# How much do you drink on an audax?



## Ming the Merciless (9 Sep 2019)

How much have you been drinking on an Audax, how many bottles worth, and what is the size of your bottles?


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## Nebulous (9 Sep 2019)

Not enough. I have two 750ml bottles on my bike. I rarely drink more than one of them between controls, often I don't even finish the first one. I drink quite a bit at controls however to make up for it.


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## Heltor Chasca (9 Sep 2019)

Last summer on a 300 around lumpy South Wales in record temperatures, I needed just under 8 litres. (A Rough Diamond) There was a chap who was blue lighted near Gospel’s Pass with renal failure.


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## screenman (9 Sep 2019)

Not forgetting drinking too much can be very dangerous, although the chances are slim on a bike.


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## Heltor Chasca (9 Sep 2019)

screenman said:


> Not forgetting drinking too much can be very dangerous, although the chances are slim on a bike.



Yes. Marathon participants have been known to die. I seem to remember they were not taking electrolytes in the water. Reverse osmosis? 

I drank my water with electrolytes just for the record.


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## Ming the Merciless (9 Sep 2019)

Heltor Chasca said:


> Yes. Marathon participants have been known to die. I seem to remember they were not taking electrolytes in the water. Reverse osmosis?
> 
> I drank my water with electrolytes just for the record.



What is the record and did you reclaim it?


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## Yellow Saddle (9 Sep 2019)

It all depends on the route and how many pubs it passes.


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## Ming the Merciless (9 Sep 2019)

Yellow Saddle said:


> It all depends on the route and how many pubs it passes.



At least we know it's a multiple of pint :-)


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## ColinJ (9 Sep 2019)

I don't really ride 200s any more but when I did, I was drinking 5-6 750 mL bottles, plus a couple of Cokes/coffees. (They were hilly-ish routes, 2,500-3,000 m of ascent.)

I don't drink as much now - maybe 2 x 750 mL and a coffee/Coke on a hilly 100km route or 3 x 750 mL plus a couple of Cokes/coffees on a flattish/undulating ride of 160-175 km.

I think I really need about halfway between the 2 extremes. I'm getting back from long rides feeling a bit dehydrated.


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## lane (9 Sep 2019)

Yesterday on my 100k - not Audax but makes no difference - 2× 750 plus can of coke. So on 200k should be roughly double which I think is probably what I do drink. I expect ideally it should be a bit more.


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## Broadside (9 Sep 2019)

Heltor Chasca said:


> Reverse osmosis



I think it’s usually Hyponatremia where too much water dilutes the levels of electrolytes in the blood which equals a big problem.


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## ColinJ (9 Sep 2019)

I forgot to add that weather conditions (obviously) are a factor - I drink 25-50% more on a hot day than a cool/warm one. 

I find that I often forget to drink enough on cold days and can get dehydrated. There is an interesting article HERE.


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## Broadside (9 Sep 2019)

ColinJ said:


> I forgot to add that weather conditions (obviously) are a factor - I drink 25-50% more on a hot day than a cool/warm one.
> 
> I find that I often forget to drink enough on cold days and can get dehydrated. There is an interesting article HERE.



Good link. I rode 60 miles yesterday and didn’t drink anything (stupidly) as it was cold and I just didn’t feel thirsty at all. I spent the rest of the day trying to sort out the resulting dehydration.


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## Redlight (11 Sep 2019)

I did a 200 at the weekend and got through about 1 litre of electrolyte drink and 1.5 of plain water. That felt about right at the time but I realised I was fairly dehydrated by the time I got home a couple of hours after finishing.


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## lane (11 Sep 2019)

British cycling seem to recomend 500 to 750ml per hour. So my bottles should last me two to three hours so let's say 60km at my speed. On an Audax probably should aim to drink both bottles between controls then refill at the control.


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## cyberknight (11 Sep 2019)

not enough is always my problem, 
last 100 i did i had 2 bottles and 2 coffees , towards then end i was cramping and felt like i wanted to barf.


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## Ajax Bay (15 Sep 2019)

There seems to be a wide spectrum of people's (as in long distance cyclists') needs. Some sweat a lot and need more than others. Some are saltier sweaters so need more electrolytes (as well as real food or just more salted crisps/nuts). For long randonnees/rides I carry 2 x 500ml bottles (because my frame bag precludes larger ones). I think I drank about 2 litres in the first 306k of PBP (to Fougeres) and was content and comfortable with that intake. Others drink much more, but - I appreciate this is on the low end of the spectrum - on a 'normal', daytime 300 (eg the first half of the Bryan Chapman) in 13/14 hours I'd expect to get through 3 litres or so (either from bottles or drinks at stops). If one's waterworks are still demanding the odd stop, I think that's an indication that hydration balance is in a good place. My constitution can cope (enjoy) milk and buying 2 pints at a stop allows the consumption of one + and the decanting into bottle 2 of the rest for consumption in the next 50+k (say).
My daughter, riding a 90k leg of a triathlon plans on consuming 2 litres (and another litre on the half marathon run), but she's averaging 35+kph/250+w.


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## BrumJim (17 Sep 2019)

Depends a lot on weather and humidity. Did 150 miles with 4,500m of climbing in late June, and drank 8 litres of water. It was a hot day, and I felt like my back was a continuously coated in a layer of sweat.

Did the first leg of the Castleton Classic earlier on in May without drinking anything at all. It was rather cool. Made up for it later on - probably about 2.5 litres total for 210km.


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## middleagecyclist (20 Sep 2019)

Depends on length of ride. On LEL in 2013 i managed just three pints over 1400km. On 200s i might not have any. Usually just go with bitter shandy. Refreshing.


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## ianrauk (20 Sep 2019)

No where near enough and sometimes it's my downfall.
I ride a lot of Audax with @Trickedem . We are a right pair, he, doesn't eat enough whilst I can eat for England. I don't drink enough whereas he can drink enough to fill a reservoir.


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