Water: It’s More Than Just a Component for Beer

[consularrider]

I can’t stand having anything on my back during hot weather, so I have to take routes where I can get refills for my two bottles. And I still have to find the proper angle for the additional two bottle cages that attach to my seat rails, I’ve contributed to the street/trail litter more than I would like.

Welcome back.

[Mikey]

hope you are okay.

I rode in (25 mi) from Fairfax back in February, and forgot my water bottle. Even though the temps were in the 40s, I was very sluggish and thirsty when I got to work. I usually take 2 bottles, and drink a large glass right before headding out.

[americancyclo]

that makes me think of cleaning my water bottles. I’ve found some nasty gunk in them before, and have some that are ONLY water, and others that a mostly sports drink, although they never seems to lose the smell. Anyone have tips on how best to clean water bottles so I can ride around still rocking my 2009 BTWD bottles?

[brendan]

@acc 18403 wrote:

I’m sitting here still thirsty three hours after doing something stupid and it reminds me that most people are smarter than I am.

But for those 1%-ers, I thought I’d mention that as the weather heats up, water matters.
…
I’ll admit to filling my bottles with water and Gatorade and a diluted mix of water and Gatorade. We won’t discuss past poor choices.

Indeed. I rode out to Leesburg and back on Sunday, a ride I try to do once a week. This time I consider it to be my first warm weather ride of the year. Two water bottles, a couple of bottle refills, a lunch stop and two other stops for iced tea, soda and one powerade. I was making excellent time the first half of the ride (the entire C&O side plus a bit of road and W&OD) but then about 2/3 of the way through I was seriously dragging, then had some minor cramping near Vienna and finally had a massive sartorius muscle cramp about 20 minutes after I got home. The kind that makes you scream, cry and sweat profusely and then go into chills and shivers for 10 minutes while recovering.

Looks like it is time for me to start carrying G2 packets and put the 2.5 gallon water bag onto the back rack for long rides again.

Brendan

[zanna_leigh]

@acc 18403 wrote:

it reminds me that most people are smarter than I am.

I was reminded of this the first time I rode 50 miles, by myself, on streets I’ve never ridden before, no padded shorts, and fully stocked with…wait for it…one water bottle and no food. Hanging out with people like Tim Kelley and Chris Eatough makes you think that anything under 100 miles is short. So I figured, 50 miles isn’t long distance, I don’t need food or water! Luckily half way through I stumbled across a Giant and picked up two clif bars, ate one and neglected to refill my water bottle. Needless to say I ate about two Tim Kelley sized portions of pasta that night and probably equal portions of water.

And I lied, I am reminded of this constantly (people being smarter than me that is).

[dasgeh]

@americancyclo 18406 wrote:

that makes me think of cleaning my water bottles. I’ve found some nasty gunk in them before, and have some that are ONLY water, and others that a mostly sports drink, although they never seems to lose the smell. Anyone have tips on how best to clean water bottles so I can ride around still rocking my 2009 BTWD bottles?

Everyone in our family drinks a TON of water, me especially. So we keep bike bottles around everywhere. I only like water, but my wonderful husband drinks funny tasting stuff when training. After some nasty surprises, we came to the agreement that one type of bottle only gets water, and his team bottles can have whatever weird stuff he likes. I don’t touch the team bottles (except to wash them).

BTW, years ago, for our “wedding favors” we found personalized bike bottles for less than $2 each. So we ordered a TON, and we’re still using them today. Sadly we only have about a half box of new ones left… Definitely one of the best expenses of the wedding.

[creadinger]

@brendan 18414 wrote:

Looks like it is time for me to start carrying G2 packets and put the 2.5 gallon water bag onto the back rack for long rides again.

You can try Nuun tablets. You just add one to a normal water bottle, let it fizz for a while as it dissolves and then drink. It has all the electrolytes you need, without all the calories. They come in a little canister of like 10 and are easy to carry.

[brendan]

@creadinger 18423 wrote:

You can try Nuun tablets. You just add one to a normal water bottle, let it fizz for a while as it dissolves and then drink. It has all the electrolytes you need, without all the calories. They come in a little canister of like 10 and are easy to carry.

I have a bit of a sweet-tooth which I find encourages me to drink more G2 or diluted gatorade/powerade than plain water. I tried Nuun (and some competing products) and found they made me less likely, not more likely, to drink the water that contained them. As Ann said: “Find whatever works for you.”

(e.g. caffeinated clif shot bloks > gel of any kind)

Brendan

[acc]

@zanna_leigh 18419 wrote:

I was reminded of this the first time I rode 50 miles, by myself, on streets I’ve never ridden before, no padded shorts, and fully stocked with…wait for it…one water bottle and no food. Hanging out with people like Tim Kelley and Chris Eatough makes you think that anything under 100 miles is short. So I figured, 50 miles isn’t long distance, I don’t need food or water! Luckily half way through I stumbled across a Giant and picked up two clif bars, ate one and neglected to refill my water bottle. Needless to say I ate about two Tim Kelley sized portions of pasta that night and probably equal portions of water.

And I lied, I am reminded of this constantly (people being smarter than me that is).

I could lie. I could say I can’t imagine doing something like that. But I won’t.

You made a good point, even though you didn’t have water you brought money. Money can solve a whole lot of problems.

omg- You ate an entire trough of pasta? :p

ann

[PotomacCyclist]

I bring water bottles on longer rides. But I seem to drink less water than I did in previous years. Then again, I haven’t done any rides in truly hot weather yet this year.

I’ve done 3 and 4-hr. rides this year and discovered that I drank about 4-12 oz. total (water only).

I’ve gotten tired of the mess of sports drinks and cleaning water bottles so now I rely on carb chews for calories and electrolytes, and stick to plain water in the bottles. I put a few packs of GU Chomps or Clif Shots in the bento box on the top tube. As for cleaning bottles, some brands can be put in the top rack of a dishwasher, including the insulated Camelbak Chill Jackets and Podium Chills. They are the same size as other standard plastic water bottles. I also put the bottle top in the top rack of the dishwasher too.

[Tim Kelley]

My setup is two bottles on the bike, and one in a jersey pocket!

On hot days I figure a bottle will last about 10 miles. Target brand Emergen-C is my carry along electrolyte brand of choice. For sports drinks I use Infinit and can make “super bottles.” I get the mix with a very low flavor amount and then mix up double batches in regular bottles that are about 600 calories each.

[creadinger]

The value of a cold gulp of water can never be over valued on a really hot day, so on summer rides in addition to the bottles on my bike I’ll put a frozen bottle wrapped in a hand towel in my handlebar bag or pannier and save that for mid-afternoon when I’m overheated and 80F water in my other bottles just isn’t cutting it.

[mstone]

@PotomacCyclist 18438 wrote:

As for cleaning bottles, some brands can be put in the top rack of a dishwasher, including the insulated Camelbak Chill Jackets and Podium Chills. They are the same size as other standard plastic water bottles. I also put the bottle top in the top rack of the dishwasher too.

+1 dishwasher.

[Mark Blacknell]

@americancyclo 18406 wrote:

that makes me think of cleaning my water bottles. I’ve found some nasty gunk in them before, and have some that are ONLY water, and others that a mostly sports drink, although they never seems to lose the smell. Anyone have tips on how best to clean water bottles so I can ride around still rocking my 2009 BTWD bottles?

Yes, throw them away. My bottles go into the dishwasher regularly, and they’re still in pretty bad shape by the end of the season. (I am very bad at taking my own advice on this, as I get unreasonably attached to some bottles. But really, I think regular riders should toss bottles seasonally. At least.)

I also recommend a PodiumChill (or equiv insulated) to anyone who rides around here in the summer. It’s very nice to have water that isn’t approaching your body temp on a hot day.

And FWIW, I always make one bottle full of whatever mix (usually HEED), and one water. Sometimes water is the *only* thing you want.

And stop drinking regular Gatorade. There are a million better things out there.

Also, get off my lawn.

[acc]

And FWIW, I always make one bottle full of whatever mix (usually HEED), and one water. Sometimes water is the *only* thing you want.

And stop drinking regular Gatorade. There are a million better things out there.

Blacknell, you swine.
I don’t live in Hogwarts and don’t have the time or inclination to stand around mixing up special concoctions to put in my water bottles. I’m too busy putting air in my tires, snapping in my Garmin, finding my silly shoes, pulling on my gloves, etc. I’m not adding yet another step to the process beyond opening the refrigerator door, untwisting lid, pouring, and replacing lid. I drink what I have on hand. And sometimes what I’m drinking is appalling but it’s what I like.

So back to Rule Number 1. Do what works for you.

Gatorade For-evar!
ann

[Author]

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