I'm gearing up for my 7th century later this month. The course organisers have drink stop, but require that you must pull to the side of the road and stop to get a drink from the drink stations (due to accidents in the past).
I have worn a camelbak everytime - but as I have improved I have found I end up with a liter or so of fluid at the end - I have lugged that stuff 100miles... The weather plays a big part - cold days i drink far less than hot, and the weather is unpredictable here this time of year (more likely to be cold)
As I've improved I find myself riding in groups where i'm the only one with a camelbak. I ran out of fluid in my first ride (just under 6 hrs - 2L camelbak) and stopped for more, now I'm in the 4hr 20 to 4hr 40 bunch and don't want to stop at a drink station - any forum members out ther who can avise how they carry their fluid and how much??

get a domestique to fetch water for you.

Two 20 ounce bottles.

Most organized centuries that I have done have two or three rest stops. I easily can do 30-35 miles on two bottles of water. I don't believe in spending too much time at rest stops,but having to pull off the road for a few seconds to fill up with water is not a big deal. The only time that I even have worn a camelbak was when I did a century in Death Valley and was worried that I would need more water than my bottles could carry. Even there, I rarely used the camelbak. But, it was a good insurance policy. I would not want to have a mecanical problem or other issue in a place like Death Valley and run out of water. Where I usually ride in the Eastern US, even if I ran out of water, I can find a store or house with potable water within a few miles on any route that I could take, even if I were riding alone in a rural area. Thus, I do not worry about running out of water.

I do the same, on hot days, I'll tuck an extra bottle into a jersey pocket.

I use 3 bottles of water even on a 50 mile ride! :eek:

Tuck 2 bottles into your jeresy pocket if you don't mind the feeling which, is actually not too bad.

If you don't want to stop, the reality is you are going to need more than two bottles, and should need more than a camelback. You would need somebody to meet you at pre-determined points along the ride to give you refills.

However, I've never had a problems stopping for 3-5 minutes to re-fill at a food station on a century. I only carry two 24oz bottles with me and fill one with water the other with an energy drink (what ever they have available). Usually I'll go through 6-8 bottles on an Century ride to stay fairly well hydrated...however I reguire a fair amount of fluids since I sweat a lot and weigh in the mid 220's.

Best bet...just stop for 3-5 minutes, refill the bottles and continue on your way.

BTW...I've never liked riding with a camelback on the road, MTB...sure, road bike...I just don't like it.

2 20oz bottles in the cages and 2 smaller bottles in the jersey pockets.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=18690&subcategory_ID=4342
Assuming two bottles on the bike and two behind gives you 4 bottles, and if you find the rear ones hard to reach just switch the empty ones to the rear keeping full bottles in your bike cages and easily accessible.

i do this, too. yesterday we did 105 miles in 4:29....two 20 oz bottles on the bike, two 16 oz, each in a jersey pocket. loaded the other pocket with two cliff bars, gel flask, and cliff shot block pack.

if it is a hot day, i'd shove the food under the front of my jersey/in the pant leg of my bibs and carry and extra bottle of water in the jersey pocket where the food was. this should get you most of the way...the last 5 - 10 miles is always a journey of attrition anyway :thumbsup:

next time i'm going to experiement with shoulder holsters and/or a money belt.... :D

I was curious as to the issue you have with making brief stops for drinks. Is is the loss of momentum or some other issue? This would seem to be the logistically simplest thing to do and would limit you carry problems to maybe one or two waterbottles. Are these standard rest stops or something different? Must be a Kiwi thing I can't understand

I was wondering why you don't want to stop for a minute and re-fill your bottles, too. Is this a 100 mile race, or a recreational century that is timed? If it is a timed century and you really want to beat your personal best or something, you will need someone to hand up fluid to you as you pass, or simply time how long you stop to re-fill and subtract that from your riding time..

In a long race, the 'feed-zones" are sited to be in a slow area, or are declared a "neutral zone" with no attacking allowed..

Two big bottles and two in the jersey could be enough on a cool day..I often carry one extra bottle on long hot training rides..Drink a lot before you start if you plan on stretching out your water...
Have fun, Don Hanson

I was curious as to the issue you have with making brief stops for drinks. Is is the loss of momentum or some other issue? This would seem to be the logistically simplest thing to do and would limit you carry problems to maybe one or two waterbottles. Are these standard rest stops or something different? Must be a Kiwi thing I can't understand

i think the OP is referring to the Taupo Cycle Challenge coming up on 24 November 2007 here in NZ. it's an organised charity fun ride around lake Taupo that measures 156km long and attracts about 11,000 riders (inclusive of relay teams). it's very well supported with portaloos and drink stations at every 20/25km. the OP can stop to refill but i think his point is that he wants to complete the ride in the fastest possible time, which means no stopping. he wants to base his time according to the timing transponder rather than what his bike computer says. so sacrifices must be made - carry all the water you need (supports cars are not allowed on the course) or stop at the drink stations to refill.

personally, i would use a hydration pack, and i will be using a hydration pack on this ride. so what if 5,000 other riders aren't using one? i don't plan to stop either except for natural breaks (must learn how to pee while coasting on the bike). YMMV.

Elite makes an 800ml "Higene" bottle and a 1000ml "Maxi Cincio" that would work best to maximize your water bottle cage space. Personally, I use two 750ml bottles during a timed race over 150km and grab water bottles that are handed out at the rest stations while still pedaling. There are usually signs posted when you are about 500 meters-1km out from a feed area. At this point, if I'm in a large group of riders, I pull away off the front so there is no crowd and can grab water easily. Or, I hang off the back (not too far as to not be able to catch the group I was in) and by the time I get to the station, there is no crowd. It could be hit and miss though. Sometimes I've found long feed zones where I can grab a bottle at the beginning and stuff it on my back and still be able to grab another at the end of the station and drink it right away. Other times I've missed bottles or the person handing out water was busy with somebody else or just not paying attention. At this point you have to put your feet down for a few seconds, grab the water and then find a few people that will help out pulling to get back to the group ahead or just ride at normal speed to recover a bit and get in with the next big group that comes from behind. You can also get a girlfriend/boyfriend or whoever to drive to predetermined points to hand you extra bottles as well.

Not sure if you are having problems with fuel for your body since you didn't mention it, but others have given some opinions and heres mine. Again, don't try anything new during a race. Always see how you react to different products before hand. No need to worry about having too much weight and lugging around extra pounds off food from the get go when it comes to food. Get a couple of flasks (like the ones Hammer Nutrition has) and mix a condensed paste of Perpetuem for fuel http://www.hammernutrition.com.au/prod-perpetuem.php and some Endurolytes for minerals http://www.hammernutrition.com.au/prod-endurolytes.php. I've used this combo (with plain water as well of course) on many long races and have had zero problems. Not to mention how little space it takes up. 2 flasks and a tube of pills in my jersey pockets and that's it. 2 large water bottles and some from the feed points and I'm set. Two condensed flasks of Perpetuem fuels me for over 4 hours. The links I gave are to the Australia branch. Not too far from you. Let us know how things go.

I understand the desire not to stop, and the time waste it represents. On the other hand, consider the harder-to-see cost of lugging full needs from the start, and stopping may not as bad an idea as it initially seems.

The most important aid to cutting time is to ride with a group, so at the end you need to coordinate with whatever the team is doing, whether that's an organized group or something more ad-hoc. Many quick groups make two hot stops. If they aren't stopping when you need to, there's always another wheel to grab. If you are set like they are, you should be fine.

I've used saddle-mount bottle holders and Camelbacks; but have settled on a third bottle in the jersey for backup.

If I am interested in maximizing time in a solo effort, I'd carry three bottles, and stash two in the ditch 60 miles or so out. A quick pickup away from a common feed station would be a huge time saver. The trick is to remember where your stash is on uncommon courses, and if possible to put it a mile or two before a supported stop. That gives a backup if your bottles disappear, or if you are rolling with a group at the time and don't want to lose the wheel.

Danl 1 has good points. If you are going to 'race' this century, you'll have to think it through, just like any race. Carrying everything from the start to finish makes no sense. I forget what the accepted numbers are but extra weight costs you significant time and climbing with a full backpack of water can't be very efficient. You will also need fuel, if you plan on 'racing' the whole distance..I've had pretty good results combining my hydration and energy needs. You'll want to 'test' whatever energy drinks you choose by training with them before your event. I would take a few musette bags out on the course and stash them for on-the-fly pick up as you ride. Put them near the crest of a climb, or at an intersection or just before a formal feed and grab em off a fence post or scoop em up off the pavement as you ride past..Then you'll have more energy drink and water till the next bag rather than toting a big load the whole event.."A pint's a pound, the world around". I roughly figure on maybe 3 bottles per hour on long hot races..So do you want to carry 15 extra lbs right from the start? Probably not, eh?

You could also get an acquaintence to saddle up and ride into the route for a short distance to hand you stuff, then get back off the route. You say 'no support vehicles' but they probably wouldn't be upset if one more biker joined the 11,000 already out there...Uh, that will be a lot of cyclists...
Don Hanson

i think the OP is referring to the Taupo Cycle Challenge coming up on 24 November 2007 here in NZ. ...i think his point is that he wants to complete the ride in the fastest possible time, which means no stopping. .

Boon has it; doing the round Taupo ride here in NZ. Trying to crack 4hrs 30 this yr and staying in a good bunch isthe key, stopping for drink loses time and more importantly the bunch - relative merits of carrying extra weight or stopping? I just don't know... Some good tips on this thread, thanks, link to the event below
http://www.cyclechallenge.com/default.asp

It looks like you're riding a century ride but going for time. It looks like there's no big climbs to break up the pack, so staying with a group will be important as you say.

What do the other riders you end up with, the ones without camelbacks, do? You should do whatever they do, based on your previous experience.

But, if you have to stop when your group isn't, then there will probably be another group not far back that will catch you. Then you can work with them.

I'm gearing up for my 7th century later this month. The course organisers have drink stop, but require that you must pull to the side of the road and stop to get a drink from the drink stations (due to accidents in the past).
I have worn a camelbak everytime - but as I have improved I have found I end up with a liter or so of fluid at the end - I have lugged that stuff 100miles... The weather plays a big part - cold days i drink far less than hot, and the weather is unpredictable here this time of year (more likely to be cold)
As I've improved I find myself riding in groups where i'm the only one with a camelbak. I ran out of fluid in my first ride (just under 6 hrs - 2L camelbak) and stopped for more, now I'm in the 4hr 20 to 4hr 40 bunch and don't want to stop at a drink station - any forum members out ther who can avise how they carry their fluid and how much??

How about one of these (http://www.thebeerbelly.com/)?

Boon has it; doing the round Taupo ride here in NZ. Trying to crack 4hrs 30 this yr and staying in a good bunch isthe key, stopping for drink loses time and more importantly the bunch - relative merits of carrying extra weight or stopping? I just don't know... Some good tips on this thread, thanks, link to the event below
http://www.cyclechallenge.com/default.asp

i'm not sure which town in you are located in. avantipluscycles in auckland is apparently planning on placing some of their vans in strategic places as drink stations for their regular customers to pick up pre-placed drink bottles.

As I've improved I find myself riding in groups where i'm the only one with a camelbak. I ran out of fluid in my first ride (just under 6 hrs - 2L camelbak) and stopped for more, now I'm in the 4hr 20 to 4hr 40 bunch and don't want to stop at a drink station - any forum members out ther who can avise how they carry their fluid and how much??

:eek6:

must be flat as a pancake or something! damn that is flyin..

:eek6:

must be flat as a pancake or something! damn that is flyin..


Yeah, I don't think that you and I will be doing the Mountains of Misery in less than five hours anytime soon.:)

2007 MoM times: Mark -- 8:51:16; bas -- 8:55:55. At least we had a sub-nine hour ride. :thumbsup: How about let's try to shoot for a sub-eight hour ride next year?:cryin:

Yeah, I don't think that you and I will be doing the Mountains of Misery in less than five hours anytime soon.:)

2007 MoM times: Mark -- 8:51:16; bas -- 8:55:55. At least we had a sub-nine hour ride. :thumbsup: How about let's try to shoot for a sub-eight hour ride next year?:cryin:


If we cut off that middle loop at mile ~80 or so.. we can probably cut 1.5 hours off and look like we are on the EPO..

One other thing to add to the mix - I start with two 16 oz bottles with Cytomax. When I refill them I add a Nuun to each ( http://nuun.com/ ). My LBS turned me on to these and they work great - two little tablets you keep in your jersey. I find the extra replenishment really helpful. Good reason to stop and do a quick refill. That said, nothing is more annoying than being in a great group and needing to stop. Most of the rides I do are pretty hilly, so I usually opt for light weight though.

:eek6:

must be flat as a pancake or something! damn that is flyin..

It is hilly, but not mountainous; over 11,000 entrants, so big bunches. My back of the envelope is 1600meters of climbing.

The website course profile splits it into 4 stages
Stage 1 climb about 400 meters
http://www.cyclechallenge.org.nz/documents/LEG1_SOLO_XPLOD_000.pdf
Stage 2 climb about 700meters
http://www.cyclechallenge.org.nz/LEG2_SOLO_XPLOD.pdf.pdf
Stage 3 climb about 250 meters
http://www.cyclechallenge.org.nz/LEG3_SOLO_XPLOD.pdf.pdf
Stage 4 climb about 250 meters
http://www.cyclechallenge.org.nz/LEG4_SOLO_XPLOD.pdf.pdf

Yeah, I don't think that you and I will be doing the Mountains of Misery in less than five hours anytime soon.:)
:

Looked up MoM on the net, that looks very tough, more than double the climbing of what I'm doing. Death.
We have a very tough 200k hilly annual ride here in NZ, but it's still 1000m less climbing than MoM.
http://www.arcevents.co.nz/k2cycle/profile.html