hi guys,
i think the article below is very helpful for all of us riders!
ride safe!
Drink enough, but not too much, for healthy riding
© Jon Sparks
Mar 23, 2007
Mountain biking on Mallorca, © Jon Sparks
Further advice on hydration for recreational cycling as well as racing, focusing on when and how much to drink.
The importance of proper hydration - drinking enough, but drinking sensibly - has already been explored. This article takes a closer look at when to drink, how much to drink and also a couple of ways to judge if you are drinking enough.
When to drink?
One of the key points that is now understood is that you can begin to dehydrate before you feel thirsty. Rule One of hydration is: Drink before you think you need it. And, as with many things, little and often is usually the best way. The great advantage of modern hydration systems is that they make it easy and convenient to drink on the move and without upsetting your balance.
How much to drink?
How long is a piece of string? How much you need to drink is one of those questions. There is no precise answer; it depends on body mass, metabolic rate, how hard you are working, how hot and/or humid it is, how prone to sweating you are (and this can also be a function of your broader diet and hydration regime), and so on.
A figure that is often bandied about is one litre per hour. This sounds like a lot and as it’s often quoted by those who are trying to sell you a hydration product, you might view it with suspicion. It is probably a realistic figure for cyclists - and other athletes - in endurance competitions, but may be on the high side for those riding recreationally. On the other hand, if your idea of a recreational ride is one of Moab’s mountain bike trails in the desert heat, a litre an hour is probably a reasonable guide.
It is possible to drink too much, and become hyper-hydrated. This has been reported among endurance athletes taking their hydration to extremes, and can also be dangerous to health. It is unlikely that this will be a problem for recreational riders as few are going to want to carry excessive volumes of water.
Ways to tell if you are drinking enough include:
* Feeling thirsty. Yes, this is obvious, but you need to remember that you can be in early stages of dehydration before you have any sensation of thirst. A raging thirst after a ride is a sure sign of under-hydration. If the ride is only an hour or so then this is unlikely to be dangerous, but it’s still better to forestall it. Waking up with a ‘hangover’ the next morning is also a sign that you haven't taken on enough liquid during the ride.
* The ‘pee test’. If you feel the need to urinate at about the same interval when riding as you do when not exercising, you’re probably adequately hydrated. If the intervals get longer and longer, or the volume is reduced, you should up your fluid intake. And if what’s coming out is significantly darker in colour than normal, this is a real warning sign.
* Headache, dizziness, 'hungover' feeling. All are likely symptoms of dehydration.
How to drink.
You know how to drink; you've been doing it since you were born. This is really about how to carry the required voulme of fluid on the bike and the best way to get it to your mouth while riding. If you have to stop every time you want a drink, you almost certainly won't drink enough.Once upon a time it was just a bottle mounted on the bike frame; now there are all sorts of hydration systems, which really deserve an article to themselves.