What to drink during an adventure bike trip
 

In previous posts on my blog, I discussed the importance of being well hydrated to prevent mental fatigue, and how to assess hydration level. The next question is what to drink during an adventure bike trip. Is plain water enough? Or should we add some electrolytes?

To answer this question, I have got in touch with Dr Ricardo Costa, an expert in sport nutrition at Coventry University. Furthermore, Ricardo has competed in the grueling Marathon des Sables. In this multi-stage ultra-marathon, athletes run 251 km (156 mi) at very high temperatures for six days. So I am sure Ricardo knows well the science of what to drink when sweating profusely for several days in a row.

This situation is similar to riding a motorbike for several days in hot weather. Although physical exertion is much less compared to a marathon, wearing an helmet and full riding gear greatly impairs sweat evaporation and its cooling effect. As a result, even more sweat is produced. So loss of body water through sweating is likely to be very significant during an adventure bike trip in hot weather.

Fortunately, with the exception of sodium, the concentration of electrolytes (e.g., potassium and magnesium) in our sweat is extremely low. This means that even during a multi-stage ultra-marathon in the heat (40C) serum electrolyte concentrations is maintained within normal range (Costa R, personal communication).

Based on this and other research, Ricardo's practical recommendation is simply to add a pinch of salt for every 500ml of water when we ride in hot weather and drink a lot to ensure a good hydration level. The extra salt does not have to be added to drinks. It can be added to food as well. This simple sodium supplementation will greatly reduce the risk of hyponatremia (meaning "low sodium"), a very rare but potentially fatal electrolyte deficiency that can occur when people sweat a lot and drink an excessive amount of water.

The above recommendation is valid for adventure bike riders consuming an adequate diet. However, data about weight loss suggest that many riders significantly reduce their food intake during an adventure bike trip. In these conditions, taking a daily multi-vitamin/mineral supplement that meets 100% RNI (e.g., Centrum or similar products) will act as a safe guard against other potential electrolyte deficiencies.

In future posts, I will discuss whether it is a good idea to add glucose or other soluble carbs to our drinks. In the meantime, please let me know about your experience with sport drinks if you have used them during an adventure bike trip.

Cheers

Sam

Load of cobblers. :D

What's wrong with five pints of beer and a kofta after a long days ride? Although fair play, you did say the salt could go on the food.

Electrolyte drinks are a complete rip off - useful for babes with diarrhoea and extreme athletes only.

Ride on. beerbeerbeer

Just to clarify that I don't advise to use sport drinks. I am just curious to know if and how they are used by adventure bike riders.

My suggestion is to check your hydration status, drink water as needed, and add some table salt if it's hot and you have to drink lot of water to keep you hydrated. Table salt can be found all over the world and does not cost much. So no rip off and very convenient

Drink beer at night, but make sure you drink a glass of water before bed so to avoid dehydration effect caused by the diuretic.

In hot areas I drink 3lt water minimum a day(cold wet days this drops to around 500ml) and if I have not stopped every hour or so for a leak, then I am not drinking enough

Take some nice tasting rehydration powder mix with you, what you can buy on the road tastes like salt for the most part and when you get the trots, and you will, then it will become useful

Cheers from Mongolia
TravellingStrom

Water, like what fish poo in (regardless of salt), Yuk, no thanks :rofl:

I'll have a cup of tea with milk until it's gone then lemon every couple of hours. The last slice of lemon is for my G&T when the days ride is done then it's whatever beer or wine goes with the local grub. Nice cup of tea or hot chocolate sets you up for a decent nights sleep.

I wonder how Hillary and Livingstone managed? No funny tasting lucazade for them.

Andy

Hi,

If your are on a real adventure there is no way you can get sport drinks. You will be happy if you find plain water and you will be thinking of adding chlor tablets to it if you drink from a river.

http://www.adventure-travel-experien...kueste_029.jpg

Lone way up...eine etwas andere Afrikareise - Teil 3

Ayway to carry some salt (together with a fork if you dont want to use your fingers) might be a good idea. In many places even salt is not available and Nsima tasts much better with a little bit of salt...

Travel save, Tobi

I agree with Tobi, if you are actually travelling in far flung places you drink whatever you can get, usually water sometimes flavoured with tea or coffee, the occasional coke and a beer or G and T in the evening if you can get it.

But do you think travelling through say Africa, one should take rehydration salts with them on the trip?

Here is a thread of what can really go wrong in the heat if not managed properly.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...haustion-64722

I think heat exhaustion is more the serious issue for adv riders than dehydration.

Sam, would be great to see a post from you on heatstroke/heat exhaustion etc. :)

Thanks for the link to the thread, very sad but also interesting. With regards to rehydration salts, there s no need to buy special products. Table salt is enough and u can find it almost everywhere.

Dehydration contributes to heat illness, so to reduce the risk is necessary to drink a lot when riding in hot weather. I will post more info on heat illness soon

Just as an added bit of information someone might find useful.

rather than chance "fresh" water, boil it for 10 minutes in a pressure cooker at the highest pressure ( usually 15lbs but sometimes a little less) This will kill bacteria if present. ( It is always present). I don't offer it as a silly thing, being sick on the road is not fun.

I believe a small pressure cooker is worth taking as it will more than halve cooking fuel usage and time. Also sterilises food better than open air cooking.

Boil or filter - depends if you have taste buds !
 

Bringing water to boil will kill everything that can hurt a human. Boiling it for longer will kill more pathogens but it's an unnecessary waste of fuel. For much less than the size, weight and poor taste of boiled water you could enjoy filtered water.

Katydyn/PUR make Red Cross certified units but even for $60 US you can have a very capable, easy to use, carbon element water filter. The one precaution with a water filter is often a prefilter to prevent premature clogging of the main filter. Many use a paper coffee filter.

Drink water. The right test was provided above regarding how much. If you're not stopping hourly . . . or your fluid isn't relatively clear . . . drink more. It might be a PIA but even mild dehydration can impede muscle control (muscle mass is about 70% water), prompt diarrhea, and impair judgement.

There's precious little evidence supporting energy drinks unless you're a shareholder. Beer and coffee are diuretics but it's better to ingest some liquid for other reasons if things are spare.

The "old" wisdom is "drink before you're thirsty, eat before you're hungry". Both sensations are lagging indicators of the body's requirements.

Beer - its cheap and safe.

The "London" in your header is a real givaway there. Compared to Watneys Red Barrel at four quid a pint, beer in the rest of the world is indeed cheap and probably safer ! :rofl:

Andy

just drink a lot of water and eat als healthy as you can.

About the water:
We started the trip with boiling water on the MSR (no need for high pressure cookers, a few minutes boiling is okay)). We also do this to get rid of chlorine.
It has an awful taste, and is not the most healthy chemical around.

After a few months, we've bought a water filter (MSR miniworks, ceramic) and we love it. We filter mostly tap water with it (or from water holes etc.) and it takes most of the tastes away and sterilizes it.

We don't like to use chemicals, unless in case of emergency. It is better to filter water and NOT drink all that chemical stuff on a daily basis. Just my two cents!

water, Cay, tea, beer
 

well usually water over the daytime to prevent dehydration in the heat out of a 3Lt-CammelBak on the go or the 10Lt-MSD-Dromedary as backup, Cay or tea at any given moment with a lot of sugar, but usually in the evenings during preparing foot or where there is a bit more time at hand, need a cup of tea to wake up but more importantly as 1st task in the morning, to get in to a sort of daily routine before packing up... well yeah beer... if that can be found but not necessarily looking out for... just a nice to have... beer

Oh yeah... part of the CamelBak and the MSR I carry a Katadyn-Pocket filter if no bottle water can be found in the local shops.

In Russia, you probably pay about 60-80 rubles for a half litre of lipton iced tea (which is everywhere). Local bottled water or beer, is more like 40-50 rubles for half a litre.

I've not found anywhere in Russia or the stans to get a quality Westvleteren or Tripel Karmeliet

Hilarious whinging !

Personally I was devastated that the Freddo shop didn't open until after my departure time from Dushanbe. How do people expect one to carry on with a shot ! ? !

The horror . . .

As I couldn't find the answer in the search I'll resurect this oldie :blushing:

I don't like pop and aren't really struck with tap water that's heated up in a camel back all day. I can however make a glass of tea and drink it over hours and hours, hot, warm, cold. The plan then is to make a few pints of tea on a morning, let it cool off while packing, then get it into a camel back for the rest of the day.

Has anyone tried this? Does over hot drinks or stuff that stains ruin the bladder in anyones experience?

Cheers

Andy

Camelback bladders are tough.They have been used to carry fuel too but you could ruin it over time.
I prefer to stop, take a break and brew up mint tea Andy. It's deliciously refreshing and calming for your battered digestive sytem too.

Indeed. I did once have a long chat with a French border policeman and his spaniel about my store of cammomile. Age and the vibrations of a v twin make comfort breaks a must, but a quick slurp at traffic lights does seem to add additional comfort.

I also have scary memories of Morocco. Having failed to drink enough in the day my thirst and typical lack of self control resulted in an early night and cheap hangover. That first cold one tasted nice. Ever seen that old film ice cold in Alex? :thumbup1::innocent:

Andy

Yes. Good classic with a frothy ending!
I've rigged a long tube with a bite valve on my MSR dromadery so that I can take sips whilst riding but I do enjoy ( read: need!) a ( or a few!) small comfort stops too so might as well make a brew pref. somewhere with a nice view. Very 'Zen' moments :Beach:

And ... an empire was built on that !

Aparently that bar scene took 6 or 7 takes at the end of which John Mills was completely pissed beer

My experience is that no matter how much I drink, water just fills my stomach up and I dehydrate. If I mix sport drink with the water at about 50/50 or less then I seem to absorb the water quite well. Straight sport drink makes me thirsty. Water makes me bloated.

Not "adventure" riding, but trail riding in 40-50 degree temps.


=:)

Try buying it in Timbucktoo?

And if you mix it with water .. and drink it later .. the residue promotes the growth of bugs in the container .. not good. Plain water is simpler, greatly reduces problems with bugs in the container and cheaper. Don't know how stored tea will go... any tea drinking bugs? :)

If you need more thingys - get them in your food .. where they should be. Bananas are good for bicycle riders - containing potassium etc and fairly available in hot climates.

We often make several liters of green tea early in the morning and let it continue to steep and cool throughout the day. Klean Kanteens are perfect for this.

Cheap packets of rehydration salts are available in pharmacies everywhere, even small towns in Africa and Asia. On a bicycle this is critical. On a motorcycle, equally so as the wind evaporates sweat which is normally how we know we need to hydrate.

Carrying adequate clean water is also critical. I like the MSR Dromedary bags and the bombproof Katadyn Pocket filter. A piece of inner-tube rubber is great for blocking the sink.

http://www.vwvagabonds.com/Bike/imag...eanKanteen.JPG http://www.vwvagabonds.com/Bike/site...ch-202x268.jpg

I remember this thread :happybday:

To answer my own question in case anyone else finds it useful, tea stains water bladders but otherwise does no obvious harm unless you count hiding age discolouration. It looks a bit yakky getting clean water from a yellowed bladder, but I think just a case of carry two or knowing what stained it and therefore not caring.

The Klean kanteens look useful :thumbup1:

Andy

when I am in India I either use filtered water by my katadyn, or my my sister in law's UV sterilizer, failing that is bottled water!

re-hydration sachets cost pennies in India too! I sometimes use cordial too!

I just fill my camelbak with water. Water does get awful when it is like 40 C so sometimes I mix a weak concentration of Oros in there. This is sweet orange concentrate. Not full strength as the sugar makes you more thirsty. Just a bit to add a bit to add some flavour. I get plenty of salt from the biltong I eat while riding.

Sports drinks, electrolytes... bah. poofter stuff:rofl:

Being a long distance rider, riding long days, days at end, I've found a routine which makes this easy and enjoyable. Part of this is keeping a constant flow of fluids.

If on any longer day's ride, I allways get out of the saddle every hour or so, just for a minute or five at most. Every other stop I try to allign with a fuel station to tank up, and the stop usually lasts a little longer, and I may treat myself for a coke or something.

At every stop I drink some water and pour some over myself if it is hot. I try to avoid big culps of cold drink to avoid upsetting my stomach. I usually also have a bite of something salty and/or sweet, wether a PBJ sandwich or simply a small piece of candy or a handful of peanuts. The snacks are meant as a treat and for energy, well knowing that the salts, sugars and minerals are good for keeping me hydrated as well. Hydrating a lot in one go is not good, you need a steady flow. So this ritual, keeps me enregized for sixteen hour riding days if I have to. I try to avoid alcohol, coffee or tea... not so much because it dehydrates me, but because it makes me have to piss all the time, screwing with my routine and my mojo... Once I get where I'm going, it is bottoms up of anything.

Remember it is not only the temparature that dehydrate, but also the speed of travel (blowing away your sweat, making you sweat more). Giving the body a few minutes to cool properly can't be bad, right? Think about it, if the air temp is hotter than body temp, the faster you ride, the hotter you will get.

I have a camel back but don't use it. I really enjoy my little routine of getting out of the saddle. The camel back could tempt me to push my 60-90 minutes to the double, and half way through the day I would flatline. Also, why deal with the camel backs when you've got bottles that you can just toss out and never have to fill or clean?

As for sport drinks? I would only drink it if I liked the flavor... as for energy, rehydration... waste of money.

A little tip - maybe!

If you're using a Camelbak or similar with a plastic bladder, there is always a risk of contamination both in warmer weather and if the liquid is left inside for too long. To maintain both purity and a clean bag I use a small amount of baby sterilising product to clean my camelbak, either liquid or in sachets mixed with water ( MILTON is brilliant). I am well aware this might not be practical in out of the way places, but carrying a sachet or two is not too onerous. At the end of a days ride I empty what's left ( always bottled water with just a hint of orange squash if available) and fill the bag with tap water and a sachet or table spoon of liquid milton and leave overnight. Flush out next day and refill.

If you want to know how good Milton is at stain removal ( as well as sterilising), find a coffee/tea stained white mug, drop a little in ( or part of sachet) and top up with water and leave for a few hours. You won't believe it!

Watneys Red Barrel hasn't been brewed for about thirty years.

When travelling across the US some years ago, I bought a wide necked bottle of Gatorade and tipped the muck away. Each morning I filled the bottle with ice from the motel's ice maker, topped it up with water and it was drinkable right into the mid-afternoons. I think Gatorade was/is like Lucozade hence my reluctance to drink the stuff.

Just finished a Argentina-Alaska- Florida trip, bottled water during the day, plenty beer and a great deal of whisky most nights, adds to the cost but keeps you fit and healthy............:clap:

Beer contains everything a body needs... fats, proteins, carbs... it is sterile, tastes good and makes you feel good (for a while) and makes you invincable

hi here very hot i do not drink tea here but i take some orange juice...

This is why your average manual worker before last century drank gallons of the stuff. The thing to remember (and forgotten on an infamous canal trip I once went on) is that this small beer was about 1% strength. More sex-in-a-canoe than even Australian shandy.


Andy

That's a pretty good routine! I like it. I do a variation. At stops I also do stretching. On a 12 hour riding day, this can help. I DO use a Camel Back and in hot weather I could not live without one. I also carry an extra liter or two of water on board.

I DO drink some Gatorade ... it helps prevent dehydration and provides some needed minerals and salts in high heat or stress. Good in severe heat ... but only very small amounts. Water is BEST. I do about 90/10 Water to Gatorade.

As you say, constant small sips. No big gulps. In heat over 40C while riding I'm sipping every 3 to 5 minutes from Camel Back. I stop about every two hours, and find Shade. I never hang out in AirCon places. Best to get into the heat and embrace it. You can't escape. Zen through it. In heat I don't pee much as I'm sweating it out quickly.

In high heat I keep my jacket closed and face shield DOWN to prevent dehydration. A closed jacket means you sweat ... then air flow cools you down. Riding naked or with TOO MUCH venting can dehydrate you quickly in very high heat at high speed. You want to FEEL that Sweat cooling you. If you don't feel it ... close up some vents, zip up or whatever. (I average about 70 mph on highways) Best keep the sweat IN ... to help cool you. Drink constantly. Be happy! :D

I learned some of this from a Tri-Athlete friend ... a crazy person who loves pain, but knows how to survive in severe conditions. His methods worked well for riding motorcycles ... even though i'm mostly just sitting there doing nothing.

I've modified a few things. The stretching part was his idea ... and man, that really helps me on long riding days. Adds a lot of time before I'm sore and have to get off the bike and I feel better at day's end and much better in the morning :thumbup1: STRETCH it out!

Off road can be much tougher, especially riding deep sand or rocky tracks in high heat. Here I need to be very careful and remember to keep drinking ... and not to crash! :ban: ... and always breath and relax. :Beach:

On my last trip through Sahara I would dress like it was winter to insulate myself from the heat - I had it far better than those that didn't.

Another important thing is to make sure that the temperature of your drink isn't cool... however appealing this may seem at the moment, big gulps of cool liquid can very quickly mess with your stomach severely. Not only is it a PITA, but it severely dehydrates you if you get Montezuma's revenge.

Dousing yourself and your clothing in water significantly reduces dehydration through the cooling of body temperature through evaporation. There are evaporative liquid cooling vests constructed for bikers for this specific purpose. Some needs to be precooled in a freezer/refridgerator, while others work by soaking in water and evaporation. I've never really found the urge to buy one as it would add to the clutter - but if I was commuting back and forth every day in a hellishly hot place like Tierra del Fuego or Death Valley, I would probably get my hands on one

As much as I like beer, it is difficult to carry around: bottles break easy and you can't keep it cold enough! It also makes you more thirsty! And carrying enough for a day leaves no room for other luggage.

I find my ability to ride may increase (in my mind), but my ability to ride gravel is greatly diminished, even though drinking beer eliminates the bad habit of looking right in front of your wheel and looking up. However, you are looking up to the side of the road to find a place to pee, rather than watching the shifting conditions of the road. Or perhaps Im getting old!

A flask of good malt whiskey is a better power/weight ratio at the end of a day!

While riding I stick to water in a camel back, or water slightly diluted with oros when it is very hot, which is an orange drink. Not full strength as it is too sweet and makes you thirsty. The slight dilution removes the horrible taste of plastic tasting warm water.

Cool drink I avoid, especially Coca-Cola. Horrid stuff and only drinkable if mixed with brandy!

I saw a show on TV saying americans consume over 600 tins of coke per capita per year :eek3: It is certainly evident where the store it all!