Having a full CamelBak is something I always have with me when we are above freezing. Below freezing my CamelBak hose freezes. Running out of water in the desert (dry is the problem, not hot Conor) has killed two mountain bikers recently. I tend to carry a water bottle as well to wash my dried sweat out of my eyes. Having only the CamelBak seemed to be great until I suddenly had stinging eyes. Washing my eyes with a CamelBak is extremely ineffective, and I can't cycle blind effectively. In winter I usually have a thermos of hot green tea with honey from a local honey farm.
After the ride, or even during the ride, a nice shower helps hydration through your skin. If you see sprinklers that hit the road, or a creek or river when mountain biking, soak your skin if possible. Riding through the sprinklers on a scorching hot and dry day is an almost obscene pleasure after a long dry, hot ride. Of course, a shower or bath is an important thing to do minutes after the ride to rehydrate and cool down.
GCN, a short video on the cycling history of CamelBak might be good. CamelBak was awesome in the 1990s mountain biking but CamelBak was contracted by the US military to make hydration bladders that could be worn in rough conditions by 100+ kg Soldiers who often ended up flopping down on the CamelBak as a pillow. The history of CamelBak was an excellent story to read.
@@IdahoFatTireBikeFunInsulated Camelbaks are available. These feature insulated hoses. I’ve used these reliably down to -25C. Colder than that, it’s best to wear one inside a shell to keep it from freezing throughout the day.
In summer, I put my bottles horizontally (half filled) in the freezer. When I'm going out for my ride, I fill the rest with water and then it melts slowely during the ride while also keeping the water nice and cold.
I used to do the exact same thing until I noticed on warmer days that my bottles produced a lot of condensation on the outside that would then drip down on the bike chain. Depending on the amount of condensation that is produced and ultimately drips down on the chain and chainring, it might not be the best thing in the long run.
Take an ultraendurance racing tip - cemeteries often have water taps, bring water purification tablets. You can always stop at any house and ask politely. In summer I generally ride with 2x 1 litre bottles, you can also take saddle mounted bottle racks for an additional two bottles without carrying on your back.
When I was a teenager I spent way too long in a sauna at the local pool not realizing I was becoming severely dehydrated. Walking home with my friends afterward, I felt severely fatigued to the point where even with all the effort I could muster, I couldn't maintain walking pace with them and actually had to sit down in the grass a few times just to recover what little strength I could to walk home (it was a moderately short walk). Unusual fatigue is a definite sign that you're severely dehydrated, so be on the lookout for it. Anyhow, AI tells me this is a good carb/electrolyte mix: 30g of maltodextrin (around 2.5 tablespoons) 60g of table sugar (around 4.75 tablespoons) 1 teaspoon of sodium citrate (your electrolytes, sir) Optional flavouring. Water. That's about 90g of carbs and 360 calories per bottle (750ml suggested to prevent stomach aches). For a 120g carb version, increase the maltodextrin to 34 grams (2.75 tablespoons) and sugar to 88g (7 tablespoons). These are more or less the same ingredients in cycling gels, but can be had cheaper by sourcing the individual ingredients from places like Amazon. If you do decide to make your own carb drink, just make sure the total carb count doesn't exceed around fifteen percent of the total solution. So, the above mix should be good anywhere between 750ml and 1L without most needing to worry about gastrointestinal side effects.
This time of year, I take two 750 ml bottles with a light electrolyte mix. Even at 6 am, its already 90+ F/32+C, so I'm only out for two to two and a half hours at most. I do lo get rides in the late.fall and winter, when temps.get down to something reasonable!
My friend from Tucson starts his rides at 5AM... How to drink on the road and pee back at home - that's the question! Is that possible when a ride is about three hour long and the temperature is less extreme (but still exceeds 27 °C/80.6 °F)?
My bad habit is the fact that I have a really hard time drinking when running or cycling. When competing I really don't want to stop for a drink either. Sometimes I have gone complete marathons without a sip and that's not a good habit. Gotta learn to hydrate on the move.
@@gcn yeah. My friends have used ones made by CamelBak and they are pretty convenient. It's just adding up to the budget after purchasing a bike and accessories that I think has kept me back. But now I've noticed that it's a good investment
@@gcn Yes. I've seen friends use CamelBaks with great success. I haven't yet gotten one because I didn't want to add to the budget after purchasing a bike and all accessories + wetsuits for triathlons etc. But right now after seeing this video and actually looking back at my lessons learned from improper hydration experience I see it as a valuable investment.
A good cure for that is kidney stones. Got my first one at the end of a tour in the Middle East. The second one (13mm) required surgical intervention… but that was preceded by immense pain, pissing blood, and copious morphine (which did far less for the pain than one might expect). This has a way of scaring anyone straight. Burnt hand teaches best, as the saying goes. LOL
I ran out of water ⅔ of the way through the bike in a Powerman duathlon and dehydrated. After I finished I felt instantly boiling hot in the sun and freezing cold in the shade. I was lying on the edge of a shadow and rolling back and forth between the two. I didn't need a saline drip, 45 mins in an ambulance sipping water little and often and I was okay again.
Great info! I am a big sweater and have awys needed more hydration than my fellow riders. This video had great info on pre hydration which I found really useful. Excellent information, thank you so much
I'm usually all right with my 710ml Camelbak Podium (the blue one, coincidentally, featured heavily in this video) when my rides are around 40-50km. But my recent ride from Belgrade to Smederevo and back (135km in total) had me drinking 3.5 litres in total, with refills along the way. The temperature was in high twenties for that one, but is currently hitting high thirties, and I've got a free day tomorrow, and a tempting 100km route in mind... I usually make sure to hydrate before a ride and make a stop at 20km mark, or after a challenging climb.
I use polar insulated bottles. Better cap system for cycling that you can open with your mouth instead of using your hands to switch a camelbak from closed to open. Then on the extra hot days I freeze a bottle of water the day before and stuff it down my jersey pocket to keep my back cool that I can drink later. Always plan a route that has a good place to fill up. Our local group ride on Saturdays stop at the lake bait shop. Stay away from the preloads that have alot of sugar and carbs. Use more solid foods as fuel.
A good source of science-based information regarding hydration is the Gatoraide Sports Science Institute and the Gatoraide Sports Science Exchange. Yes, Gatoraide is in business and wants to sell products, but they conduct a lot of good actual research, and through the Exchange publish a lot of independent scientific study papers regarding hydration and other aspects of athletic performance. I have no affiliation with them at all. I am a retired firefighter, did a lot of wildland firefighting in California, and many years ago learned quite a bit about hydration and its effect on sustained physical performance through those sources. For years I carried quarts of Gatoraide in the cab of my engine, and would drink down a full quart when responding to calls. It made a difference. For prolonged events (wildfires) we alternated carb sports drinks, electrolyte only drinks, and plain water in about equal ratios.
great tips, for anyone on the fence about spending 20$+ on a water bottle, lemme tell you the vacuum insulated makes ALL the difference here in 80*F+ 80%+ middle of nowhere florida. ive got a UA-cam short on my drink mix and entire supplement stack. would like to see what Simon, ollie & Alex are taking daily.
excellent video... thanks... from my experience at the hot summers at Greece, hydration is the most significant, for a 100 m ride with a typical temperature of 36c or more, I drink more than 6 liters of cold water and all the refreshments and iced coffees, that I have to drink in my stops...
Great tips, my go to is Haybailers punch 1 gallon water Half cup of maple syrup, or honey anything to sweeten it. 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar( don’t worry you won’t taste the vinegar) 1 tablespoon of grated ginger. I then keep it in the fridge and fill up my water bottle(s) for rides. If farmers drink this out in the field on sweltering hot days then it’s good enough for me. Btw what brand are those cool shades mate.
You must be a legend. I saw your comment hours ago when watching this, and just now UA-cam recommends a video on farmer’s switchel “the Gatorade of the 9th century.” You’re making the algorithm haha! I had to come back and tell you.
A hydration pack is a must for any longer rides in the heat. Helpful features include a chest strap, insulated hose, bite valve, integrated storage space for wallet, phone, and keys. FWIW, I’ve used Camelbaks in the desert, in the winter wilderness, and on the trail. They’re durable and well designed. Spare parts and replacement bladders are widely available.
I live in the Philippines, so the weather here is really hot. With temps playing around 32c to 40c and can sometimes feel like 45c due to asphalt and lack of trees and global warming. The metal ones from camelbak are a life saver, really handy when it gets really hot.
Connor goes for the Connor size bottle, that makes perfect sense 😂 My go to is the medium size or camebak 2.5L. I have a 3.0 too but that’s too much full. I usually don’t fill the 2.5 all the way up though. 1.5-2 is generally enough for my rides.
"How dare GCN advert a sponsor in a way that helps inform. The nerve of them to take advertising money and make a video!" Also "I want free content." -The UA-cam comment section. 🙄
@@gcn I love your content. You didn't tell people they HAVE to buy camelback, but you showcased products that would help with the topic being discussed. You made great points and suggestions - my point is people want the free content and get upset when you advertise something. They can't have it both ways! Keep the great information coming!
I wake up and drink a glass of water with a little pink himalayan salt in it then drink another glass of just water. I also add a little bit of salt in my sugar water for fueling my rides. I try to plan my routes to stop at a water fountain after the hour mark to refill one of my bottles . And on really hot days ill put a smaller bottle of just water in my jersey pocket.
Yep. But I've used Polar and Purist bottles. Both keep out grime very well if you close them. CamelBak bottles can and do accumulate grunge that you have to flush out, wasting water.
Newsflash! GCN sold out soon after the channel started. Keep up! (I'm cynical. Ignore me) Also, all my bottles are camelbak, and I love the 2019 version, but I hate the latest ones. Way too fiddly and difficult to open while cycling. I have managed to find cheap replacement bottles from aliexpress with the 2019 version, just using the lids on the latest bottles.
Can you guys do a video on cycling for heavier riders? I've gotten myself quite heavy and want to get into cycling but I'm concerned I'm too heavy for a bike?
Two bottles, Gatorade mix + three tablespoons of sugar and a couple shakes of sea salt in each. 75g of carbs or so in each. Sufficient for a couple hours of hard riding. Beyond that I stop at a local convenience shop for more sports drink from a fountain or bottle.
That’s a LOT of sodium and sugar. While refined sugar is a carbohydrate, it is also a disaccharide. It contains twice the energy of fruit sugars. It therefore causes more of a spike and crash in blood sugar than natural sugars. Gotta water that stuff down or stick to water + electrolyte tabs… get a good balance between Na and K. [Edit]. There are many types of carbohydrate. There are natural sugars (monosaccharides… fructose and glucose), refined sugars (disaccharides… fructose + glucose) and starches (complex carbohydrates, which the body breaks down into sugars). These range in glycemic index. A fuel with high GI, like those containing refined sugar, causes a rapid spike in blood sugar. The pancreas compensates with a high dose of insulin, which allows all that energy to become bioavailable. But that energy is very limited in duration and leads to a dip in blood sugar. This is a sugar rush/sugar crash response. Think of a young child’s response to consuming a can of soft drink… running around like a banshee and then becoming very irritable. A fuel with a moderate GI causes a slower rise in blood sugar. The pancreas responds incrementally, leading to less of a peak but a longer “burn”. A fuel with a low GI causes a slow rise in blood sugar. Pancreatic responses are much lower and the energy burn can be quite long. Think of a person after consuming a moderately sized pasta meal. So not all carbs are the same. The way the body responds to different carbs determines the intensity and duration of energy available to fuel performance. Loading up on refined sugar will certainly provide a quick hit of energy, assuming a functioning pancreas and normal glucose sensitivity. For that rush to last, refined sugar intake must continue… but metabolizing this will require the pancreas to work harder and harder until the body starts falling behind. Thirst will increase to reduce blood sugar as the pancreas is overloaded. This is not a scenario that is ideal for human performance. A more sensible solution (pun intended) involves a combination of fuels. A banana is probably the most ideal fuel because it contains monosaccharides and starch. A good quality energy bar, which is naturally sweetened and contains a high starch fuel like oats, is also good. Drinks with lots of refined sugar aren’t great. Sure, they contain carbs… but not in a form suitable for anything but short bouts of activity. Worst of all, refined sugars lead to increased calorie consumption and weight gain. It’s the burn-crash scenario working here, with more food than is needed being used to prevent a crash. This is the link between diets high in processed foods (which are frequently high in refined sugars, because they are cheap) and obesity.
@@paulgrimshaw8334 of course it's a lot of sugar and sodium. That's the point. 60-90g of carbs per hour is recommended. I'm just not going to spend outrageous amounts of money on gels on multi-hour rides when my stomach tolerates sugar water well enough.
@@Thezuule1 Maybe I wasn’t clear in my points… Sugar is a monosaccharide. It’s a simple sugar. The body breaks it down very quickly. Blood sugar levels increase, which makes the pancreas secrete a lot of insulin into the blood stream. The result is a quick spike in energy, followed by a sag in energy. The sag is the overcompensatory effect of rapid insulin release. Disaccharides, as you might find in honey, fruits etc. take the body longer to break down. As a result, the energy rises more slowly and remains consistent for much longer. The pancreas has time to taper off insulin delivery, resulting in very little sag. Polysaccharides are more commonly known as starches. The body breaks these down even more slowly but they contain a lot of energy. This is long, slow burn fuel. A diabetic might detect a rise in blood sugar after a starchy meal but anyone with a functioning pancreas and receptors unhindered by large amounts of body fat will simply feel “full”. This is because the energy release of starches is slow and long. If you’re on a sprint, monosaccharides could certainly play a beneficial role. Sprints are short, high intensity events and the quick release of sugars and insulin into the blood stream would be beneficial. On a longer ride, say an hour or more, monosaccharides aren’t terribly useful. Why? Because their energy tapers off very, very quickly and leaves the rider in a “hole”. Disaccharides won’t do this. On extremely long rides, say three hours and up, polysaccharides are ideal. The trick is that they need to be taken early enough to have time to ramp up. So something like a banana one hour into a three hour ride is ideal. Bananas have some disaccharides and some starch, so they’re really good performance fuel… like sweet potatoes. White potatoes and rice, on the other hand, are pretty much pure starch. When the former is in “chip” form, however, the fats in which it is cooked inhibit digestion. So not nearly as good a choice as mashed or plain white rice.
@@Thezuule1 Focus on the difference between sugars… monosaccharides, disaccharides, and complex carbs. They act differently on the body. There are ones that cause fast peaks and dips in blood sugar. Others act more slowly due to the time it takes for the body to process them and insulin response. So it’s not just “x” grams of carbs, but the type and its effect on the body relative to exercise duration. Refined sugars are usually what’s in most cheap sports drinks… and they have their limitations. They cause quick peaks in blood sugar but the crash is a little harder because the pancreas over compensates with a strong dose of insulin. The measure of foods and their tendency to elicit such a response is called glycemic index. Some gels and energy bars have a lower glycemic index because their sugars are derived from natural products like honey, molasses, maple syrup, fruit paste and oats etc. Bananas and sweet potatoes contain carbs but also have a lower glycemic index. This is why these types of foods are considered good fuels… they raise blood sugar slowly so the pancreas can compensate accordingly. They’re still “carbs” but their glycemic index is much more body friendly.
I put 60g of a sports drink powder per liter of water (it's a dextrose and maltodextrose mix with some fruit flavoring) and to it I add a pack of an electrolyte-mix for diarrhea. Yeah I know it sounds weird, but they contain a good amount of salt AND other really important minerals like potassium and magnesium. I feel like, especially in hot weather, it allows me to keep a higher performance cause I don't dig into my glycogen storage as much
Being tall as you are is also great ´cause you can fit like 2L of water into your frame 😅 I always get mad when my friend riding a 49 size frame needs to stop every 1h30 to refill his bottles while I can carry twice as much water as he does 😅
I was literally about to comment on it’s not fair for those of us who are short 5ft 1 here - we are limited by our frame size s’and it’s not our fault!
How do muscle cramps factor in as an indicator? I can ride for an hour or more and never have the thirst impulse, but will sometimes start to feel a muscle cramp in either my calf or lower back. I'll take a gulp or two of water and in a few moments the cramp disappears. I actually have to set a 20 min reminder to DRINK alert on my Wahoo to try and stay on top of it.
Don’t forget potassium. It plays a greater role in preventing muscle cramping. Magnesium speeds its absorption. This is why sports drinks always contain some kind of Na-Mg-K mixture, with a bias towards sodium. Why is this? Because too much potassium can be quite detrimental to the functioning of the nervous system whereas too much sodium just drives up blood pressure (which isn’t good but it’s better than heart irregularities from too much potassium). The safer option is to keep sodium intake to a moderate level and use a magnesium supplement. The Mg will allow better potassium uptake from the foods you eat… and it’s virtually impossible to take in too much potassium from food.
If you are thirsty, you are 2% dehydrated. You need to start drinking something with hydration in it. Nuun, Perpetuem Fizz, even Low Carb Gatorade (powder or liquid).
Yesterday I drank 1250ml water and 500ml water with drink mix on a 40km ride in 35(95f) degree weather, still ran out. I should have pre-hydrated more!
great info but i was hoping andy would had an complete answer to connor's question " what would be a hydration plan for a 4 -6 hour ride " now i dont know how how many carb i may take every hour :S
The sweat rate calculated as described by weighing how much weight you lose while riding does not take into account the mass, you lose through exhalation of CO2 that is part of your normal metabolism.
I've had a Dakine cycling pack for about 6yrs and I use it both for long rides and light day hikes. Bottles can't beat 3L of cold water against your back plus room for snacks and sunscreen
@redsaints got the powder sachets. Rip one open and pour in the water bottle. Not really fizzy at all after a minute. Only 15 calories so purely for hydration.
If the ride is shorter than 2,5 hours burning less than 2000 kcalories I am fine going on water only, but if its more I need juice or something to eat. I like to stop at a forestcafe that has good waffels and sandwiches.
I’ve been pretty clear my whole life… “don’t drink sea water it’ll make you more thirsty”. Are you now telling me I should’ve been drinking sea water all along? For reference, sea water is about 10,000mg sodium/litre. Seems like a low cost solution.
You're always so funny Connor, everytime there is a profile shot of you, you look like you are or a women's or children's bike, they all look too small for you.
Am I the only one who was going slightly mad with the really low level music during the interview? Kept pausing thinking it was upstairs! Interesting despite that.
Your body can only absorb a limited amount of water over a short time period. Any excess just gets flushed away. I try to have a small drink (of water) every 10-15 minutes whether I'm thirsty or not. Anything under an hour, I don't bother.
The Podium Chill bottles are a waste of money.....they make hardly any difference . Just half fill any bottle and put in the freezer on its side overnight. Just before your ride, fill the rest. The ice will keep your drink colder longer.
The funny thing about this video is that one of the core tenets of cycling is NO HUMPS. Rule #32 // Humps are for camels: no hydration packs.Hydration packs are never to be seen on a road rider’s body. No argument will be entered into on this. For MTB, they are cool
Share with us your hydration tips 💧
Having a full CamelBak is something I always have with me when we are above freezing. Below freezing my CamelBak hose freezes. Running out of water in the desert (dry is the problem, not hot Conor) has killed two mountain bikers recently. I tend to carry a water bottle as well to wash my dried sweat out of my eyes. Having only the CamelBak seemed to be great until I suddenly had stinging eyes. Washing my eyes with a CamelBak is extremely ineffective, and I can't cycle blind effectively. In winter I usually have a thermos of hot green tea with honey from a local honey farm.
After the ride, or even during the ride, a nice shower helps hydration through your skin. If you see sprinklers that hit the road, or a creek or river when mountain biking, soak your skin if possible. Riding through the sprinklers on a scorching hot and dry day is an almost obscene pleasure after a long dry, hot ride. Of course, a shower or bath is an important thing to do minutes after the ride to rehydrate and cool down.
GCN, a short video on the cycling history of CamelBak might be good. CamelBak was awesome in the 1990s mountain biking but CamelBak was contracted by the US military to make hydration bladders that could be worn in rough conditions by 100+ kg Soldiers who often ended up flopping down on the CamelBak as a pillow. The history of CamelBak was an excellent story to read.
@@IdahoFatTireBikeFunInsulated Camelbaks are available. These feature insulated hoses. I’ve used these reliably down to -25C. Colder than that, it’s best to wear one inside a shell to keep it from freezing throughout the day.
@@IdahoFatTireBikeFun you cannot get hydrated through your skin by showering.
In summer, I put my bottles horizontally (half filled) in the freezer. When I'm going out for my ride, I fill the rest with water and then it melts slowely during the ride while also keeping the water nice and cold.
Drat, I've just said that 😅
@@steve_and_lolas_hikes And I was faster, haha 😉 I guess, great minds think alike. It is great way to keep the water nice and cool 💧
I used to do the exact same thing until I noticed on warmer days that my bottles produced a lot of condensation on the outside that would then drip down on the bike chain. Depending on the amount of condensation that is produced and ultimately drips down on the chain and chainring, it might not be the best thing in the long run.
Andy has great composure and is very articulate on this hydration topic. What an excellent interview.
We love getting Andy's advice 🙌
Disappointing that he didn't talk about sodium vs potassium levels, or what kind of sugars are best for drinking
Take an ultraendurance racing tip - cemeteries often have water taps, bring water purification tablets. You can always stop at any house and ask politely. In summer I generally ride with 2x 1 litre bottles, you can also take saddle mounted bottle racks for an additional two bottles without carrying on your back.
Great tips! Take spare bottles ... you never know when they are going to be handy 👀
Well done Ginormous Leprechaun!!! These are the type of vids peeps need! So glad you all are out of that Discovery mess.
Thanks for your support ❤️
Ad ends at 4:48 ;)
You sure about that, it just charges company to Precision instead of Camelback
@@GrantCulham Yeah, you're right. But is more in line with the title haha
When I was a teenager I spent way too long in a sauna at the local pool not realizing I was becoming severely dehydrated. Walking home with my friends afterward, I felt severely fatigued to the point where even with all the effort I could muster, I couldn't maintain walking pace with them and actually had to sit down in the grass a few times just to recover what little strength I could to walk home (it was a moderately short walk). Unusual fatigue is a definite sign that you're severely dehydrated, so be on the lookout for it. Anyhow, AI tells me this is a good carb/electrolyte mix:
30g of maltodextrin (around 2.5 tablespoons)
60g of table sugar (around 4.75 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon of sodium citrate (your electrolytes, sir)
Optional flavouring.
Water.
That's about 90g of carbs and 360 calories per bottle (750ml suggested to prevent stomach aches). For a 120g carb version, increase the maltodextrin to 34 grams (2.75 tablespoons) and sugar to 88g (7 tablespoons). These are more or less the same ingredients in cycling gels, but can be had cheaper by sourcing the individual ingredients from places like Amazon. If you do decide to make your own carb drink, just make sure the total carb count doesn't exceed around fifteen percent of the total solution. So, the above mix should be good anywhere between 750ml and 1L without most needing to worry about gastrointestinal side effects.
This time of year, I take two 750 ml bottles with a light electrolyte mix. Even at 6 am, its already 90+ F/32+C, so I'm only out for two to two and a half hours at most. I do lo get rides in the late.fall and winter, when temps.get down to something reasonable!
My friend from Tucson starts his rides at 5AM...
How to drink on the road and pee back at home - that's the question! Is that possible when a ride is about three hour long and the temperature is less extreme (but still exceeds 27 °C/80.6 °F)?
My bad habit is the fact that I have a really hard time drinking when running or cycling. When competing I really don't want to stop for a drink either. Sometimes I have gone complete marathons without a sip and that's not a good habit. Gotta learn to hydrate on the move.
It's a must really! Have you considered a hydration pack instead?
@@gcn yeah. My friends have used ones made by CamelBak and they are pretty convenient. It's just adding up to the budget after purchasing a bike and accessories that I think has kept me back. But now I've noticed that it's a good investment
@@gcn Yes. I've seen friends use CamelBaks with great success. I haven't yet gotten one because I didn't want to add to the budget after purchasing a bike and all accessories + wetsuits for triathlons etc. But right now after seeing this video and actually looking back at my lessons learned from improper hydration experience I see it as a valuable investment.
A good cure for that is kidney stones. Got my first one at the end of a tour in the Middle East. The second one (13mm) required surgical intervention… but that was preceded by immense pain, pissing blood, and copious morphine (which did far less for the pain than one might expect).
This has a way of scaring anyone straight. Burnt hand teaches best, as the saying goes. LOL
I prefer a pack when running. Prefer the vest styles as they hug the body better. I use a black diamond. Fits my upper body well with minimal movement
I ran out of water ⅔ of the way through the bike in a Powerman duathlon and dehydrated. After I finished I felt instantly boiling hot in the sun and freezing cold in the shade. I was lying on the edge of a shadow and rolling back and forth between the two. I didn't need a saline drip, 45 mins in an ambulance sipping water little and often and I was okay again.
Great info! I am a big sweater and have awys needed more hydration than my fellow riders. This video had great info on pre hydration which I found really useful. Excellent information, thank you so much
I'm usually all right with my 710ml Camelbak Podium (the blue one, coincidentally, featured heavily in this video) when my rides are around 40-50km. But my recent ride from Belgrade to Smederevo and back (135km in total) had me drinking 3.5 litres in total, with refills along the way. The temperature was in high twenties for that one, but is currently hitting high thirties, and I've got a free day tomorrow, and a tempting 100km route in mind...
I usually make sure to hydrate before a ride and make a stop at 20km mark, or after a challenging climb.
I use polar insulated bottles. Better cap system for cycling that you can open with your mouth instead of using your hands to switch a camelbak from closed to open. Then on the extra hot days I freeze a bottle of water the day before and stuff it down my jersey pocket to keep my back cool that I can drink later. Always plan a route that has a good place to fill up. Our local group ride on Saturdays stop at the lake bait shop. Stay away from the preloads that have alot of sugar and carbs. Use more solid foods as fuel.
Camelbak you just leave open at the start of your ride. Never had them leak while on my bike.
@Team5TL I agree! I do the same and no issues!
A good source of science-based information regarding hydration is the Gatoraide Sports Science Institute and the Gatoraide Sports Science Exchange. Yes, Gatoraide is in business and wants to sell products, but they conduct a lot of good actual research, and through the Exchange publish a lot of independent scientific study papers regarding hydration and other aspects of athletic performance. I have no affiliation with them at all. I am a retired firefighter, did a lot of wildland firefighting in California, and many years ago learned quite a bit about hydration and its effect on sustained physical performance through those sources. For years I carried quarts of Gatoraide in the cab of my engine, and would drink down a full quart when responding to calls. It made a difference. For prolonged events (wildfires) we alternated carb sports drinks, electrolyte only drinks, and plain water in about equal ratios.
great tips, for anyone on the fence about spending 20$+ on a water bottle, lemme tell you the vacuum insulated makes ALL the difference here in 80*F+ 80%+ middle of nowhere florida. ive got a UA-cam short on my drink mix and entire supplement stack. would like to see what Simon, ollie & Alex are taking daily.
excellent video... thanks... from my experience at the hot summers at Greece, hydration is the most significant, for a 100 m ride with a typical temperature of 36c or more, I drink more than 6 liters of cold water and all the refreshments and iced coffees, that I have to drink in my stops...
Good thing here in Finland one can fill up from any tap of water you'll find. Bars, toilets, lakes you name it.
Nobody better than Connor to do a hydration video and talk about Camelbak hydration packs… 😏
Great tips, my go to is Haybailers punch
1 gallon water
Half cup of maple syrup, or honey anything to sweeten it.
1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar( don’t worry you won’t taste the vinegar)
1 tablespoon of grated ginger.
I then keep it in the fridge and fill up my water bottle(s) for rides. If farmers drink this out in the field on sweltering hot days then it’s good enough for me. Btw what brand are those cool shades mate.
You must be a legend. I saw your comment hours ago when watching this, and just now UA-cam recommends a video on farmer’s switchel “the Gatorade of the 9th century.” You’re making the algorithm haha! I had to come back and tell you.
What a great video. I have recently started looking into how to hydrate correctly. This video was perfect. Thanks Conor.
Glad we could help! 🙌 Any big rides planned?
@@gcn I am training to do 150 miles in September.
I think I mis-interpreted the title - saw it and went and poured a wine!
After the ride yeah 😉
A hydration pack is a must for any longer rides in the heat. Helpful features include a chest strap, insulated hose, bite valve, integrated storage space for wallet, phone, and keys.
FWIW, I’ve used Camelbaks in the desert, in the winter wilderness, and on the trail. They’re durable and well designed. Spare parts and replacement bladders are widely available.
Same for Osprey and Nathan packs. REI sells both in the U.S.
I live in the Philippines, so the weather here is really hot. With temps playing around 32c to 40c and can sometimes feel like 45c due to asphalt and lack of trees and global warming. The metal ones from camelbak are a life saver, really handy when it gets really hot.
I've heard and it make sense, as you dehydrate, your blood has less water in it and gets thicker and is harder to pump, like maple syrup.
Sorry we meant to reply earlier but we ended up eating pancakes 👀
@@gcn Lol got to give you a 10 on that one
Connor goes for the Connor size bottle, that makes perfect sense 😂
My go to is the medium size or camebak 2.5L. I have a 3.0 too but that’s too much full. I usually don’t fill the 2.5 all the way up though. 1.5-2 is generally enough for my rides.
Of course! Big bottle for a bit boy 🙌
"How dare GCN advert a sponsor in a way that helps inform. The nerve of them to take advertising money and make a video!"
Also
"I want free content."
-The UA-cam comment section.
🙄
We hope we tread a good line 🙌
@@gcn I love your content. You didn't tell people they HAVE to buy camelback, but you showcased products that would help with the topic being discussed. You made great points and suggestions - my point is people want the free content and get upset when you advertise something. They can't have it both ways!
Keep the great information coming!
Phenomenal. So helpful. Like you, I am a big sweater, and keeping drinks cold is not easy.
I wake up and drink a glass of water with a little pink himalayan salt in it then drink another glass of just water. I also add a little bit of salt in my sugar water for fueling my rides. I try to plan my routes to stop at a water fountain after the hour mark to refill one of my bottles . And on really hot days ill put a smaller bottle of just water in my jersey pocket.
Hi GCN very useful, thanks. This I can never do well. Especially at 38 c which it has been today. 🙂
We hope this helps! 🙌
Camelbak advert then
Yep. But I've used Polar and Purist bottles. Both keep out grime very well if you close them. CamelBak bottles can and do accumulate grunge that you have to flush out, wasting water.
Newsflash! GCN sold out soon after the channel started. Keep up! (I'm cynical. Ignore me) Also, all my bottles are camelbak, and I love the 2019 version, but I hate the latest ones. Way too fiddly and difficult to open while cycling. I have managed to find cheap replacement bottles from aliexpress with the 2019 version, just using the lids on the latest bottles.
@@ljadf The problem I had with them is growth of yuck. No matter what I did, it was there. But I've recently changed mixes and it may be gone.
Fuck sake. What a joke. Turned off after 3 min.
I don't know I stopped after the sickness warning of not using a Camelback.. Camelback 😁
Some excellent information
Can you guys do a video on cycling for heavier riders? I've gotten myself quite heavy and want to get into cycling but I'm concerned I'm too heavy for a bike?
Two bottles, Gatorade mix + three tablespoons of sugar and a couple shakes of sea salt in each. 75g of carbs or so in each. Sufficient for a couple hours of hard riding. Beyond that I stop at a local convenience shop for more sports drink from a fountain or bottle.
Good to know you are making space to stay hydrated 🙌
That’s a LOT of sodium and sugar. While refined sugar is a carbohydrate, it is also a disaccharide. It contains twice the energy of fruit sugars. It therefore causes more of a spike and crash in blood sugar than natural sugars. Gotta water that stuff down or stick to water + electrolyte tabs… get a good balance between Na and K.
[Edit]. There are many types of carbohydrate. There are natural sugars (monosaccharides… fructose and glucose), refined sugars (disaccharides… fructose + glucose) and starches (complex carbohydrates, which the body breaks down into sugars). These range in glycemic index.
A fuel with high GI, like those containing refined sugar, causes a rapid spike in blood sugar. The pancreas compensates with a high dose of insulin, which allows all that energy to become bioavailable. But that energy is very limited in duration and leads to a dip in blood sugar. This is a sugar rush/sugar crash response. Think of a young child’s response to consuming a can of soft drink… running around like a banshee and then becoming very irritable.
A fuel with a moderate GI causes a slower rise in blood sugar. The pancreas responds incrementally, leading to less of a peak but a longer “burn”.
A fuel with a low GI causes a slow rise in blood sugar. Pancreatic responses are much lower and the energy burn can be quite long. Think of a person after consuming a moderately sized pasta meal.
So not all carbs are the same. The way the body responds to different carbs determines the intensity and duration of energy available to fuel performance.
Loading up on refined sugar will certainly provide a quick hit of energy, assuming a functioning pancreas and normal glucose sensitivity. For that rush to last, refined sugar intake must continue… but metabolizing this will require the pancreas to work harder and harder until the body starts falling behind. Thirst will increase to reduce blood sugar as the pancreas is overloaded. This is not a scenario that is ideal for human performance.
A more sensible solution (pun intended) involves a combination of fuels. A banana is probably the most ideal fuel because it contains monosaccharides and starch. A good quality energy bar, which is naturally sweetened and contains a high starch fuel like oats, is also good. Drinks with lots of refined sugar aren’t great. Sure, they contain carbs… but not in a form suitable for anything but short bouts of activity.
Worst of all, refined sugars lead to increased calorie consumption and weight gain. It’s the burn-crash scenario working here, with more food than is needed being used to prevent a crash. This is the link between diets high in processed foods (which are frequently high in refined sugars, because they are cheap) and obesity.
@@paulgrimshaw8334 of course it's a lot of sugar and sodium. That's the point. 60-90g of carbs per hour is recommended. I'm just not going to spend outrageous amounts of money on gels on multi-hour rides when my stomach tolerates sugar water well enough.
@@Thezuule1 Maybe I wasn’t clear in my points…
Sugar is a monosaccharide. It’s a simple sugar. The body breaks it down very quickly. Blood sugar levels increase, which makes the pancreas secrete a lot of insulin into the blood stream. The result is a quick spike in energy, followed by a sag in energy. The sag is the overcompensatory effect of rapid insulin release.
Disaccharides, as you might find in honey, fruits etc. take the body longer to break down. As a result, the energy rises more slowly and remains consistent for much longer. The pancreas has time to taper off insulin delivery, resulting in very little sag.
Polysaccharides are more commonly known as starches. The body breaks these down even more slowly but they contain a lot of energy. This is long, slow burn fuel. A diabetic might detect a rise in blood sugar after a starchy meal but anyone with a functioning pancreas and receptors unhindered by large amounts of body fat will simply feel “full”. This is because the energy release of starches is slow and long.
If you’re on a sprint, monosaccharides could certainly play a beneficial role. Sprints are short, high intensity events and the quick release of sugars and insulin into the blood stream would be beneficial.
On a longer ride, say an hour or more, monosaccharides aren’t terribly useful. Why? Because their energy tapers off very, very quickly and leaves the rider in a “hole”. Disaccharides won’t do this.
On extremely long rides, say three hours and up, polysaccharides are ideal. The trick is that they need to be taken early enough to have time to ramp up. So something like a banana one hour into a three hour ride is ideal. Bananas have some disaccharides and some starch, so they’re really good performance fuel… like sweet potatoes.
White potatoes and rice, on the other hand, are pretty much pure starch. When the former is in “chip” form, however, the fats in which it is cooked inhibit digestion. So not nearly as good a choice as mashed or plain white rice.
@@Thezuule1 Focus on the difference between sugars… monosaccharides, disaccharides, and complex carbs. They act differently on the body. There are ones that cause fast peaks and dips in blood sugar. Others act more slowly due to the time it takes for the body to process them and insulin response.
So it’s not just “x” grams of carbs, but the type and its effect on the body relative to exercise duration. Refined sugars are usually what’s in most cheap sports drinks… and they have their limitations. They cause quick peaks in blood sugar but the crash is a little harder because the pancreas over compensates with a strong dose of insulin. The measure of foods and their tendency to elicit such a response is called glycemic index.
Some gels and energy bars have a lower glycemic index because their sugars are derived from natural products like honey, molasses, maple syrup, fruit paste and oats etc. Bananas and sweet potatoes contain carbs but also have a lower glycemic index. This is why these types of foods are considered good fuels… they raise blood sugar slowly so the pancreas can compensate accordingly. They’re still “carbs” but their glycemic index is much more body friendly.
Great video! Very helpful. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching
also it's work looking up hyponatremia (drinking too much water can be seriously dangerous)
I put 60g of a sports drink powder per liter of water (it's a dextrose and maltodextrose mix with some fruit flavoring) and to it I add a pack of an electrolyte-mix for diarrhea. Yeah I know it sounds weird, but they contain a good amount of salt AND other really important minerals like potassium and magnesium. I feel like, especially in hot weather, it allows me to keep a higher performance cause I don't dig into my glycogen storage as much
@@AlkalineLuke Good to read that ppl are thinking about magnesium and potassium, two often overlooked elements.
Very cool to see this video!! I just buy 2 bottles that contain 1050ml each!!
Do you have a frame that will fir those bottles! 🤯
@@gcn Yes !! My frame is a 52. I'am only 1m68 for 69kg. My bike is a 2004 Willier Escape Triestina.
Can we get insulated GCN French Ride Edition water bottles?
Good content. More please. (Practical review of issues all cyclists face.)
Being tall as you are is also great ´cause you can fit like 2L of water into your frame 😅 I always get mad when my friend riding a 49 size frame needs to stop every 1h30 to refill his bottles while I can carry twice as much water as he does 😅
I was literally about to comment on it’s not fair for those of us who are short 5ft 1 here - we are limited by our frame size s’and it’s not our fault!
How do muscle cramps factor in as an indicator? I can ride for an hour or more and never have the thirst impulse, but will sometimes start to feel a muscle cramp in either my calf or lower back. I'll take a gulp or two of water and in a few moments the cramp disappears. I actually have to set a 20 min reminder to DRINK alert on my Wahoo to try and stay on top of it.
Muscle cramps are a sure sign something is wrong. maybe try electrolytes to help 🙌
If you're getting cramps after only an hour of riding you might consider some salty snacks before heading out.
Don’t forget potassium. It plays a greater role in preventing muscle cramping. Magnesium speeds its absorption. This is why sports drinks always contain some kind of Na-Mg-K mixture, with a bias towards sodium. Why is this? Because too much potassium can be quite detrimental to the functioning of the nervous system whereas too much sodium just drives up blood pressure (which isn’t good but it’s better than heart irregularities from too much potassium).
The safer option is to keep sodium intake to a moderate level and use a magnesium supplement. The Mg will allow better potassium uptake from the foods you eat… and it’s virtually impossible to take in too much potassium from food.
A most Entertaining "Infomercial"...
If you are thirsty, you are 2% dehydrated. You need to start drinking something with hydration in it. Nuun, Perpetuem Fizz, even Low Carb Gatorade (powder or liquid).
Some metal bottles have lead, so check. And plastic releases plastics into water . Glass would be a disaster.. what we do 😢
Yesterday I drank 1250ml water and 500ml water with drink mix on a 40km ride in 35(95f) degree weather, still ran out. I should have pre-hydrated more!
Yeah, this is where bottles fail. They just don’t have enough capacity for riding in hot weather.
great info but i was hoping andy would had an complete answer to connor's question " what would be a hydration plan for a 4 -6 hour ride " now i dont know how how many carb i may take every hour :S
It depends how long you wanna go, if its 20 mins then ... Beer ?
Poor Conor… he’ll never live running out of water down
NEVER
The sweat rate calculated as described by weighing how much weight you lose while riding does not take into account the mass, you lose through exhalation of CO2 that is part of your normal metabolism.
Watching this as I'm dealing with a heatstroke after a 100km ride. Never mess with the sun
Osprey 3 liter bladder in a Osprey Talon 18 backpack for just water. Electrolytes in bottles.
Apart from organised events it was always most of the time just water plus food. That includes 5-7 hour rides. Always just water.
I've had a Dakine cycling pack for about 6yrs and I use it both for long rides and light day hikes. Bottles can't beat 3L of cold water against your back plus room for snacks and sunscreen
Depends how up you feel
Kombucha - using it in the hot korean summer. Works well.
Very interesting! 👀
Nice when cold but won’t stay that way here for long, plus fizzy and exercise does not work for me.
@redsaints got the powder sachets. Rip one open and pour in the water bottle. Not really fizzy at all after a minute. Only 15 calories so purely for hydration.
@@johnred6888 will have to look those up thanks, I make my own Kombucha at home.
If the ride is shorter than 2,5 hours burning less than 2000 kcalories I am fine going on water only, but if its more I need juice or something to eat. I like to stop at a forestcafe that has good waffels and sandwiches.
On the way out stop at a tea room, on the way back stop at a pub.
Can we come next time 🤣
Sounds about right
What's with the cap on back to front, indoors??
Just hate how warm the water in my pack need to find a decent insulator to put between me and the bladder that does not take up too much space.
Put your full bladder in the freezer the night before. Then, during your ride, it will slowly melt, giving you a cool drink.
Carrying anything on your back will raise your core temperature and make your back sweat more as well.
I’ve been pretty clear my whole life… “don’t drink sea water it’ll make you more thirsty”.
Are you now telling me I should’ve been drinking sea water all along?
For reference, sea water is about 10,000mg sodium/litre. Seems like a low cost solution.
Yeah its an ad, but its done in good taste and we already lost GCN once. if they need to do this once in awhile to keep the lights on i support it
You're always so funny Connor, everytime there is a profile shot of you, you look like you are or a women's or children's bike, they all look too small for you.
Who said a shower helps hydration. Skin is waterproof so only help is either sweating less or riding with mouth open to catch raindrops
Nothing! Still trying to get all the Cytomax off my bars and top tube.
Very good,
I get me some powerade for some of them electrolytes
Am I the only one who was going slightly mad with the really low level music during the interview? Kept pausing thinking it was upstairs! Interesting despite that.
Interesting
Your body can only absorb a limited amount of water over a short time period. Any excess just gets flushed away. I try to have a small drink (of water) every 10-15 minutes whether I'm thirsty or not. Anything under an hour, I don't bother.
Sip of water and a hand full of haribo on the hour .. God tier
The Podium Chill bottles are a waste of money.....they make hardly any difference . Just half fill any bottle and put in the freezer on its side overnight. Just before your ride, fill the rest. The ice will keep your drink colder longer.
Front part is a bit too much of an advertisement for Camelback.
weigh self+bottles before and after...
Skip first 5mins camelbak advert.
An unexpected perk of riding while using breath right nose strip is you can drink and eat much easier while riding, for me anyway.
Ah I can't wait to watch another AD from ADN, ähm.. I mean GCN..
12:12 - but you lose moisture through breathing too
The funny thing about this video is that one of the core tenets of cycling is NO HUMPS.
Rule #32 // Humps are for camels: no hydration packs.Hydration packs are never to be seen on a road rider’s body. No argument will be entered into on this. For MTB, they are cool
•laughs in fuck them rules•
Please edit... Change "to be seen on a road rider’s body" to "to be seen on a prima donna road rider’s body". No argument will be considered.
My bottles get dirty, but they've never made me unhealthy or sick. Ha!
If it wasn’t for my Garmin smart drink alerts I’d be dead
I love you Connor! Please like so he will see this❤
We liked it 👍
Legendary! Thanks for the support!! 🤩
"keep your drink cool for most of the day" me here chilling at 33*C minimum
Sweat is blood plasma? That's news to me. If any physician can confirm that I'd be interested to learn the biology of this instead of the sales pitch.
Sad.. Its just an advert
You should drink water mixed with gatorade!
I used to use the powder that way I could control the strength. At its perfect mix it always tasted slightly salty.
Is Andy related to Eric idol.......
Im glad that Conor skipped any hills in this video. That bike is way too small and he would have blown his knees out of the water.
I'm sorry but 18 minute video for this question?
Straight vodka
Learn from my mistake and don't buy a dark bottle unless you enjoy drinking warm water heated up by the sun
Basically an ad for CamelBak dressed in a hydration video.
The thumbnail said it's an ad.
@@michaelconlee3925 It's just the fact they title it as What(*) should you drink when cycling? And then they talk about what color bidon they use...
Drink till you vomit like Cav! Legend! 🫡
amphetamine works pretty well. lsd is nice too.
if you ignore laws and doping regulations you can have a hell of a ride.
Hilarious. Not.
Hello gcn..
Hi 👋
@@gcn How cute.
Direct violation of Rule #32
Woah, I'm early
Early bird catches the best content! 🔥
I say don't bike so much 😅
Drink a big glass of water just before you go out the door.
And take a big bottle with you 😉
Thought this vid was gonna be WHAT to drink when cycling, not WHAT BOTTLE to use... damn sponsors, downvoted, trash