[roll122]

I've searched the forums to see if this was covered, but i cant find it.. So im avoiding the search nazis.

When riding, what do u guys prefer.. I use a camelbak all the time, but today, i decided to buy a water bottle cage to add onto my bike( i heard it helps climbing ability )...on shorter rides, i could just use like a 24 oz. bottle, the camelbak is over kill..

Well fellas.. what do u prefer and why.. Im just killin time here.

 

[Duckman]

This has been beat to death over at Riding and Training. I use bottles for racing(BigAir strapped to the seatpost, tube and small multi tool in jersey pocket) and short rides(replace BigAir with minipump). CBak for longer stuff where you need mo stuff and water.

The bottle/cage deal gets alot of weight off the legs(CB is 1.5lb by itself, 1 quart is 2lbs, etc), as well as being much cooler.

 

[jkittlesen]

Hydration pack

 

[xctico]

I usually go with the camel (I use the 100oz one, I freeze 10-30oz the night before and fill the rest in the morning, so I get cold water for several hours into the ride) + a bottle full of gatorage/powerade (on very long rides). Though I guess that using the water bottle wouldn't hurt, specially while racing since you could change to a fresh bottle frecuently.

 

[Jm.]

A camelback is not overkill, if you are not drinking at least 70oz on rides that are a few hours long, you are simply not drinking enough. It's easy to not drink enough, and you only notice the effects in cooler climates when you all of a sudden push yourself to the edge in terms of output or endurance, but when you hit that wall because you've not taken down enough fluids, your day will turn bad VERY fast. Camelbacks are also usefull to carry tubes and tools, which any responsable mountain biker should carry.

 

[tmccrohon]

Both, my ridiculously long explanation.

I put 20 ounces of gu2o or gatorade in a bottle And I fill the camelback with a varying level of water depending on the ride. I do not put anything but water in my hydration bladders as they are hard to keep clean this way. I always have the hydration pack on so my tools, tubes, pump, gu, extrachain links, compass, leatherman tool, first aid kit are always with me. I like to have the bottle mounts for ultra long rides that require more than 100 ounces. I can hold tons of water, but usually only fill my bladder half way and bring one bottle with energy drink.
I do not race. I do adventure races, offroad triathlons and 24 hour racing. endurance events sometimes require lots of gear and you must be self contained.
I just realized i gave you way more info than you asked for...........Sorry
Tim from Massachusetts

 

[Arkon]

I've searched the forums to see if this was covered, but i cant find it.. So im avoiding the search nazis.

Go to the home page (mtbr.com) and hit the one-on-one. You'll find it there. or
http://www.mtbr.com/oneonone/oneonone_water.html

hope this helps and saves you time

 

[JmZ]

How Bout's Both

I've searched the forums to see if this was covered, but i cant find it.. So im avoiding the search nazis.

When riding, what do u guys prefer.. I use a camelbak all the time, but today, i decided to buy a water bottle cage to add onto my bike( i heard it helps climbing ability )...on shorter rides, i could just use like a 24 oz. bottle, the camelbak is over kill..

Well fellas.. what do u prefer and why.. Im just killin time here.

Use the camelback for the water, and the bottle cage for other stuff - normally Gatorade or Propel.

JmZ

 

[Jwiffle]

I use a camelbak

Only way to get enough water without a whole bunch of bottles, since on a hot day I need to drink at least 32 oz per hour, sometimes quite a bit more. I just bought the MULE to get a 100 oz resevoir, 30 oz more than my last pack. Plus, I ride a Warp, and the only water bottle mounts are on the bottom of the town tube, and I couldn't reach the bottle while moving. Not to mention the fact I got tired of wiping the mud off my bottle!

 

[bulC]

depends. how far we goin'?

For a local ride of under 3 hours, bottles, either one quart size (yes it is a quart, not 28 oz., I have both) or two standard 22 oz. bottles, depending on temperature and route.
My tools are all on the bike, always, along with two tubes and everything else I would need. I don't carry survival gear or a major first aid kit on local rides. Anything else goes into the 3 rear pockets: eats, windshell, bear spray(!), sometimes a third tube. Folding knife in shorts pocket.
For backcountry, I wear a pack, as much to carry the first aid, survival gear, chow. and extra clothes, as for the bladder. I only ever put water in the bladder, and use one bottle for energy drinks, another for water. I've had two bladders fail in my lifetime, without a backup bottle I would have been hurting when one failed 30 miles into an 80 mile desert ride from Moab to Newspaper Rock. Likewise, you can lose a bottle on a bump and have it pop open, so if you're on an epic and that happens, it's more than nice to have water on your back as well.
Same thinking as carrying tubes and a patch kit; or a pump and CO2.
Though if the backcountry route is along streams, as many here are, I'll just take two large bottles and a water filter and save a bunch of weight.

 

[danK]

I've searched the forums to see if this was covered, but i cant find it.. So im avoiding the search nazis.

When riding, what do u guys prefer.. I use a camelbak all the time, but today, i decided to buy a water bottle cage to add onto my bike( i heard it helps climbing ability )...on shorter rides, i could just use like a 24 oz. bottle, the camelbak is over kill..

Well fellas.. what do u prefer and why.. Im just killin time here.

I think people don't hydrate enough off the bike and are forced to carry too much on. My running coach summed it up this way: you don't see marathon or long distance runners carrying or even drinking that much water, even in hot races. They have hydrated properly when not exercising. Now I know the physiology of running vs biking is different, but if a good runner can go 1.5 to 2.5 hours with little more than sips and gulps here and there, why do average trail riders need 70 ounces or more for a 3 hour ride? Train your body to handle 100 degree heat and you'll drink less (if properly hydrated) in 3 hours than someone who is lugging around all that H2O just to survive a 90 degree ride for 2 hours.

And not to get off the subject, but there is such a theory about water poisoning: drinking so much that it actually hurts your internal system trying to stay hydrated for prolonged periods. Trying to drink to survive on the bike but you're flushing out the nutrients your body was taking in off the bike.

I carry a small bottle for 2 hours or less no matter the temp. I carry 2 small bottles for rides up to 3 hours. Anything over 3 hours, I better be on the road bike.

I detest hydration packs, and would probably use a waist mounted pack if I had to.

 

[Jm.]

I think people don't hydrate enough off the bike and are forced to carry too much on. My running coach summed it up this way: you don't see marathon or long distance runners carrying or even drinking that much water, even in hot races. They have hydrated properly when not exercising.

And not to get off the subject, but there is such a theory about water poisoning: drinking so much that it actually hurts your internal system trying to stay hydrated for prolonged periods. Trying to drink to survive on the bike but you're flushing out the nutrients your body was taking in off the bike.

wow...i guess just because someone is a "coach" doesnt mean they are smart then...

Just because you have hydrated beforehand, does NOT mean that you do not need to continue to hydrate. The distance runner that doesn't drink anything while running is not going to be performing at his peak, and has to be carefull not to push himself over what his body can take, when he does this, it's just like ANY other sport, he will go downhill FAST, of course in big races there are support crews and plenty of peole to help them out...

Water posioning? Yeah, it's happened, but you must not really understand the circumstances involved, I've been in places where it's happened, and knew what was going on. 130-150oz out here in arizona is not unrealistic for a 2-4 hour ride , and I do not even ride in the crazy 100+ temps in phoenix. I'm not counting the pre-hydrating either, which is very important, but that's about the only part that you've got correct. If you can start your ride by having to pee right off the bat, and if that pee is fairly clear, then you prehydrated well, but that does not mean you can stop drinking.

I carry a small bottle for 2 hours or less no matter the temp. I carry 2 small bottles for rides up to 3 hours. Anything over 3 hours, I better be on the road bike

You sir do not hydrate enough, and you are playing with fire in terms of how you operate.

I have to wonder if you ever ride in temps above 50 degrees (of course cooler weather lessens the demand for water, but it doesn't erase it), or if you know a damn thing about what you're talking about. I've had plenty of parallel situations in the army, and riding, where I could almost not drink water fast enough. The threat of water poisoning is an extreme, but it is one that you are obviously in no danger of reaching. Water poisoning happens when your intake is not matched by your body's demand, but you better believe that in some situations the demand is almost as fast as you can drink...

This guy's advice is simply dangerous.

 

[danK]

Wow... I guess just because someone posts on mtbr.com doesn't mean they can read and understand other people's posts. I never said you do NOT need to drink on the bike. It's a matter of training your body to not need that much and in effect carry that much water. A fat man off the street would probably need a gallon to ride 30 minutes in 90 degree heat. The typical average mtb rider might need a bottle. The highly trained and adapted rider/racer might need 1/4 to 1/2 that, and so forth and so on.

That's why you see expert and semi-pro xc racers taking one bottle per lap, and you'll see the beginner or sport racer finishing their 70 or 100 oz hydration pack in the same time.

As for that coach not knowing anything, you better tell him he sent two runners to the 2004 Olympic marathon trials in St. Louis with nothing more than luck.

wow...i guess just because someone is a "coach" doesnt mean they are smart then...

Just because you have hydrated beforehand, does NOT mean that you do not need to continue to hydrate. The distance runner that doesn't drink anything while running is not going to be performing at his peak, and has to be carefull not to push himself over what his body can take, when he does this, it's just like ANY other sport, he will go downhill FAST, of course in big races there are support crews and plenty of peole to help them out...

You sir do not hydrate enough, and you are playing with fire in terms of how you operate.

 

[Fuelish]

I've searched the forums to see if this was covered, but i cant find it.. So im avoiding the search nazis.

When riding, what do u guys prefer.. I use a camelbak all the time, but today, i decided to buy a water bottle cage to add onto my bike( i heard it helps climbing ability )...on shorter rides, i could just use like a 24 oz. bottle, the camelbak is over kill..

Well fellas.. what do u prefer and why.. Im just killin time here.

Bottles, here - but not by "preference", just what works for me so far (intend to get a hydration pack SOMEday...). I ride with a fannypack that can hold most anything I could need short of catastrophic failure, as well as 2 bottles, one per side....plus one bottle on the bike, this adds up to 70 some odd ounces of H2O, enough for me on any one ride. I have to agree with the above poster about pre-hydrating and acclimating (sp?). Camelbacks are cool and all, but I don't feel comfortable with additional weight centered that high on my body - fanny pack rides lower and feels more "neutral" in terms of body english applied to bike (if that makes sense ?!?!)
As with many questions/replies,, there often is no "right" answer, no "best" anything. Use what feels right and serves your needs

- Fuelish

 

[Ratt]

Wow

I think people don't hydrate enough off the bike and are forced to carry too much on. My running coach summed it up this way: you don't see marathon or long distance runners carrying or even drinking that much water, even in hot races. They have hydrated properly when not exercising. Now I know the physiology of running vs biking is different, but if a good runner can go 1.5 to 2.5 hours with little more than sips and gulps here and there, why do average trail riders need 70 ounces or more for a 3 hour ride? Train your body to handle 100 degree heat and you'll drink less (if properly hydrated) in 3 hours than someone who is lugging around all that H2O just to survive a 90 degree ride for 2 hours. ............

First not all of us race, we ride for fun. Dude those marathon guys core temps also drop to like 85 degrees, they are freaks. And in some circles whimps, they run on flat ground for only 26 miles. Ask or look at what ultra endurance trail runners use for their 100 mile jaunts, they have a backpack with gallons of water and energy drinks and bars. I remember back in the day when you asked for a water break our football coach used to say "Water will only make you weak", yeah that was till guys starting dying.

......And not to get off the subject, but there is such a theory about water poisoning: drinking so much that it actually hurts your internal system trying to stay hydrated for prolonged periods. Trying to drink to survive on the bike but you're flushing out the nutrients your body was taking in off the bike......

Never heard of it but I guess in the Hawaiian Iron Man they have like 2 or 3 competitors a year suffer from hyper(?)hydration. The symptons seem like dehydration to me but the cause is the opposite, they were drinking too much water. So there are dangers from over hydrating, i just watch my piss, once it goes clear i figure i am good to go.

 

[Jm.]

It's a matter of training your body to not need that much and in effect carry that much water. A fat man off the street would probably need a gallon to ride 30 minutes in 90 degree heat. The typical average mtb rider might need a bottle. The highly trained and adapted rider/racer might need 1/4 to 1/2 that, and so forth and so on.

.

No, you are confusing efficiancy with demand. Being efficiant with water, and what your body demands for peak performance are two different things.

There are so many other factors as well, but I won't bore you with them...

Like I said, you are flirting with danger. You simply haven't been in a situation yet where your supposed "water conditioning/rationing" has been put to the test, but it will not be a pleasent experience when it is.

Spend a few days in a chemical overgarment suit and gas mask in 90+ temps, then come back and tell me something about hydration...

 

[AgentHubcap]

I've searched the forums to see if this was covered, but i cant find it.. So im avoiding the search nazis.

When riding, what do u guys prefer.. I use a camelbak all the time, but today, i decided to buy a water bottle cage to add onto my bike( i heard it helps climbing ability )...on shorter rides, i could just use like a 24 oz. bottle, the camelbak is over kill..

Well fellas.. what do u prefer and why.. Im just killin time here.

What's an oz? I think in Litres.

I have a camelpack on the way, but so far, I've only used bottles. Camelpacks seem to be the better way to go because you can carry tools/tubes/whatever with you easier (as said above).

That being said, I'm one of those "fat guys", but I seem to drink a lot less than the other guys in my group. Go figure.

 

[pathfinder]

Camelbak Bandido

Stupid name for a camelbak I know and they don't make them anymore, but it really is an excellent pack. I'ts actuallly a fanny pack with a support strap that comes up over your shoulder and connects to the waist belt that doubles as a tube trap. Holds about 45oz. of water, plenty for most of my rides, room for extra stuff also. Don't like water bottles mainly because they would rattle out of the cages from time to time and seemed kinda expensive to replace.

Jm-----What do you do that you can average 15 posts per day? Sit around and hydrate?

 

[Dirdir]

Drink, drink some more, and then drink again. I carry 100 oz for any ride less than 3 hours, even short ones. I carry 200 oz for rides over 3 hours or guarantee that there is a water source on the trail. You simply cannot have too much water. I would rather get used to carrying too much water than get used to drinking too little.

All this death and water poisoning is one thing, but it is really much more simple than that. Dehydration, even slight dehydration, makes you feel like crap before, during and after riding. We get used to it or even don't know why we feel like sh!t. So drink, and drink again, and drink once more. Man, I have a lot more things to worry about than water poisoning.

Did I say drink.

 

[Jm.]

Jm-----What do you do that you can average 15 posts per day? Sit around and hydrate?

tendonitis and working at the bike shop in the afternoons...