Science of Sport: Drink it Up

By Josh Powers, CTS Senior Coach

We all know how important hydration is to the success of any physical endeavor and how critical it is in peaking performance in an endurance event. Off the bike hydration is as easy as carrying around a bottle of water and enduring the ridicule of your friends for being the only adult they know that never goes anywhere without a bottle. On the bike hydration is another matter. It's an activity that tends to take far more conscious thought and planning.

Water accounts for roughly 60% of the total body mass in most male cyclists and about 55% for the average woman. That's close to 100 lbs of water for a 160 lb male or roughly 11.5 gallons of water. Water can be lost through several avenues. After combining the water losses through perspiration, urination and breathing you can loose close to 3 liters of water every day. If you're exercising in hot and or humid environments you have the capability of loosing triple that value.

Without proper hydration you run the risk of dangerous heat illnesses as well as a noticeable decrease in physical and mental performance. Even a relatively small decrease of 2-3% in the body's total fluid can decrease a cyclist's performance by 3-7%. Think of the lengths people will go to in order to gain an advantage of 3-7% over their competition. So why give anybody that advantage by neglecting to rehydrate?

The key to maintaining hydration on the bike is to replace the fluids you loose. This sounds simple enough but it can get pretty tricky when you're reaching for a bottle while negotiating singletrack or when you're surrounded by a pack of riders. There are two methods used by cyclists to carry fluids on the bike. The traditional water bottle is a good choice but it definitely has its drawbacks. An alternative to the standard bottle and cage is the pack hydration system. The benefits to using such a system are numerous and the technical advancements in modern pack design make the hydration pack comfortable and far more useful than ever.

The pack hydration system becomes a great solution to the more cumbersome yet traditional bottle and cage. Most pack hydration systems connect the tube and bite valve within convenient reach on one of the shoulder straps making it safer and easier to reach for when compared to a water bottle. Since the rule of thumb with hydration is to drink early and often, with easy access you are more likely to drink often enough to maintain proper hydration levels.

In addition to simplicity and ease, the pack hydration system has many more benefits. When properly cared for, the pack hydration system can be cleaner than drinking from a bottle that's covered in mud and creek water. For those pavement lovers, you won't have to worry about dropping the bottle in a pack situation and causing a crash. Pack hydration systems also offer more insulation than a traditional water bottle, keeping your fluids cooler on hot days and warmer during the long cold base rides of the winter months. Many pack hydration systems have a larger capacity than two large water bottles. This is beneficial because it requires fewer stops for water and alleviates the worry associated running out at a key rehydration point. This makes pack hydration systems ideal for those fond of long epic rides.

There are many manufacturers of pack hydration systems on the market, Camelbak being one of the largest and most innovative in design and function. When looking into pack hydration systems you need to keep in mind your intended activity and duration. Camelbak products vary in size and function with packs designed for running, cycling, hiking and pretty much any other outside activity you could imagine. Camelbacks water capacity ranges from 28 to 100 oz depending on the size of pack you want to carry. The storage capacity also varies from pack to pack with cargo capacities small enough for the minimalist and vast enough for the person who never wants to be without. There is a pack geared towards any activity and every athlete. The sooner you find the right fit for you, the sooner you'll be on the road to proper hydration.

© 2004, Carmichael Training Systems, Inc.