Take Along Enough Fresh Water On Your Next Bicycle Tour Or Long Ride.

Are you scheduling a long bicycle ride this weekend along back country roads? Don’t neglect your water needs to keep your body strong and safe. The most important piece of equipment you take along will be water. Remember, eighty five percent of a person’s body is water.

The caloric consumption of a 50 to 60 mile bicycle ride can burn up to 4000 calories or more depending on your conditioning and the state of the environment in which you are cruising. You will burn many more calories on a hot day then biking on a mild day. You will also use less energy riding on flat ground than climbing hills and mountains. For any kind of bicycling you will need an ample supply of water.

Studies have found that most bikers will need a minimum of 2 quart bicycle water bottles to satisfy their thirst on a sixty mile trip. Two quarts is just a recommendation and it is a good idea to add several more bottles if you are going on a longer trip. Often, long distance bicycle trekkers, when traveling over several days, will wear water systems in back packs. Some solo endurance bike riders, when traveling over very long distances, carry their own back pack water systems and will sport water bottles as extra water sources.

Back pack water storage systems come in different sizes to accommodate larger amounts of liquid. You can find 60, 72 and 100 liter packs. The 100 liter system needs extra support to stabilize the weight of the water. The better back packs come with a waist strap to help with this problem. You will never regret bringing extra water on your next bike trip. But, how much is enough water?

You probably are entering a mild state of dehydration if you are thirsty or experiencing cotton mouth. Determining the color of urine is an indicator of your water saturation point. Do you have clear urine? This generally means you are fine with your liquids. There is a good chance you need more water if it is dark or becomes cloudy.

Muscle cramps due to dehydration can occur quicker than ten minutes. This can lead to general fatigue and progress to irrational fear and distress. The next step can lead to a lessening of strength and in some instances can also lead to loss of motor skills.

The next time you are packing for your back road trek with your friends, plot your course, pack your kit and don’t forget to carry along lot of clean, fresh water in your own bicycle water bottle.

Larry Wildems has been cycling for almost all of his 26 years. He has trekked and led many long ride bicycle treks across the USA and Europe. He has traveled throughout some of the countries of Central America and is planning a long trek across parts of China. You can find out more about sports water bottles and water delivery systems, bicycles and cycling accessories at his website: http://www.bicyclewaterbottle.net

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Bumpzee
  • De.lirio.us
  • Furl
  • LinkedIn
  • MySpace
  • Propeller
  • Spurl
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • Tumblr
  • Yahoo! Buzz

No related posts.

Comments are closed.