To pee or not to pee

[swingTOpeddle]

As mentioned before I’ve not been cycling for too long so I’m still negotiating some of the finer points. For the purpose of this post I’ll use my only two road races I’ve done, Monte Classico and CTCT. I basically need to stop and have a urination break during a race. This is obviously not ideal when trying to keep momentum and not lose time. I’m not in the competitive bracket (yet) but still would like to know how to approach this. I basically wouldn’t want to stop at all. I don’t stop at water points and can get away with the 2-3 bottles of carb drink I carry with me. 
I very adequately (I think) pre-hydrate leading up to the event which equates to 1+ liters of liquid before. I also do my best to get in at least 80g+ of carbs in the hour leading into the start. My health is very good and I generally drink around 3 liters of water a day. 
 

This question is obviously more theoretical in nature but how do the sub 3 hour peeps and other mortals do it without have a pee break? Hopefully it’s a topic that’s been on other’s mind or bladders for a while. 
I found this in an article "A physician told me that frequent urination is the result of not eating enough carbohydrate to fuel exercise intensity and volume. In this case, the body uses some of its protein for fuel and the resulting waste products are flushed from the system by water, making you urinate. This can happen if you’re restricting calories to lose weight, or it could result merely from being chronically glycogen deficient. If you’re using a recovery drink after rides, you should be getting enough carbs, but it might be something to consider."

https://www.roadbikerider.com/why-do-i-urinate-so-frequently-d1/

[Thomo]

When going on a night out the key was to never break the seal ... same applies.! 🤣

 

"The term "breaking the seal" refers to an urban myth that says when drinking alcohol, urinating the first time will break some sort of seal in your body, and you'll have to get up every five minutes to go to the bathroom."

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

Pee at the start gate of your race. Ideally on your opponent's bikes. That'll buy you some time while also asserting dominance. 

[Vetplant]

Interesting question. I have done a decent number of 90km+ road cycling events, which means typically anywhere between 2h40 to 3h05, when I can keep up with the main bunch. In these events, I was able to push through without needing so stop. But yes, try to relieve as much as you can as close as you can to your batch start.

However, in my experience, if I progress slower because I'm not gunning it in a big bunch, closer to 4h on the road, then I tend to need to stop for a leak somewhere. So I pick a convenient location and just try to pick up a good bunch again after stopping.

[JulienR]

So i find that coffee makes this worse...and winter/cold days its impossible to cycle for a couple of hours without taking a pee BUT for races in the summer, i generally make sure i have breakfast and one coffee well before a race and i then take a pee just before starting in one of the lovely portaloos...i also make sure that i have enough hydration on my bike and dont drink too much before i start...i find that i am then able to not 'break the seal' for the ride (3-3.5 hours)

[Thomo]

If skill permits, go Euro-pro and drop to the back of the pack and whip it out mid pedal stroke ... 🤷‍♂️

 

[W@nted]

I would reduce the pre race liquid intake a bit. Also, I found during hard efforts/racing more sweating results in less peeing. So just ride harder😜

[The Ouzo]

If I'm gunning it I find I dont even think about needing a pee. I'll have one before I start just to start out on an empty bladder though.

But if I'm doing anything less than say 85% effort then I find my mind has time to think about it and I tend to start needing a pee. In these cases I will stop at a porta loo.

 

But its much the same as when not cycling, if I'm sitting around doing nothing I'll need to pee more often than when I'm busy

[Jehosefat]

4 minutes ago, Thomo said:

If skill permits, go Euro-pro and drop to the back of the pack and whip it out mid pedal stroke ... 🤷‍♂️

 

Had a friend who tried that in a race a few years back. He reckoned he got about 30% of his pee in his shoe. Kinda put me off ever trying it (especially seeing as it's not like I'm going to win the race anyway)

[Eldron]

More than a litre of fluids before the race sounds excessive. Not sure I could even stomach that much fluid before a race.

2-3ml of water per kg body weight in the 4 hours before the race should be fine.

Avoid coffee as one of the previous posters said. I've found one is OK but 2 or more and it break au naturale time...

[bleedToWin]

It's a multi faceted answer, but the short answer is that when we need to we pee on the bike.

For short rides of 120km or less you usually made a miscalculation if you need to pee. Pee when you park you car, again on your warm-up and again in the chutes if you need to. If it's cold you should have been carrying more of your carbs in gel or bar form and not so much liquid. I only carried 800ml for CTCT and only drank 600ml.

For rides over 3 hours there will usually be some sections where the pacing is more subdued and controlled. You pull to the side and free wheel, open your hip up and go at it. You'll drop off the back most likely but not by much. Some of the longer events like some recent 160km road rides I've done guys will even stop together and chase back on after stopping. FYI Sagan is not wrong about guys peeing in the middle of the bunch. A certain recent world tour departed rider did this in CTCT Elite bunch, albeit without opening his hips and mostly he pissed on his own bike more than on other riders. Speaking of CTCT, if it's pouring with rain no-one will know if you don't even bother with the gymnastics...

Do you drink after thirst off the bike? 3L is a lot.
Do you pre-hydrate because you are thirsty? 1+L before a morning start is a lot.
Sounds like you might have some dated ideas about hydration that is causing your problems. Drink to thirst in the lead up to the race. If your urine is ever fully clear you overdrank. If you do this then no need to pre-hydrate.

PS. Good on you for getting your carb intake rigtht.

[bleedToWin]

2 minutes ago, Jehosefat said:

Had a friend who tried that in a race a few years back. He reckoned he got about 30% of his pee in his shoe. Kinda put me off ever trying it (especially seeing as it's not like I'm going to win the race anyway)

Do it on a slight decent. The wind will not allow anything to touch your shoe. If you "fail" like most people do you'll end up with that 30% on your shorts, but that's better than absorbed by your shammy.

[ChrisF]

When you gotta go, you gotta go ...

 

[The Ouzo]

My body wont allow me to pee on the bike. Have tried, everything just goes "Nope, no ways, we're keeping that seal tightly closed" 

[lechatnoir]

22 minutes ago, Eldron said:

More than a litre of fluids before the race sounds excessive. Not sure I could even stomach that much fluid before a race.

2-3ml of water per kg body weight in the 4 hours before the race should be fine.

Avoid coffee as one of the previous posters said. I've found one is OK but 2 or more and it break au naturale time...

coffee - the best diuretic known to man. or at least ME...

[peepeekaitjie]

Just go full triathlete and pee all over yourself and your bike 💦