Hydration - 2 bottles just ain't enough

[Rick]

By the way, Prisma, what seeding are you?

 

C, but i'm with the subvets for the league

 

I appreciate all the camelbak suggestions, and honestly when i started riding i used my camelbak all the time. I have a lobo so it's quite compact. That being said, as the racing becomes more demanding it becomes increasingly uncomfortable to have the thing on your back - the bag itself has a weight even empty and trust me after trying to hang on to these snakes for a 100km on a hot day the last thing you want is satchel on your back! It also makes getting into your pockets a nightmare, unless the staps are loose which would be stupid.

Even if the camelbak was perfect I don't think i could actually go into the starting pen with it on, sorry, but just because riding without a shirt might be more comfortable doesn't mean people do it. You'd look like a tit and unfortunately that will always be the case with a camelbak in a serious road race.

 

zaShadow, that's unfortunately not an option mate, the pace is a bit quick. if the pack is averaging 45kph on the flat they cover 250m in 20seconds, if I then rode at 50kph solo it would take 3min to catch them having burned every match in my box. I'd probably be better off dehydrated

 

For you guys who don't need much fluid, I envy you but in this way we are different so what works for you will not work for me. I don't have this problem in winter races, it's the rate at which I sweat in summer that causes the issue, that's not necessarily something you can train. I rode the Tour de Worcester on one bottle, no problem.

 

I'm going to try the sipping approach and pray that last trip to the portaloo keeps the bladder happy. Will also try an energade bottle in the back pocket tomorrow and see if it's comfortable enough.

 

Thanks again

[awesme]

Question, you say 2 bottles aren't enough, why don't I see anyone doing races (racing snakes) ride with Hrydo packs,

G

[Tankman]

 

For you guys who don't need much fluid, I envy you but in this way we are different so what works for you will not work for me. I don't have this problem in winter races, it's the rate at which I sweat in summer that causes the issue, that's not necessarily something you can train. I rode the Tour de Worcester on one bottle, no problem.

 

 

Dink less beer the night before! It helps with carob-loading but it gets you dehydrated tooo quickly.

 

Suppose you can not train for it but you can train your body to become efficient and use the reserves you have. In my first year of cycling I did not think anything strange of going through about 4 bottles on a 90 - 100km ride. Ok the rides were a bit more social. But as soon as things started getting a bit more serious, you quickly learn that there wont be any stopping for water and your body adapts. Being well hydrated before a race is key, start drinking an extra liter a day 3 days before the race.

Now, I dont find it difficult at all to do 120km on 2 bottles ... with half the 2nd bottle left sometimes.

[hayleyearth]

_{I have the same problem and when out on the MTB I have a 750ml bottle and a 1.5l hydration pack and this was almost not enough for Saturdays 2h ride.}

 

_{I know my body uses a lot of water as I do not even need to run to the loo before a race nor after a race even after consuming each sip of liquid I could. With about 1l after the race I only go to the loo a few hours after that - thus I think a sign of dehydration.}

 

_{The 1st thing I need to do when I wake in the morning is have a sip of water and by this time I already had 500ml - without any excercise!}

_{It might be helping to keep me looking a few years younger than what I am, but it is not nice when out cycling for sure!}

['Dale]

I'm going to try the sipping approach and pray that last trip to the portaloo keeps the bladder happy. Will also try an energade bottle in the back pocket tomorrow and see if it's comfortable enough.

 

Thanks again

 

Hope the sipping method works, prisma.

 

Keep this thread posted after the Cobra on Sunday?.

It will be a good test for your hydration strategy, revised.

[kamikaze]

Even if the camelbak was perfect I don't think i could actually go into the starting pen with it on, sorry ...... You'd look like a tit and unfortunately that will always be the case with a camelbak in a serious road race.

 

 

and there you have it folks, in black and white - peer pressure defies logic!

 

there are those who lead, who don't care what others think ie. the trend setters, and those who follow blindly.

i bet if lance or contador had a signature model road-specific Camelbak in the next big race,all of a sudden it wont "look dumb" anymore.

 

peculiar thing, human nature.

 

they might laugh at you for wearing it, but win the race and i promise, YOU will be doing the laughing.

Edited January 18, 2012 by kamikaze

[BigGuy]

Camelbak makes a vest with a hidden bladder in the back. Just the bite valve protrudes from the shoulder area. The only con is that it is not so easily refillable once empty, but very fashionable otherwise.

[kamikaze]

i refuse to believe that having bag-fulls of cr@p on you lower back - having pockets filled with pumps, water-bottles, tire levers, tubes, chainbreakers, bombs, gu's and banana's - is more comfortable than putting those items a camelbak.

 

and how does having a plastic bottle and pump sticking out of bulging pockets on your back look less of a tit that wearing a camelbak?

Edited January 18, 2012 by kamikaze

[walkerr]

I'm keen to hear if anyone has similar issues and have good solutions to carry extra fluid that is light, comfortable and reasonably aero.

 

Hav suffered the same problem - ended up sticking a tri-bracket behind my saddle which can take 2 extra bottles, plus small space for tool&tube. In theory, I can take 4 bottles in total but I only do that on long training rides where I don't want to stop. On rides with water stops I usual take 3 bottles - that's good for me up to 60-70km odd, so means 1 water stop and I'm fine.

 

Few other things though:

 

- as I'm training harder and getting fitter, I find I go further per bottle - guess that's practice and conditioning, as other guys have posted

- I don't actually drink much water, 2 bottles are electrolyte and energy drinks (1 HEED, 1 PERPETUEM). The other is plain water which i do sip when I need to clear my mouth, but mostly it's to rinse my head and cool me down

- last Sunday was hot, so you'd expect to need more

 

I guess I could just as easily have the 3rd bottle in my jersey, but I like as much on the bike and off me as possible (which I know breaks several of the rules, as does having something behind my saddle!)

[Rick]

Camelbak makes a vest with a hidden bladder in the back. Just the bite valve protrudes from the shoulder area. The only con is that it is not so easily refillable once empty, but very fashionable otherwise.

 

Yes, the racebak. I plan on getting one to try out. They are not cheap, and very hard to find, nobody seems to stock them,

My additional concern is the heat. Since this is a problem that I ONLY experience when it's hot, i'm concerned it might make me hotter and defeat some of the benefit.

Will definitely give it a try though even if just for rulling it out.

[Rick]

and there you have it folks, in black and white - peer pressure defies logic!

 

there are those who lead, who don't care what others think ie. the trend setters, and those who follow blindly.

i bet if lance or contador had a signature model road-specific Camelbak in the next big race,all of a sudden it wont "look dumb" anymore.

 

peculiar thing, human nature.

 

they might laugh at you for wearing it, but win the race and i promise, YOU will be doing the laughing.

 

No kamikaze you gotta let go of that bone a little, you're putting teeth marks in it

If the camelbak was indeed a perfect solution then there's a good chance I would forgo the peer pressure concern. I mentioned that partly in jest in keeping with humour created by "the rules" which i find very funny.

I would be open to trying a racebak as above and intend to do so.

I am also open to trying the rear-seat tri cage, which is just as uncool as a camelbak in league riding conditions so the peer pressure isn't a show stopper trust me. I don't shave my legs if that adds any credence

I do use a saddle bag because i hate having **** in my back pockets and I hate taking 30min to pack for a race. The stuff stays in the bag and I'm very happy with that - popular or not. Besides, the reason the pros dont use saddle bags is because they dont have anything to put in them! Do they repair tubes? carry spares? bombs maybe? multitool? No they don't, they have a spare bike 10m behind them. So to not use a saddle bag because the pros dont is very misguided logic.

Anyway, in summary I don't want a frikken satchel on my back for this intensity of racing, it will freak me out.

Perhaps you can tell us more about your racing circumstances? It may enlighten as to why you are so evangelical on the camelbak issue.

[Just Keep Pedaling]

Assos have a cycling shirt / hydration pack combo. Maybe its more aero than bottles etc? You could freeze the shirt the night before super cooled ride - just be careful your nipples dont freeze solid and crack off.

Edited January 19, 2012 by Just Keep Pedaling

[zaShadow]

...You could freeze the shirt the night before super cooled ride...

 

That's maybe a very good point. Maybe you should not only try and carry more water, maybe you could also look at making yourself cooler while you ride? You will probably need less fluids that way.

 

I often see people complaining that they sweat more than average and have to carry more water for that reason. Then they wear full finger gloves, buff under helmet, MTB shorts (I'm specifically speaking of MTB though).

 

I also think that certain cycling shirts allow for better airflow than others. I have one First Ascend cycling shirt of which I'm sure feels thicker/less air permeable than my Anatomic (not saying the one is better than the other - at all). Having said that, my Anatomic is allot tighter than my First Ascend. Might just also be because of that.

 

Maybe you could also try opining your shirt zip more to cool yourself down more.

 

Otherwise, just cycle faster to get more airflow and stay cooler. Always seems to work on the Motorbike

[BLACKvoodoo]

Then take shorter rides

BWAAAHAAA

[walkerr]

I am also open to trying the rear-seat tri cage

 

If you do give it a try, I found the following:

 

- The RavX bracket is quite sturdy - but the mounting bolts are ****, rattled loose after 40km. Went to Builders and got some standard bolts and nylon locking nuts. Been rock solid since.

- Avoid bottle cages with a base plate welded to wire cage. Two of these fractured along the welds. Currently using the Lezyne plastic ones, light and strong but bit bulky/ugly. It has a nice angled entry though which works well when you get used to it.

 

Luckily I'm down at the back with the fun riders, so have no peer pressure to worry about ... can relax and enjoy the scenery

Edited January 19, 2012 by walkerr

[kamikaze]

@ prisma, maybe this will look less like mtb and more like roadie because the bulk is spread out over the same area as where your jersey pockets are - http://www.camelbak....lashFlo-LR.aspx