you slow down to get fluids you will have to chase and that may cost you also. Make sure your pickups are slick. I would never suggest that you use this tactic on others as it's not very sporting.
Practice bottle pick ups. If you are racing and are planning on getting a drink pickup during the event it makes sense to practice this in training. If you are going to race in another country, remember that if you ride on the right hand side of the road that you need to pick up bottles from your right side.
So there you have it - go out and drink your way through your summer of cycling!
How much fluid do you need?
Everyone is different, if you live in a cold climate and are going to race in a warmer one then not doubt you will need to drink more than usual. If you practice drinking good amounts of fluids you will be able to drink more in events as well. Your body will adapt to what you show it. Below is a general guide to give you a ball park figure.
Fluid Intake Per Hour (Note: These are good starting points only - you still need try out your fluids as everyone is different)
| TRAINING | 60kg (132lbs) | 70kg (154lbs) | 80kg (176lbs) | 90kg (198lbs) | 100kg (220lbs) |
| Cool | 400 | 500 | 600 | 700 | 750 |
| Normal | 500 | 600 | 700 | 800 | 900 |
| Hot | 600 | 700 | 800 | 900 | 1000 |
| RACING | 60kg (132lbs) | 70kg (154lbs) | 80kg (176lbs) | 90kg (198lbs) | 100kg (220lbs) |
| Cool | 500 | 650 | 750 | 800 | 900 |
| Normal | 600 | 700 | 800 | 900 | 1000 |
| Hot | 675 | 800 | 900 | 1000 | 1100 |
Set up a system for drinking
Most of the modern heart rate monitors and many of the good sports watches have timers that can be set to beep every 15 minutes. Your stomach is like a balloon - the more fluid inside it, the more pressure forcing fluid into your gut where fluid is absorbed. So you need to drink 300-400mls at the start to get your fluids into your body and once you have done that you can top up every 15 minutes with 150-250mls. You need to practice this in training.
Don't forget to monitor how you feel
If you feel nauseous then you may have consumed too much carbohydrate - cut back your eating, drink water or dilute your sports drink.
If you feel bloated, your stomach is full. In this situation reduce both your eating and drinking as you are consuming more than your body can process. This can also be caused by drinking strong drinks that sit in your stomach.
How do you carry your drinks?
There are a lot of good products out there to ensure that you can carry enough fluid. A Camelback drink system is great and the standard unit can hold up to 2.2L of fluid. With the insulation the drink can be kept reasonably cool and freezing it the night before a really hot ride means that as it melts you will be able to drink nice cold fluid. This product is really great for mountain biking and riding in bunches as you don't need your hands to drink and the volume they hold makes them great for long training rides and for events like Round Lake Taupo.
Additionally for those competing in Triathlons or longer races like the 500km Enduro Taupo Ride, one of the front handlebar drink system is a good idea. These mount inside aerobars and have a drinking straw that is right in your face reminding you to drink. They also hold a reasonable amount and can be refilled from other bottles very easily.
Drink bottles with the wide screw top neck are great as it's easier to mix a sports drink in the bottle without getting the powder all over the outside , thereby avoiding the 'sticky hands' syndrome that I hate on long rides. Also if you are going to ride over 40km it will also pay to have more than one drink bottle and to use larger drink bottles. Small bottles hold 500mls, medium size bottles will hold 750mls and you can get large bottles that hold 900mls. I have two 900ml bottles, on a hot day that's enough fluid for 3 hours when training or 2 1/2 hours when racing.
What about sports drinks?
The general rule is less than one hour and water is fine but once the length of the ride starts to increase, you will need to take in energy and electrolytes. Sports Drinks are designed to optimise fluid and energy intake. There now is enough research to say that sports drinks improve performance in events as short as one hour, so once you reach this point it is a good idea to start to either eat some food or use a sports drink. There is now some good evidence that sports drinks improve performance in endurance events. They are also a good way of getting in some of the energy you may need plus they are absorbed faster than water.
To use Coke or not to use Coke
Coke seems to be a really good product for enhancing performance. It's got water, sugar and caffeine. But it's a bit strong so you need to dilute it to at least two-thirds strength. The big draw back with coke is that once you start using Coke you need to keep using it or you will hit the wall big time. You must practice with coke in training and NEVER EVER drink fizzy coke. Coke is very acidic - see the notes below about looking after your teeth.
Look after your Teeth
A lot of the sports drinks and cola's are quite acidic and can be harsh on your teeth. Having said that, they are going to empty from the stomach faster than plain water and provide needed energy and replace salts lost in sweat. So what can you do to get around this problem?
There are three options:
1) Drink water and eat solid foods such as banana's and fruit bars.
2) Drink sports drink/coke followed by water.
3) Use the sports drinks but rinse you mouth with water after your ride (a good idea anyway).
After your rides don't brush your teeth as the acid in the drinks will have weakened your enamel, the best thing to do is to rinse your mouth with water.
Final point for the competitive cyclist
It is not uncommon for cyclists to attack when another athlete takes a drink from their water bottle. Practice getting your drink bottle to you mouth, gulping down what you need, and getting your bottle back into your bottle cage.
When you run out of water don't let your competitors know by throwing your bottle away. Otherwise you may be attacked just before a feeding station. If you miss your pickup that will cost you, if you slow down to get fluids you will have to chase and that may cost you also. Make sure your pickups are slick. I would never suggest that you use this tactic on others as it's not very sporting.
Practice bottle pick ups. If you are racing and are planning on getting a drink pickup during the event it makes sense to practice this in training. If you are going to race in another country, remember that if you ride on the right hand side of the road that you need to pick up bottles from your right side.
So there you have it - go out and drink your way through your summer of cycling!
Bookmark/Search this post with:
EnduranceCoach.comBrendon Downey of EnduranceCoach.com is an Exercise Physiologist, Level 2 triathlon coach, and coach to Sam Warriner, the 2003 ITU Oceania Champion. Coaching and detailed training programs are available at EnduranceCoach.com
