One of the most important actions you can take to facilitate your success as a cyclist is to stay properly hydrated during all of your workouts and events. You can do it by following 3 easy steps:

1. Determine your hydration needs. Generally speaking, you should drink 4 to 8 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes, depending on your sweat rate. For most people, this adds up to about one bottle per hour (more on a hot, humid day). This is perhaps the most important step you can take to ensure a successful trip. Dehydration has a dramatic and negative effect on cycling performance. For example, dehydration of just 2% of your total body weight can affect performance. Dehydration of 5% can reduce work output by up to 10%. As a general rule of thumb, take two full bottles on each trip, especially if it’s a hot day. For hot rides of more than an hour, consider using a hydration system. This has a double purpose. First of all, it allows you to comfortably transport a large volume of liquid. Second, by freezing the water (or filling it with ice), the hydration pack can help lower your core temperature. Remember, it is very important to practice using your hydration pack before a major event or competition. They can be a bit cumbersome.

2. Weighing before and after training. Get in the habit of weighing yourself before and after each workout. This has two purposes. First, it helps you determine your sweat rate. A 60 minute workout is a good indicator. If you’re two pounds lighter after a workout, then you’ve lost about 32 ounces of water. Second, it helps determine how much fluid you need to drink per hour. In this case, the goal for future workouts (under similar hot and humid conditions) is to drink 32 fluid ounces per hour. Frankly, not everyone is going to drink that much, so drink plenty of fluids before and immediately after your workouts. Remember, your goal should be to weigh the same after your post-workout hydration and nutrition as you did before your workout.

3. Decide what to drink for a particular workout or competition. For events or workouts that will last an hour or less, water is sufficient. For resistance exercise lasting more than an hour, use a sports drink to replace carbohydrates and electrolytes. There are many to choose from and most of them work effectively. Just make sure they contain around 6% to 8% carbs and some sodium for electrolyte replacement. To determine which drinks work best, select three and try each one in a similar type of workout or event (eg, same intensity and duration). First, determine if any of the beverages cause gastrointestinal upset (eg, bloating). If one of them does, remove it from the consideration (note: drinks with more than 8% carbs may be more likely to upset your stomach). Second, you need to consider taste. You are more likely to use a drink if it tastes good.

Follow these simple steps and you should always be well hydrated for your cycling workouts and events.