# How much fluid for 100 miles ?



## Cuchilo (4 May 2014)

Just wondering what people would take on a jaunt of this distance ?


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## MikeG (4 May 2014)

Two big water bottles, and a cup of tea at 2/3rds distance, where I might top one of the bottles up.

As the Americans say: your mileage may vary.


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## jefmcg (4 May 2014)

Very very temperature dependent.

On rides of longer than 50km, I fill both bottles and refill as necessary. Londis usually have lucozade or oasis or similar on special, mix with a bottle of water, if I can't find somewhere to top up with water.


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## vernon (4 May 2014)

It's very much weather and exertion dependent.

My consumption falls between two and seven litres.


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## Rob3rt (4 May 2014)

Depends how long it takes, you should consider such things on a duration basis, not a mileage basis


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## Cuchilo (4 May 2014)

Rob3rt said:


> Depends how long it takes, you should consider such things on a duration basis, not a mileage basis


That's a very good point that I hadn't thought of .


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## ColinJ (4 May 2014)

As much as you need, and only you know how much that is.

I know people who would do it on one 750 mL bottle.

Unfit, and overweight, on a hot day, I would probably get through four or five 750 mL bottles. Maybe three when fit and on a cool day.

Think in terms of 500 mL per hour and you will probably be about right.

Weigh yourself before and after rides. If you are significantly lighter than when you set off then you should consider drinking more, 1 litre per kilo lost.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (4 May 2014)

I did 100 miles in 6 and a bit hours yesterday, average temperature was 12 degrees, and I took and drank 2 x 750ml bottles. I drank more after the ride than during it, but that involved alcohol and is the reason I feel rough this morning


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## fossyant (4 May 2014)

I'd echo what others say. If you've got a planned cafe stop then thts a good time to refil. I'd probably go through 3 or 4 750ml bottles.


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## Joshua Plumtree (4 May 2014)

Marmion said:


> I did 100 miles in 6 and a bit hours yesterday, average temperature was 12 degrees, and I took and drank 2 x 750ml bottles. I drank more after the ride than during it, but that involved alcohol and is the reason I feel rough this morning



Was this the Cycle Norfolk Ride? Did this on one 750ml bottle plus copious amounts of freebie energy gels that tasted like washing powder!  

And the odd cheeky pint or two of Guinness afterwards.


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## nickyboy (4 May 2014)

Hugely weather and exertion dependent. If I could actually find 100 flat miles, I could do it on a cold day with 2 x 750ml bottle. But yesterday I did 60 hard, hilly miles in sunny, still conditions and needed 2.7 litres (I use 900ml bottles and refilled one). So a 100 mile like yesterday would be 4.5 litres....about a gallon !!


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## vickster (4 May 2014)

Probably 2 or 3 bottles and a couple of skinny lattes  But depends on the temperature

Have you not done the ton yet?


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## Pro Tour Punditry (4 May 2014)

Joshua Plumtree said:


> Was this the Cycle Norfolk Ride?



No, I wish it had been in Norfolk as it might have been a bit flatter!


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## JasonHolder (4 May 2014)

Intensity/duration/food on bike consumption/temp/fitness and start of ride hydration state dependant really. Do you know what you're eating?


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## TheJDog (4 May 2014)

I've done 100k on one 750 when it's cool, and 117 miles was more than 4 bottles over last summer. Pity I only had 4 bottles! It was pretty awful at the end!


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## JasonHolder (4 May 2014)

Have a read about glycerol too chuchilo.
I use 4-6 700ml depending on how many times I want to stop and piss. Normally around 8 times with 6+bottles if I'm poodling around slowly


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## byegad (4 May 2014)

Even 50 miles will see me get through 3 or 4 500ml bottles, plus a stop for tea or coffee. Some of these people must be closely related to camels! Even my regular 20 mile loop will see me drink before I go, get through at least 500ml and drink when I get back!


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## JasonHolder (4 May 2014)

I got into necking a litre after waking up and another after the activity in the paras and surviving some pretty hardcore business in some of the hottest parts of the world I've been to when the rest were dropping like flies from dehydration. Seen so many friends in heli evacs and drips because of this.

Only neck 700ml bottles now but its enough and gives you a nice feeling physically and mentally. Most peoples pee stinks because hardly anyone drinks enough anyway. Yet I'm the fanatic water drinker??? No MF I just get enough. "Bananas"


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## Joshua Plumtree (4 May 2014)

Marmion said:


> No, I wish it had been in Norfolk as it might have been a bit flatter!



You obviously haven't cycled the coast road from Holkham Hall to Mundesley. Flat is not the first adjective that springs to mind.


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## Scoosh (4 May 2014)

My guideline is to sip a mouthful of liquid every 20-30 mins; first bottle water + flavouring juice (currently Vimto ); second bottle water + electrolyte. Repeat as required.

Too big a sip and I'm needing to stop every 45 mins to 'make way for more liquid'  .... I also find that I needed to keep a careful eye on my ride time and sip-by-the-clock until it became a 'habit'.

Nibble-nibble every hour at least too ... and a cafe stop at some point to stock up on _real_ food (= CAKE ! )


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## Dogtrousers (4 May 2014)

A cautionary tale:

Don't try this at home but I rode 100 miles on one 500ml bottle and two mugs of (instant) coffee yesterday. Plus a pint of water before leaving. This ride

I'm generally bad at forgetting to drink/fill up and ran out at about 60-70 miles (coffee was at 50 - with cake at this lovely place). I made it back feeling OK, and downed a couple of pints of water on getting home at about 5pm. I was craving salt too so I put some salt on my scientific recovery meal (pork pie). I had more coffee and probably some squash in the evening (I don't drink alcohol so just squash).

ANYWAY ... at 3am-ish I woke up with bad cramps in my legs and a thirst. I had several pints of squash and some orange juice during the night and tellingly never needed a wee. I was awake for about 30 min to an hour with this. I'm convinced this was some kind of fluid imblance thing.

All fine in the morning, but I really must remember to drink more often and fill up when possible.


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## JasonHolder (4 May 2014)

And don't add god damn salt to anything! Mineral balance will make you more dehydrated. Friendly warning


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## 400bhp (4 May 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Think in terms of 500 mL per hour and you will probably be about right.


Think thats spot on.


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## Dogtrousers (4 May 2014)

400bhp said:


> Think thats spot on.


500 ml/hour? Well, everyone's different, and I know that I *under* did it yesterday, but it took me 8 hours (not including cake stop) which would be 4 litres. It would have added an extra hour of wee stops, and stops searching for places to refill my bottles.


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## 400bhp (4 May 2014)

Planning.


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## Dogtrousers (4 May 2014)

400bhp said:


> Planning.


You're 100% correct, but it's not my strong suit I'm afraid. And not my bladder's either 

By the way - might be a good time to mention the useful fact that French churchyards generally have standpipes where you can fill your bottle. So keep your eyes peeled for French churches.


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## Cuchilo (4 May 2014)

Not a lot of French churches in London or Surrey is there ? Although I am sure any church would fill a bottle for you if you asked .
I wimped out today and only did 60 miles but 100 is on the cards very soon .


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## Dogtrousers (4 May 2014)

Cuchilo said:


> Not a lot of French churches in London or Surrey is there ? .


Curses. I didn't think of that.


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## ayceejay (4 May 2014)

Gas (petrol) is a fluid innit, so that new VW would use about half a gallon whereas my Chevrolet would use over four gallons, it is the same with water and people except water is not a fuel - so my analogy is crap. 
Talking of crap: a lot of crap has been written about water and how much we need, now if god had wanted us to sip water all day he would have appended a plastic bottle to our hands. 
If you need to drink several pints of squash and juice in the middle of the night this is not merely dehydration but something more serious and the sugar in the orange juice will increase blood sugar levels making you more thirsty.


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## jay clock (5 May 2014)

+1 for weather. Ironman Switzerland in 40 degrees I am guessing I used about 10 litres, maybe more. In cooler weather a lot less


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## Rob3rt (5 May 2014)

JasonHolder said:


> And don't add god damn salt to anything!* Mineral balance will make you more dehydrated.* Friendly warning



Explain?


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## MikeG (5 May 2014)

As an illustration of how we are all very different in terms of liquid consumption:

I did a very fast 100km ride (an audax) today, with 3 other riders. Three of us carried 1 bottle of liquid, and the 4th person carried nothing at all. I topped my water bottle up at the cafe/ control stop at 65km, and the bloke who didn't carry anything just had a cup of tea. He had no problems at all, and we all averaged about 18.4 mph. Yet if you were to read of a hydration regime like that in a magazine, or on here, you'd think that we should all have ended up in an ambulance.


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## JasonHolder (5 May 2014)

Rob3rt said:


> Explain?



Try it for yourself. 
Your body is going to pee all that salt out. That is good. What isn't good is not having enough water in your system for all that pee and taking what you "do have" out to get rid of the salt worsening the situation.


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## Herzog (5 May 2014)

JasonHolder said:


> Try it for yourself.
> Your body is going to pee all that salt out. That is good. What isn't good is not having enough water in your system for all that pee and taking what you "do have" out to get rid of the salt worsening the situation.



Salt again - I'm still waiting for a link...


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## Cuchilo (5 May 2014)

MikeG said:


> As an illustration of how we are all very different in terms of liquid consumption:
> 
> I did a very fast 100km ride (an audax) today, with 3 other riders. Three of us carried 1 bottle of liquid, and the 4th person carried nothing at all. I topped my water bottle up at the cafe/ control stop at 65km, and the bloke who didn't carry anything just had a cup of tea. He had no problems at all, and we all averaged about 18.4 mph. Yet if you were to read of a hydration regime like that in a magazine, or on here, you'd think that we should all have ended up in an ambulance.


I guess I already know what I need but I was wondering what others do . I don't normally stop when riding , not anywhere to fill a bottle anyway .
For 50km I would take one and for 100km two . I just found that on 100km two where running low and should I wish to continue I would like three bottles .
The salt thing is interesting . I add a tablet to one of my bottles that replaces salts . Not because I want to replace them , it just tastes nice  I guess I will stop using them and just add some blackcurrent or something . I like a flavoured drink to go with my food so its like an extreme picnic


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## JasonHolder (5 May 2014)

Herzog said:


> Salt again - I'm still waiting for a link...



I know sorry!


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## Banjo (5 May 2014)

No definitive answer to the op question. Depends on temperature, terrain, fitness level and the individual person.

I would get through about 3 litres on a warm day and I dont sweat hugely. I know people who would do it on a 500 mil bottle and others who would get through even more than me. Better to have water and not need it than the other way round.

I would carry 2 x 750 mil bottles and refill as the opportunity/need arises.


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## Rob3rt (5 May 2014)

JasonHolder said:


> Try it for yourself.
> Your body is going to pee all that salt out. That is good. What isn't good is not having enough water in your system for all that pee and taking what you "do have" out to get rid of the salt worsening the situation.



You aren't making a convincing argument for the assertion "mineral balance will make you more dehydrated", which doesn't make sense as a statement in the 1st place.


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## young Ed (5 May 2014)

Dogtrousers said:


> You're 100% correct, but it's not my strong suit I'm afraid. And not my bladder's either
> 
> By the way - might be a good time to mention the useful fact that French churchyards generally have standpipes where you can fill your bottle. So keep your eyes peeled for French churches.


most Swedish curches have similar taps sticking up for people to use the church watering cans to water the flowers, oh how kind the Swedes are! anyways not that it matters as i'm sure no one would want to visit those lonely sods in that horrible place (head of my schools language departments veiw on Sweden, when he said that i was getting ready to knock him round the face!)



Cuchilo said:


> Not a lot of French churches in London or Surrey is there ? Although I am sure any church would fill a bottle for you if you asked .
> I wimped out today and only did 60 miles but 100 is on the cards very soon .


legal requirement in Britain for any shop to provide sanitary tap drinking water
Cheers Ed


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## jayonabike (5 May 2014)

For me it's a 750 ml bottle per 50 miles, less so in winter


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## Cuchilo (5 May 2014)

> legal requirement in Britain for any shop to provide sanitary tap drinking water
> Cheers Ed


Yeah , good luck with that one in London .


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## Dogtrousers (5 May 2014)

young Ed said:


> most Swedish curches have similar taps sticking up for people to use the church watering cans to water the flowers, oh how kind the Swedes are! anyways not that it matters as i'm sure no one would want to visit those lonely sods in that horrible place (head of my schools language departments veiw on Sweden, when he said that i was getting ready to knock him round the face!)


I'm off to Sweden later this year but not for cycling. I'll be glassblowing - now you need to drink *serious* amounts of water doing that!


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