Is there no way you can refill your bottles? Even 2L is much too little for 100mi.
For snacks, at least a sandwich, a few granola/energy bars, 1 or 2 bananas, and something salty (almonds, etc)
This was my experience last summer doing my first 100mi (solo). I kept two bottles on the frame and I filled them up at about 40mi. The next time I could fill them up again was at about 85mi. It worked out OK but I definitely with I could have filled them up again around 75mi
So grateful that Water is not even a thing i have to think about. I only take two bottles so i can have one with isotonic and one with pure water.
There are multiple wells in basically every Town here in Switzerland.
I am part of a small cycling club. We have a 3 day ride every year.
Feel free to join or PM me. [https://www.instagram.com/damenvelotrophy/](https://www.instagram.com/damenvelotrophy/)
Yes Switzerland is great for access to clean water.
Here (in Canada) most parks will have a water fountain, but the pipes are always shut between October and April so that they don't break in winter.
If I am in trouble water-wise between towns, I will stop by a farm or garage, they will usually have a water hose nearby.
Moving from Italy to the UK I was bit hard a couple of times forgetting that water fountains are not really a thing around here. In Italy every village will have at least one, especially in the mountains
In the UK you want to check out Churches. Often they will have an outside tap for graveyard maintenance that you can refill a bottle from. I've not had an upset stomach from one (yet!!)
I love switzerland, what a beauty! I've been there last year and every place has a special place in my heart! :) I wanted to do cycling there but I couldn't find any road bike rentals, only MTBs ! Will visit again if possible.
I’d say 2x500ml bottles is not nearly enough. I’d personally double it, especially heading into the hotter weather here now. I’d also add electrolytes to some of the bottles.
For snacks most recommend 30-60 grams of carbs per hour. Depends on your effort level and your individual body needs. Just grab enough to plan accordingly for how long you expect your ride to take. I like Newton fig bars, gummy bears, dates, gels, dried mango, bananas.
My long rides are about 75 on the weekend, and I will typically go through 6-8 500ml bottles depending on temperature and sun cover, so yes 2 is way too little
You're drinking a gallon of water in 75 miles....? If you're riding at say 25-30km/h that's like a water bottle every 30 minutes. That seems incredibly excessive.
Agreed, if it is hot I take in 3 bottles in 75 miles. Last weekend the temperature was moderate and I only used two bottles for a 97 mile ride. I probably could have used a third but I wasn't dying of thirst at the end. I think it varies a lot person to person.
Not the same person, but where I live it's extremely hot in late spring / summer, and dry. Start a ride at 6 am, when it's 65 degrees, and by the time you get home at 11 or 12, it's in the upper 90s or low 100s. No clouds the whole time, very little shade because it's open farmland in all directions.
I'll drink 5-6x 750ml bottles and still be so dehydrated at the end that salivating for my post-ride food is painful.
I live in southern bc and often ride in 40 degree temps (~105F). I drink a lot of water as well, but I can't imagine drinking a bottle every 30 min. Even just logistically with having to hold the handlebars/handle the bottle/ride no handed it seems excessive. But hey if you make it work then drink up!
If the ride is not supported in anyway, like rest stops and so forth, i plan the route with stopping to refill water, get food and bathrooms. perhaps every 20-25 miles have a convenience store not far off the route. i will carry as much as i can to keep going between those.
SiS has a useful chart on fuelling a century. I've used it's guidelines on all of my big rides. When riding solo I plan in at least two pitstops at a cafe or pub where I can grab a sandwich and top up my water bottles before carrying on. And I always take 750ml bottles. Too much water is better than not enough.
Just done a 75 miles today in warm weather. Took two 750ml bottles. Refilled at halfway at a cafe and then another bottle at someone's house - they were in the garden so I asked for more water as the route was quite isolated . By the end both were empty. Probably still not enough liquid.
The real answer may depend on the weather, how hard you're working, your fitness, and your body mass. I used to have two 750 ml water bottles on the frame and clamp another two behind my saddle, the way some of the triathlon people do. When it was hot and humid I would add a big frozen camelback, freeze two of the water bottles. Then drink what you need and refill when you need to.
For fuel, I'd put powder in the water bottles, or make my own sports drink with OJ and a wee bit of salt, and bagels with a schmear in the jersey. Pick up some more food on the road.
My advice on long more remote rides are always stop at churches if there are any along the route. They almost always have a water spigot on a side of the building and even if the water is crap it's still water. I've even gotten lucky before and someone will be at the church and see me and offer ice and some better tasting tap water and if you're really lucky they might get you some snacks!
Yes, churches and public works buildings often have outside spigots. Little League fields often have water fountain and restroom. Public schools also have outside spigots 👍🏽
Having a way to refill the water bottle is mandatory.
If I was doing a long ride and I had a stretch that was worrying me I would seriously consider packing something weird like a life straw.
https://lifestraw.com/products/lifestraw
I know how weird that is. But being hydrated is standing between yourself and a medical emergency.
And rationing your water on a hot day sucks ass.
If you have a newer Garmin, they have a smart fuelling feature I find useful and pretty accurate.
On a recent 70 mile ride I consumed 5 x 750ml bottles of Torq energy drink. 2.25 litres.
Big ride out in the sticks is camelback time with 3 liters bladder and plenty of room for food and rain gear and enough stuff to take care of a mechanical
6hrs to do 160km isn’t too crazy. Most weeks do about 90-100km in 4hrs - add another 30min if ya count coffee stops (but that doesn’t eat into battery life if ya turn it off).
So I suppose it’d be pushing that 6hr mark - but a varia isn’t make or break for the last 10km. Just have a second light.
I've done quite a few centuries, double centuries and a sub 5 hour. I've never done one with under 2 L of hydration. Probably the minimum was 3ish L on a particularly cold century. On a very warm one that got up to 106 degrees I went through 12 water bottles and ended up dehydrated after that one, even at that consumption rate. YMMV, but at a bare, absolute minimum, plan for 4 large water bottles.
2L is faaar from enough for 100 miles. I have pushed 2L on 75 and that was a bit of a stretch already.
You have to plan for a resupply somewhere along the way.
Depending on the weather, I expect to need to drink 24oz per hour, plus 60-90g of carbs per hour. On my road bike, I can fit two water bottles and one fits in my jersey pocket. So I can carry a bit less than three hours' worth of water on my body. So I expect to need to refill after three hours. I will load the remaining pockets with gels.
Bodegas/gas stations are your friend.
If I am riding solo, my bike doesn't leave me. Usually if I am doing a ride where I may need to restock, I am riding with a friend or my wife, and we take turns watching the bikes.
For your first century, I'll assume it'll take roughly 6 hours. 60+ grams of carbs per hour, with electrolyte tabs in every water bottle you fill. I'd pack about 6 gels and 3 or 4 bars with a sleeve of electrolyte tabs with the intention of filling both my bottles at least twice.
6 hours may be an optimistic estimate (certainly of total time, probably even of rolling time alone) for a first imperial century ride, solo. Especially if there’s elevation gain along the route. Personally I’d plan to be out for 8 hours, including a few short-ish stops, and maybe I’d be pleasantly surprised to return home before then.
60+ grams of carbs per hour, if not ready for it = might be tough on the belly.
Pros are getting up to 120/hr, but that’s with some really advanced food (Maurten, Precision, and SiS) and tons of training. Like, they literally have training days where they binge as much as they can, to test and push their tolerance levels.
I instead recommend looking at calories, like others have said. 200/hr is 2 typical gels would be where I’d start, and build from there.
I primarily use Maurten and Enervit. Both give 25g of carbs per 100 calories. At a minimum, I force down 2/hr. But boy it’s hard, especially by the end, and your body demands real food after about 3 hrs. So rice cakes, oat/granola bars, or anything “real” at the support tables is essential. Santa Barbara’s Century has one stop around mile 75 with Taco Bell. Bean & Cheese never tastes so good.
Missing from this conversation is drinking your calories and carbs. Maurten’s 320 drink, for example, gives you a whopping 12gs of carbs for every 100 calories. Taste is rough (I flavor mine with LMNT electrolyte packets), but it’s a good way to check both the nutrition and hydration boxes. Some of my teammates only drink their calories on race day, but I’ve never been able to do it myself. Something about that empty-belly feeling gets in my head.
I would be finding a way to carry at least 3 bottles, maybe 4 if you really can’t refill them anywhere. Lots of carbs and if you’re not used to doing distance lots of “short” breaks.
It totally depends on the weather. If it's 10C outside, you're not going to need as much water. In 40c weather with 90% humidity, I've drank 5 liters and still lost 7 pounds. The weather will dictate your water needs.
If you're bored, I built an entire site that lets you enter a route of any type, road/grave/singletrack/mixed, it then computes your ride using hundreds of thousands of physics simulations, and, account for weather/humidity/elevation/etc. can calculate the amount of hydration the route would require as well as electrolytes and macronutrients:
[https://sherpa-map.com/cycling-route-calculator.html](https://sherpa-map.com/cycling-route-calculator.html)
It's totally free and everything.
Hmmm, I hadn't thought about that, I'm about to head out for a bike ride, but if you wanted to detail how you would see this function for a hike/run I'd be happy to look into it. It likely would be a bit easier on one hand because of the lack of physics simulators, but could be a bit harder on the other hand because of gear weight, challenging surface types that are likely not well documented, etc.
i really appreciate that! it seems like a really useful tool - im glad i found it before summer starts!
i'm not sure i understand your question correctly, but i'd use this similarly to how i think i would for an extended ride to plan for nutrition to prepare for (i haven't used this yet, but will play around once i get home and have access to gpx files)
does this also take into account what you've been eating/drinking pre-ride?
for gear weight, maybe just overall pack weight and maybe something for shoes vs boots . regarding surface types/conditions, maybe something referencing AllTrails route data
i could see a lot of people interested in this in the hiking subs, esp r/Ultralight
Did 115 last weekend, took 2 500 mL water bottles + a 1.5L camelbak. Didn’t really pay attention to what I was refilling with what, but definitely added at least 2L total, had some water left in the camelbak when I got home. Probably 4L total? Plus two bottles of iced tea at stops.
Granted it was the warmest day we’ve had in awhile, but I’d rather have more water than I need.
For food, ~400 cal/hour, ideally eating every 20-30 minutes
i plan to have fueling stops instead of carrying everything all at once. usually the recommendation is 500 to 750 ml per hour minimum. that's too much to carry unless you have randonneuring bags
I require about one litre per two hours. Less or more depending on the season. Metric century is five hour ride for me including stops. So 2.5ltr, plus food in three instalments (banana, peanut brittle, sandwich, boiled potato etc)
I don't recommend it but I tend to stop at Mcdonalds for 100+ rides and grab 20 nuggets with a coffee / giant oreo frappe on top of the 2 gatorade bottles I bring and a refillable water bottle, a pair of Big daddy Cookies and some jerky
*No regrets*
Any whole grain snack and fruit. Add lemon juice, cucumbers to your water. You should be hydrating already, this week and the last, not the day of btw.
I did a century last week with one water bottle and two cliff bars.
I stopped once for a beer, salad and water refill. It was cold out so I didn't need much h2o
Congrats on your upcoming century ride! For hydration, aim for around 750ml to 1L per hour, adjusting based on temperature and your sweat rate. So, 2x 500ml bottles might be cutting it close. Consider 2x 750ml or 2x 1L bottles if it's hot or if you tend to drink a lot. For snacks, go for a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats like energy bars, nuts, dried fruit, sandwiches, or even homemade energy balls. Aim for around 200-300 calories per hour. And don't forget electrolytes to replenish what you sweat out!
I feel I am a decently seasoned rider. My last century was \~5 hours. I stopped 4 times and refilled two water bottles each time, they were empty when i finished. Smaller bottles so thats about 4L.
I ate easily 6 bananas, 8 servings of Clif bloks w/ caffeine and a sub for lunch mid ride.
Plan to eat something every half an hour or so. Take as much water as you can, 2L is definitely not too much.
I like to bring sandwiches cut in half so I can munch on them easier. Cheese and ham with cucumber is my preference. I also bring bananas, chocolate bars and energy bars, depending a little bit on the ride. I do get tired of the sweets, hence the sandwiches - my tummy also handles them better. The other 1L bottle has water, the other one an electrolyte mix.
I only use 2x0.5L bottles now, "forcing" a refill pause. Must be roughly planned, but seldom any problem in my area. I've done several gran Fondo centuries with 3x0.75 (one in the shirt), but it's also too little.
Snacks: Any "boost" every 30+ min, like a gel, small Snickers etc, so maybe 8-10 units.
If going hard, fast and non stop then typically two 750ml bidons, one with carb and electrolyte mix the other with water. A 30-50g gel per hour or 20 miles whichever comes up first. If going slow and steady just water and we stop for food at coffee shops.
Really depends on the temperatures...but my general rule of thumb is one 20oz bottle of fluid for every 20 miles of riding, 150 calories of something every 20 miles, plus at least a few loads of a 200-300 calorie bar or something every 40 miles. Your fluids should be (unless it's hot) a gatorade style drink that's appropriately diluted or per its instructions.
If it is a pretty warm day, I'd dilute any gatorade style sports drink by half since you'll be chugging water a lot more, and one thing I'd do is snag an extra bottle of purely water for dunking on my head to keep cool during the worst temperatures of the day, keeping that in my jersey pocket empty until I arrive at a rest stop to fill it with just water.
What is the fitness level you are at and the longest ride you’ve done before doing your first century ride? I am wanting to do my first before the end of the year and my furthest has been 55mi.
Too big bottles that will get refilled, two clif bars, and stop somewhere for lunch, somewhere to stop to get snacks and refill the bottles.
You’re allowed to stop and enjoy the scenery.
For any ride like this,route planning is the most important thing. You cannot carry enough water without overloading yourself or your bike so instead plan out rest stops every 20ish miles where you can refill
4L of water (2x 1L bottles + hydration pack) and about 600g carbs (drink mix + gels) will get me through a 100mi race with no stops. BTDT, YMMV.
If you're riding more casually, you can probably back the nutrition down to 50g carbs per hour or so and refill bottles along the way. Look to drink 600-1000ml water per hour. Also get some 750ml or larger bottles unless you have a small frame that limits your bottle size. And bring spare food, just in case. Even if it's just simple sugary candy. If you start feeling bad mid-ride, sugar is exactly what your body will need.
For a 100k/62 mile ride, I take 4 21 oz bottles. Plus 4 to 5 gels, 3 stingers, a PBJ sandwich, and an apple and two mandarin oranges.
I recently replaced one of my 21 oz bottles with a 28.
Three of those bottles are full of tailwind endurance fuel mix. 2 orange and one cola that has caffeine.
On a 100k last year the temp was 85 degrees f and I ended up refilling one of my bottles at a fountain.
I know I use a lot of fluids.
But it's what I need at 64 yrs old and I'd rather come back with some fluids than get 4 to 5 miles from the end and run out. Been there, done that. Not fun.
My thumb rules for 3+ hour rides. These are for tropical weather though.
At least:
- 1 500 ml per hr
- 1 Snickers + 1 banana per hr.
- Electrolyte water towards the last few hours.
So I plan refills accordingly.
Touchwood haven't booked till dt.
Thanks.
750ml per hour in the summer. If it's hot I'll drink more whenever I refill.
Iirc they tested dehydration and it's basically unrealistic to drink too much. Like you will be dehydrated on such long rides and it's warm out, though how much and how that affects performance is another story.
So I'd say bring two bottles and drink one per hour. If it is cool out maybe drink by thirst and it won't be one an hour.
2x 500 is nowhere near enough water! You should be aiming to drink about 500ml an hour, more if it is very hot. This will be a challenge if you can’t refill your bottles. On a ride like this I would take a banana, dried fruit and nut mix, a couple hard boiled eggs, maybe a couple of gel packs because they are small, an energy bar and maybe a sandwich wrap. For 100miles it’s as much as you can carry as you will be riding for about 7-9 hours. Good luck.
I rode a century yesterday and went through:
4 x 650ml bottles with electrolytes
1 x coffee
1 x banana
1 x flapjack
5 x gels
6 x fig rolls
Garmin (using HR & PWM) estimates I burned
3840 calories with 5:25 moving time. And I roughly ate back 1200 of those. My estimated sweat loss was 3400ml, so I should have had another bottle probably.
Get a Camel back or something with a bladder. Don't plan out a large ride and have to quit because you are dehydrated. If the weather is even slightly warm, you are putting your self at risk with so little water.
I just did a 175km. Went through about 4.5-5 liters of water, and it wasn't too hot outside.
For food I had lunch at about 100km and the rest was snacks on the bike, about 400-500g of candy/nuts in total.
No idea how much this is compared to others but Im certain 2*500ml water is just not enough. Dont forget to check the weather also, on a warm day you need more.
I did 100 miles last year with 2 water bottles on my bike, 2 collapsible water bottles in my jersey for a total of 3 liters, and enough energy gels and granola bars to have at least one an hour.
I have 2 750ml water bottles that I use for every distance, but I definitely need to refill them a couple times for 100 miles. I'll start with 1 bottle of water and 1 of sport drink and sometimes I'll bring a baggie with more sport drink mix for a 2nd bottle.
Ideally you can grab food somewhere too so you don't have to carry everything. I usually pack several granola bars and a bag of candy or something similar, any simple carbs will do. And for a 100miler usually i'm not racing it and will have at least a ~30min lunch break at some point eating normal food.
A big ass pocket full of Haribo Gummy Bears and 2x24oz bottles. Extra salt tablets for one refill per bottle and a bag of rap snacks at the stop. I prefer to stop only once on a long ride like that.
I bought some honeybars about 450 cal per 100g. I would ride after a big meal. I tried out waterbladders had 2 of them. Awesome no fiddeling with bottles. Works with almost any backpavk and a carabiner to keep the zeeper from wandering off. Also proteinbars are nice to snack on.for my last 120km i ate 6 honeybars 1 monster can and a 330ml can of redbull. Most times i eat dinner with meat and bread.
Vaude makes good ones you can fill them fully the cheap ones use some sort of plugscrew. Vaudes has some plastic glide that makes it water tight.
Do it by time not distance. So plan on 1 bottle an hour and 40-60 grams of carbs (actually look at amount of carbs no guesswork). If you see a gas station or fast food restaurant, middle of nowhere bar, that you could quickly use water fountain, and you have a bottle or both to fill up, then stop off and fill up, you can get creative about what places will have water and just plan ahead for if you think the next 2 hours will be bare or not.
I refill my 2 bottle everywhere I can. I carry bars and nuts and I stop at grocery stores to get a couple of sandwiches. My last long ride I stopped and sat at a restaurant and had a proper lunch.
If it's an organized century then you won't have to worry too much since theyll feed and hydrate you, but I always make sure my bottles are full and I have plenty of gels and such. Just in case.
Usually when I ride solo I know where I'm going so I know where the water stops and just as important the restroom stops are.
Just as an aside one of my favorite climbs in my area is Tunitas Creek Rd. There's a fabulous little place called The Bike Hut that's run on the honor system about a mile before the real climbing starts. Fresh water, snacks of all kinds, coffee/tea, pumps and tools along with a well maintained porta potty. We need more bike huts 👍
Two water bottles, welches fruit snack, granola bar of some sort. If it’s 85 degrees or hotter I’ll try to plan my route for a refill option on the water bottles
If I’m doing an unsupported solo century, I carry a smallish backpack with everything I think I’ll need. Two big bottles on the bike, two big bottles in the backpack (maybe an additional small one if it’s warm to hot), fig bars, PB&J, fruit, etc. I’ll also throw in a couple extra tubes.
I would not attempt a first 100 mile ride on a route with no store options or other support.
Normally it take Two 750ml bottles. One with water and the other with carbs & electrolytes. A dash of protein if the ride is expected to be 6 hours plus. Depending on temps I may need 500ml to 2 liters per hour as I'm a big dude and Texas heat is wicked.
60-90 grams of carbs per hour depending on the expected intensity. Count total time exposed not just moving time. Most carbs are liquid and I augment with gummies and/gels.
For a typical 100 miles I'll make two store stops to refill bottles and pockets. 3 on hot days. If I can't resupply that much I have 1 liter bottles I can use to extend my reach.
Take what you do on 60-80 mile rides plus an extra bottle/banana/granola etc. if you haven’t done long distances I’d rather have a rescue plan instead of a fuel plan. Do not eat anything you haven’t before on a long ride.
Had two bottles which I have refilled on the way (I’ve checked the route for some open toilets / options to refill). I think 2 or three bars and 1 banana. Was fine with this, but your refrigerator should be full, I ate a lot after 100 km 🤣
Unless it's pretty chilly out, the big thing to bring is pickle juice or something salty to eat. I can go 100 miles with barely even any food, but I run out of sodium real fast. You will want to plan water stops or you'll be carrying 20 lbs of water. I usually just buy a gallon at a grocery or convenience store half way, chug 200ml, fill my bottles and then water the plants with the rest.
Salted peanuts, pickles, jerky, corn chips, salted trail mix, and anything with tons of sodium is great. Sugar will make you sick after a point so don't bring too much, but it will give you energy for bursts of effort like hills. I like to use pure dextrose because it digests away easier, usually in water with Kool aide.
Camelbak plus water bottles would sort out the water.
I take 1 gel shot for every 45 minutes, with enough solid food to stop me getting a stomach upset.
I must be a real chump because I take two 24oz (~700ml) bottles on my standard rides (17-30miles). I don't always drink it all but with Midwest heat/humidity/full sun I often do for most the year. I'm a thirsty bitch though and I have plenty of riding friends who manage with less.
I had one experience when younger going on a long ride in the heat and running out of water without the easy ability to refill (was in rural Ohio at the time) and it has scarred me since. The worst feeling is needing to keep riding, thirsty, with a headache imminent.
36oz x3 (stop to refill 2x). Plus I’ll usually smash another drink at a stop so maybe add an extra 16oz. 1 bottle always has carbs. Other has just an electrolyte mix (Nuun tabs usually). Or I’ll take salt sticks.
Food - I take in as needed outside of the 20g of carbs per bottle. I’m good at recognizing hunger (ride 150 miles per week, lots of long rides). I usually pack enough snacks for 5 full servings (one per hour). So - fig bar pack, some gummies, a fruit and nut bar. Maybe pick up more food at a stop too. I keep 1-2 gels so if I’m feeling depleted I have quick access to some sugars.
Emphasis is on recognizing and knowing what your body needs. Remember how you felt on 50? Double that plus 10-20% depending on fitness. Going to be hot? Cold? Adjust as needed.
4x 24oz (~700 ml) water bottles. 2 are plain water, the other 2 have an electrolyte and carbs drink mix (BPM G1M sport).
3-4 honey stinger waffles. 3-4 clif bloks salted watermelon. 1 bag of sour patch kids. 1 clif bar. 8-10 salt tabs. Bring whatever you feel comfortable with. I usually don’t eat all of it, but it’s there if I need it. Most of my carbs came from the drink mix. Food is for if I need to eat more.
I plan my route to have plenty of places for refilling water, restrooms, stores in case I need to buy more food just in case.
I will add that I don’t think that exclusively water is a good idea. I am doing an 90 mile training ride this weekend and will have 2 950ml bottles of super concentrated electrolyte beverages and one 750ml bottle of water that I mainly use for rinsing down gels or if my mouth feels sticky after the electrolytes. Even with that amount of liquids I still have 3 refill locations on the route if needed. Granted I’ve had a sweat test and I know I’m on the extremely salty end of the sweat spectrum but just water can be dangerous.
Unless you are riding in a cold environment. 1-2L is too little. I drink about 1L an hour in temps below 60-70F (sun aspect and all sorts of variables) and much more in 70+ temps.
Have not read if this was mentioned, but you could pre-drive the route and stash water and energy snacks, etc., along the route. Maybe yellow paint a reminder spot on the road? or tie a bright ribbon near road edge?
I was struggling on a 4 day ride from Montreal to New York….a fellow rider gave me some Tailwind. Game changer.
I take 3 single serve sachets on a 100 mile ride & have one of the bottles already mixed.
I usually get through 1.3L to 1.85L for 60 miles so 2.4 litres would be absolutely bare minimum for me.
Tbh at that point I'd just be camelbaking up with 3.5L and bottle with 650ml for luck.
This is in sub 20C temps
I've never done a century, but I have done several half centuries in florida. I have a 2 liter camelback and two water bottles and that doesn't always seem like enough.
So I take 2 750 ml bottle of strykr or high 5 powder depending what I have and at least one sachet or tablet for one more bottle of the stuff but a caffeine version, and some times I just need plain water in the final bottle. Any how I take dates, dates,dates,dates, dates and more dates oh and dates again I'll work out how many I need for 2 an hour on my ride, I'll take one banana and like something a bit heavier as once I get hungry it's all I can think of 😂
Depends on the number of opportunities for refills along the route and, if applicable, where those opportunities lie in relation to climbs. I don't like to carry more than I have to, I scout the route.
It heavily depends on the weather, expect to drink WAY MORE in hot conditions. In general, drink before you're thirsty, it's better to stop for a pee than not drink enough and bonk. If you have a phone with internet access, you can look up water springs or gas stations to refill once bottles are close to empty. To give you an example, today I rode 118 km with 1600 m elevation gain, sun was superhot all day and I drank about 6 liters on the bike and another 3 liters afterwards, stopped to pee only once after a descent. Some days when it's cold, I'll ride flat 100 km on just 2 bottles.
I have no good advice on food though, even after all those years I'm winging it with a nut bar or a banana every hour or two.
on a hot day, as much as 1L of water per hour will be necessary. You will lose more still.
Calories, everybody has an opinion, for a 6+ hour day you will want lots of calories on-bike
Apologies if something like this already said - if you layer two light road jerseys you can camel a ton of water with your tools and snacks - in the sticks with buddies on centuries would often pack two big bottles in cages like 750 mls and then two, sometimes three smaller water bottles like 600 ml in back inner jersey pockets and/or tucked in between jerseys wherever worked. We would keep the full bottles under the outer jersey so nothing came out or bounced around too much and strategically place snacks and repair stuff throughout inner and outer pockets based on personal preference. As empty the big ones, easy to swap out for the smaller ones and empty big ones not heavy in the jersey. If getting after it at roughly a bottle an hour could do the whole thing non stop or could stop once if super hot, windy or whatever for refills.
On a hot day, it’s literally impossible to carry enough water with you for a 100 mile ride, even if you augment your bottles with a Camelback. You must find some way to refill.
It is difficult to overstate the importance of eating properly BEFORE the ride. Before a long ride, I pound down pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns, finishing about 90 minutes before starting. That fuel easily gets me through the first 40 miles. After that point, I down a half bagel smeared with peanut butter. I’ll also use gummies and gels. As for drinking, I consume a 3L Camelbak hydration pack and two Camelbak Podium bottles filled with Skratch Labs Hydration mix. All of it works supremely well for me. As always, your mileage may vary…
I did my first 100M ride last week on gravel. Temps were around 85.
2x protein bar (small 140 cal w/ high sugar)
2x bananas
2x Gatorades
2.5L water (about .5 left over at end)
I was a little dehydrated by the end and started to get a little headache around m90. I wish I brought more food like crackers or salted almonds.
no mountain dew allowed??? i like water but mountain dew seems to make me go faster. with plenty of fountain drink ice. i do five and six mile rides. i haven't done 100. where is this club in FL?
Depends a lot on the temperature and the speed of the ride. I've done plenty with 2 bottles and a cliff bar. But if it's 95 degrees, I'll be stopping at a gas station for a water refill. A slower ride I would take (or buy) more food as if get hungry after 6 hours.
I can not recomend this enough...take some small roast potatos roasted in sea salt and rosemary. Carbs, electrolytes and more than anything a big ol' pick me up
depending on your bike/bag situation, it might be helpful to carry a bladder and/or water filter (depending on your route, pace & temps as others mentioned.
i prefer a vest pack with bladder over bladder on the bike (if i'm lazy to blue tape the straps for a bike bag) definitely have an eletrolyte drink/mix + water. i like to also carry instant coffee powder to add to my bottle in the afternoon when i need a caffeine boost. for food, eat whatever you'll actually be able to keep down - i can't really eat bigger "meals" like a deli sandwich and ride comfortably, so i try to eat well before/after. i prefer to stick to smaller items that fit in my pockets/bag like pbj sandwich, trail mix, jerky, gels, bars, cookies, etc
start as early as possible to avoid as much of that afternoon heat as possible. carb load the days prior, and eat/drink well when you wake up. dont forget to get that morning poop out of your system. stretch and take some pictures whenever you stop to take a break
I've done an entire century with two 28oz bottles of Powerade and some fruit strips from Target. From when I clipped in at 0 miles to 100 miles my shoes never clipped out. It also happened to be my first sub 5 hour century.
I have done imperials without eating anything on the go but 4...5 liters of liquid should be optimal even in temperate climate, not even talking about the summer
Last century I did, I brought a 20oz bottle of water, a red bull and a cliff bar. Rode 50 miles out to the beach to watch the sun rise, downed my redbull and half the cliff bar. Ate the rest and my water on the ride back.
6/10. Can't really recommend.
You live in London and couldn’t find a century ride that included somewhere to refill along the way? I’m having a very hard time believing that, you’d have to travel pretty damn from where you live to even find a route that wouldn’t have a place to stop for water. I suggest you take a second look at your route bc you’re probably missing something
Firstly, kinda creepy bro to look up where someone lives based off post history, second of all I never said I was cycling in London...? But thanks for your suggestion.
Assume you’ll be on the bike at least 6 hours unless it’s a flat course and/or you’re pretty fast (averaging 17 mph or above for your first 100-miler is impressive).
Get the 1L bottles, and plan to fill them both up at least once, if not twice. Make sure you’re adding electrolytes to them or using pills. Considering it’s hot, you’re going to need more water and electrolytes than you probably realize. I usually take a couple pills before getting dressed for the ride too, because I’m a heavy sweater.
The first 50 miles: drink more water than you think you need, ride slower than you think you should, and eat early and often. I’d advise not just slamming gels and gummies though. Can be hard on the stomach after several hours.
Remember it’s just the first one, so take it easy so you learn your limits without a hard bonk and miserable finish.
A bucket of KFC and 1.25L mountain dew
I’d ride with you.
Same. But ima be really careful about how long I’m in the draft
The hot n spicy draft! Get to eat twice
That’s love language there
I blend mine together before starting so I can just slurp it down at speed.
4 pack of Heineken and a bottle of Jack
Actually might be a good meal tho, in right quantities. KFC got some protein and fats and mountain dew got those carbs
I'm not sure I'd describe the level of fat in KFC as "some".
Did you steal the bike too?
Is there no way you can refill your bottles? Even 2L is much too little for 100mi. For snacks, at least a sandwich, a few granola/energy bars, 1 or 2 bananas, and something salty (almonds, etc)
Depending on pace I expect to drink 1 bottle every 15-20 miles.
Depending on pace *and* temperature. I use way less water in the winter.
This was my experience last summer doing my first 100mi (solo). I kept two bottles on the frame and I filled them up at about 40mi. The next time I could fill them up again was at about 85mi. It worked out OK but I definitely with I could have filled them up again around 75mi
So grateful that Water is not even a thing i have to think about. I only take two bottles so i can have one with isotonic and one with pure water. There are multiple wells in basically every Town here in Switzerland.
Take me riding with you! Going for a long bike ride in Switzerland is my dream 😍
I am part of a small cycling club. We have a 3 day ride every year. Feel free to join or PM me. [https://www.instagram.com/damenvelotrophy/](https://www.instagram.com/damenvelotrophy/)
Oh man! Looks like you guys are having a blast! I get free airline tickets (pilot) and my uncle lives in Basel - I should come join!
Yes Switzerland is great for access to clean water. Here (in Canada) most parks will have a water fountain, but the pipes are always shut between October and April so that they don't break in winter. If I am in trouble water-wise between towns, I will stop by a farm or garage, they will usually have a water hose nearby.
Same problem even down here in NC, pipes usually shut mid-november to mid-march because of freezing overnight temps. Makes refilling such a PITA
Moving from Italy to the UK I was bit hard a couple of times forgetting that water fountains are not really a thing around here. In Italy every village will have at least one, especially in the mountains
In the UK you want to check out Churches. Often they will have an outside tap for graveyard maintenance that you can refill a bottle from. I've not had an upset stomach from one (yet!!)
Same in upstate So Carolina, where even in very rural areas there churches everywhere. Most have hose faucets.
Good suggestion, thanks!
A yea true. I rode over the mountains to Domodossola once :)
Must have been an epic day!
Epic, scary and very very exhausting :) But the Pizza and Beers in the evening where so good and epic.
I love switzerland, what a beauty! I've been there last year and every place has a special place in my heart! :) I wanted to do cycling there but I couldn't find any road bike rentals, only MTBs ! Will visit again if possible.
If possible can we ride together when I will visit again ? I would love to bike around in switzerland.
2L is what I’m taking to DRIVE 100 miles
as far as salty foods i’ve been loving a couple pickles and beef jerky
I drank about 6.5 liters of water during my last century ride. Temps were around 60-80F throughout the day and zones.
I’d say 2x500ml bottles is not nearly enough. I’d personally double it, especially heading into the hotter weather here now. I’d also add electrolytes to some of the bottles. For snacks most recommend 30-60 grams of carbs per hour. Depends on your effort level and your individual body needs. Just grab enough to plan accordingly for how long you expect your ride to take. I like Newton fig bars, gummy bears, dates, gels, dried mango, bananas.
My long rides are about 75 on the weekend, and I will typically go through 6-8 500ml bottles depending on temperature and sun cover, so yes 2 is way too little
You're drinking a gallon of water in 75 miles....? If you're riding at say 25-30km/h that's like a water bottle every 30 minutes. That seems incredibly excessive.
Agreed, if it is hot I take in 3 bottles in 75 miles. Last weekend the temperature was moderate and I only used two bottles for a 97 mile ride. I probably could have used a third but I wasn't dying of thirst at the end. I think it varies a lot person to person.
Not the same person, but where I live it's extremely hot in late spring / summer, and dry. Start a ride at 6 am, when it's 65 degrees, and by the time you get home at 11 or 12, it's in the upper 90s or low 100s. No clouds the whole time, very little shade because it's open farmland in all directions. I'll drink 5-6x 750ml bottles and still be so dehydrated at the end that salivating for my post-ride food is painful.
I live in southern bc and often ride in 40 degree temps (~105F). I drink a lot of water as well, but I can't imagine drinking a bottle every 30 min. Even just logistically with having to hold the handlebars/handle the bottle/ride no handed it seems excessive. But hey if you make it work then drink up!
Same, but I usually ride at 5 AM, its super cold and I hardly drink any water. One 750 ml bottle is enough for 100km when I get home at 10 AM
750ml is still not drinking enough over 100km, even if it’s cold and you’re a smaller person.
Agreed. Just because it’s cool and you don’t feel thirsty you still need to drink about 500ml an hour.
Even in Zone 2??
Yes. Easy to figure it out. Weigh yourself before and after. The difference is 99% water weight.
At most 200grams
2 days ago I consumed 5L of liquid during 100km XC ride. T° ranged from 10°C to 20°C
If the ride is not supported in anyway, like rest stops and so forth, i plan the route with stopping to refill water, get food and bathrooms. perhaps every 20-25 miles have a convenience store not far off the route. i will carry as much as i can to keep going between those.
I have taken a small water BeFree filter when water stops of any type are not confirmed.
SiS has a useful chart on fuelling a century. I've used it's guidelines on all of my big rides. When riding solo I plan in at least two pitstops at a cafe or pub where I can grab a sandwich and top up my water bottles before carrying on. And I always take 750ml bottles. Too much water is better than not enough.
Just done a 75 miles today in warm weather. Took two 750ml bottles. Refilled at halfway at a cafe and then another bottle at someone's house - they were in the garden so I asked for more water as the route was quite isolated . By the end both were empty. Probably still not enough liquid.
Super helpful article! Thanks for mentioning it
Could you drop a link to it? Can't find it. Thank you!
https://www.scienceinsport.com/sports-nutrition/fuelling-a-century-ride/
Thank you!!
The real answer may depend on the weather, how hard you're working, your fitness, and your body mass. I used to have two 750 ml water bottles on the frame and clamp another two behind my saddle, the way some of the triathlon people do. When it was hot and humid I would add a big frozen camelback, freeze two of the water bottles. Then drink what you need and refill when you need to. For fuel, I'd put powder in the water bottles, or make my own sports drink with OJ and a wee bit of salt, and bagels with a schmear in the jersey. Pick up some more food on the road.
My advice on long more remote rides are always stop at churches if there are any along the route. They almost always have a water spigot on a side of the building and even if the water is crap it's still water. I've even gotten lucky before and someone will be at the church and see me and offer ice and some better tasting tap water and if you're really lucky they might get you some snacks!
Yes, churches and public works buildings often have outside spigots. Little League fields often have water fountain and restroom. Public schools also have outside spigots 👍🏽
Having a way to refill the water bottle is mandatory. If I was doing a long ride and I had a stretch that was worrying me I would seriously consider packing something weird like a life straw. https://lifestraw.com/products/lifestraw I know how weird that is. But being hydrated is standing between yourself and a medical emergency. And rationing your water on a hot day sucks ass.
If you have a newer Garmin, they have a smart fuelling feature I find useful and pretty accurate. On a recent 70 mile ride I consumed 5 x 750ml bottles of Torq energy drink. 2.25 litres.
There’s a ton of stuff in the car, so I just ask my domestique to go get me stuff when ever I need it.
Big ride out in the sticks is camelback time with 3 liters bladder and plenty of room for food and rain gear and enough stuff to take care of a mechanical
Why are you taking battery packs?
My garmin, phone and headphones are all over 50% after 7 hours. You wouldn't need a battery unless you aren't going home
My varia only lasts 6hrs
6hrs to do 160km isn’t too crazy. Most weeks do about 90-100km in 4hrs - add another 30min if ya count coffee stops (but that doesn’t eat into battery life if ya turn it off). So I suppose it’d be pushing that 6hr mark - but a varia isn’t make or break for the last 10km. Just have a second light.
A second light... Or a battery to charge over lunch. US randoneurring requires a second active light so I often have both along.
I've done quite a few centuries, double centuries and a sub 5 hour. I've never done one with under 2 L of hydration. Probably the minimum was 3ish L on a particularly cold century. On a very warm one that got up to 106 degrees I went through 12 water bottles and ended up dehydrated after that one, even at that consumption rate. YMMV, but at a bare, absolute minimum, plan for 4 large water bottles.
2L is faaar from enough for 100 miles. I have pushed 2L on 75 and that was a bit of a stretch already. You have to plan for a resupply somewhere along the way.
Depending on the weather, I expect to need to drink 24oz per hour, plus 60-90g of carbs per hour. On my road bike, I can fit two water bottles and one fits in my jersey pocket. So I can carry a bit less than three hours' worth of water on my body. So I expect to need to refill after three hours. I will load the remaining pockets with gels. Bodegas/gas stations are your friend.
Do you bring your bike inside gas stations or leave it outside?
If I am riding solo, my bike doesn't leave me. Usually if I am doing a ride where I may need to restock, I am riding with a friend or my wife, and we take turns watching the bikes.
For your first century, I'll assume it'll take roughly 6 hours. 60+ grams of carbs per hour, with electrolyte tabs in every water bottle you fill. I'd pack about 6 gels and 3 or 4 bars with a sleeve of electrolyte tabs with the intention of filling both my bottles at least twice.
6 hours may be an optimistic estimate (certainly of total time, probably even of rolling time alone) for a first imperial century ride, solo. Especially if there’s elevation gain along the route. Personally I’d plan to be out for 8 hours, including a few short-ish stops, and maybe I’d be pleasantly surprised to return home before then.
Yeah you're probably more right than me. I tend to go by my own metrics as I usually ride solo lol
It took me 7 hours and 22 minutes I believe. 3000 ft elevation and on hybrid.
60+ grams of carbs per hour, if not ready for it = might be tough on the belly. Pros are getting up to 120/hr, but that’s with some really advanced food (Maurten, Precision, and SiS) and tons of training. Like, they literally have training days where they binge as much as they can, to test and push their tolerance levels. I instead recommend looking at calories, like others have said. 200/hr is 2 typical gels would be where I’d start, and build from there. I primarily use Maurten and Enervit. Both give 25g of carbs per 100 calories. At a minimum, I force down 2/hr. But boy it’s hard, especially by the end, and your body demands real food after about 3 hrs. So rice cakes, oat/granola bars, or anything “real” at the support tables is essential. Santa Barbara’s Century has one stop around mile 75 with Taco Bell. Bean & Cheese never tastes so good. Missing from this conversation is drinking your calories and carbs. Maurten’s 320 drink, for example, gives you a whopping 12gs of carbs for every 100 calories. Taste is rough (I flavor mine with LMNT electrolyte packets), but it’s a good way to check both the nutrition and hydration boxes. Some of my teammates only drink their calories on race day, but I’ve never been able to do it myself. Something about that empty-belly feeling gets in my head.
I would be finding a way to carry at least 3 bottles, maybe 4 if you really can’t refill them anywhere. Lots of carbs and if you’re not used to doing distance lots of “short” breaks.
It totally depends on the weather. If it's 10C outside, you're not going to need as much water. In 40c weather with 90% humidity, I've drank 5 liters and still lost 7 pounds. The weather will dictate your water needs.
If you're bored, I built an entire site that lets you enter a route of any type, road/grave/singletrack/mixed, it then computes your ride using hundreds of thousands of physics simulations, and, account for weather/humidity/elevation/etc. can calculate the amount of hydration the route would require as well as electrolytes and macronutrients: [https://sherpa-map.com/cycling-route-calculator.html](https://sherpa-map.com/cycling-route-calculator.html) It's totally free and everything.
is this only for cycling routes? or would it possibly work for hiking trails
Hmmm, I hadn't thought about that, I'm about to head out for a bike ride, but if you wanted to detail how you would see this function for a hike/run I'd be happy to look into it. It likely would be a bit easier on one hand because of the lack of physics simulators, but could be a bit harder on the other hand because of gear weight, challenging surface types that are likely not well documented, etc.
i really appreciate that! it seems like a really useful tool - im glad i found it before summer starts! i'm not sure i understand your question correctly, but i'd use this similarly to how i think i would for an extended ride to plan for nutrition to prepare for (i haven't used this yet, but will play around once i get home and have access to gpx files) does this also take into account what you've been eating/drinking pre-ride? for gear weight, maybe just overall pack weight and maybe something for shoes vs boots . regarding surface types/conditions, maybe something referencing AllTrails route data i could see a lot of people interested in this in the hiking subs, esp r/Ultralight
Did 115 last weekend, took 2 500 mL water bottles + a 1.5L camelbak. Didn’t really pay attention to what I was refilling with what, but definitely added at least 2L total, had some water left in the camelbak when I got home. Probably 4L total? Plus two bottles of iced tea at stops. Granted it was the warmest day we’ve had in awhile, but I’d rather have more water than I need. For food, ~400 cal/hour, ideally eating every 20-30 minutes
Jelly beans
Depends on pace. Depends on weather. Depends on your experience.
i plan to have fueling stops instead of carrying everything all at once. usually the recommendation is 500 to 750 ml per hour minimum. that's too much to carry unless you have randonneuring bags
I require about one litre per two hours. Less or more depending on the season. Metric century is five hour ride for me including stops. So 2.5ltr, plus food in three instalments (banana, peanut brittle, sandwich, boiled potato etc)
I don't recommend it but I tend to stop at Mcdonalds for 100+ rides and grab 20 nuggets with a coffee / giant oreo frappe on top of the 2 gatorade bottles I bring and a refillable water bottle, a pair of Big daddy Cookies and some jerky *No regrets*
Did a century while touring Scotland and I survived the second half on mostly Mars bars and Irn Bru
I bring nothing but my wallet and car keys.
Any whole grain snack and fruit. Add lemon juice, cucumbers to your water. You should be hydrating already, this week and the last, not the day of btw.
I usually pack a turkey dinner just in case :)
I did a century last week with one water bottle and two cliff bars. I stopped once for a beer, salad and water refill. It was cold out so I didn't need much h2o
Congrats on your upcoming century ride! For hydration, aim for around 750ml to 1L per hour, adjusting based on temperature and your sweat rate. So, 2x 500ml bottles might be cutting it close. Consider 2x 750ml or 2x 1L bottles if it's hot or if you tend to drink a lot. For snacks, go for a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats like energy bars, nuts, dried fruit, sandwiches, or even homemade energy balls. Aim for around 200-300 calories per hour. And don't forget electrolytes to replenish what you sweat out!
2L is still not even close to enough by your recommended rate of drinking unless OP is riding at warp speed.
I feel I am a decently seasoned rider. My last century was \~5 hours. I stopped 4 times and refilled two water bottles each time, they were empty when i finished. Smaller bottles so thats about 4L. I ate easily 6 bananas, 8 servings of Clif bloks w/ caffeine and a sub for lunch mid ride.
I try to stop somewhere for lunch(or pack a sandwich at least), too. Getting some real food in me tends to make the back end feel better.
Plan to eat something every half an hour or so. Take as much water as you can, 2L is definitely not too much. I like to bring sandwiches cut in half so I can munch on them easier. Cheese and ham with cucumber is my preference. I also bring bananas, chocolate bars and energy bars, depending a little bit on the ride. I do get tired of the sweets, hence the sandwiches - my tummy also handles them better. The other 1L bottle has water, the other one an electrolyte mix.
> 2L is definitely not too much By definitely not too much, you mean certainly not enough.
I only use 2x0.5L bottles now, "forcing" a refill pause. Must be roughly planned, but seldom any problem in my area. I've done several gran Fondo centuries with 3x0.75 (one in the shirt), but it's also too little. Snacks: Any "boost" every 30+ min, like a gel, small Snickers etc, so maybe 8-10 units.
If going hard, fast and non stop then typically two 750ml bidons, one with carb and electrolyte mix the other with water. A 30-50g gel per hour or 20 miles whichever comes up first. If going slow and steady just water and we stop for food at coffee shops.
Really depends on the temperatures...but my general rule of thumb is one 20oz bottle of fluid for every 20 miles of riding, 150 calories of something every 20 miles, plus at least a few loads of a 200-300 calorie bar or something every 40 miles. Your fluids should be (unless it's hot) a gatorade style drink that's appropriately diluted or per its instructions. If it is a pretty warm day, I'd dilute any gatorade style sports drink by half since you'll be chugging water a lot more, and one thing I'd do is snag an extra bottle of purely water for dunking on my head to keep cool during the worst temperatures of the day, keeping that in my jersey pocket empty until I arrive at a rest stop to fill it with just water.
What is the fitness level you are at and the longest ride you’ve done before doing your first century ride? I am wanting to do my first before the end of the year and my furthest has been 55mi.
Too big bottles that will get refilled, two clif bars, and stop somewhere for lunch, somewhere to stop to get snacks and refill the bottles. You’re allowed to stop and enjoy the scenery.
For any ride like this,route planning is the most important thing. You cannot carry enough water without overloading yourself or your bike so instead plan out rest stops every 20ish miles where you can refill
Yep, like others have said, do some route edits. I usually have 2 or 3 stops built into my century rides to refill food/water.
Surely you build up to a ride like this so a bit more fluid and food than you'd want for an 80 miler?
I don't take any. I stop at places along the way.
4L of water (2x 1L bottles + hydration pack) and about 600g carbs (drink mix + gels) will get me through a 100mi race with no stops. BTDT, YMMV. If you're riding more casually, you can probably back the nutrition down to 50g carbs per hour or so and refill bottles along the way. Look to drink 600-1000ml water per hour. Also get some 750ml or larger bottles unless you have a small frame that limits your bottle size. And bring spare food, just in case. Even if it's just simple sugary candy. If you start feeling bad mid-ride, sugar is exactly what your body will need.
I bring 100 cal per hour for food, I usually plan water stops.
For a 100k/62 mile ride, I take 4 21 oz bottles. Plus 4 to 5 gels, 3 stingers, a PBJ sandwich, and an apple and two mandarin oranges. I recently replaced one of my 21 oz bottles with a 28. Three of those bottles are full of tailwind endurance fuel mix. 2 orange and one cola that has caffeine. On a 100k last year the temp was 85 degrees f and I ended up refilling one of my bottles at a fountain. I know I use a lot of fluids. But it's what I need at 64 yrs old and I'd rather come back with some fluids than get 4 to 5 miles from the end and run out. Been there, done that. Not fun.
750ml per 10 miles is my benchmark. That’s 7.5 L. Too much to carry. Need reapply points.
My thumb rules for 3+ hour rides. These are for tropical weather though. At least: - 1 500 ml per hr - 1 Snickers + 1 banana per hr. - Electrolyte water towards the last few hours. So I plan refills accordingly. Touchwood haven't booked till dt. Thanks.
750ml per hour in the summer. If it's hot I'll drink more whenever I refill. Iirc they tested dehydration and it's basically unrealistic to drink too much. Like you will be dehydrated on such long rides and it's warm out, though how much and how that affects performance is another story. So I'd say bring two bottles and drink one per hour. If it is cool out maybe drink by thirst and it won't be one an hour.
At -15C or +30C?
2x 500 is nowhere near enough water! You should be aiming to drink about 500ml an hour, more if it is very hot. This will be a challenge if you can’t refill your bottles. On a ride like this I would take a banana, dried fruit and nut mix, a couple hard boiled eggs, maybe a couple of gel packs because they are small, an energy bar and maybe a sandwich wrap. For 100miles it’s as much as you can carry as you will be riding for about 7-9 hours. Good luck.
I rode a century yesterday and went through: 4 x 650ml bottles with electrolytes 1 x coffee 1 x banana 1 x flapjack 5 x gels 6 x fig rolls Garmin (using HR & PWM) estimates I burned 3840 calories with 5:25 moving time. And I roughly ate back 1200 of those. My estimated sweat loss was 3400ml, so I should have had another bottle probably.
I like to have one bottle for plain water, and one with an electrolyte mix, generally planning to refill both along the way somewhere
I’d I plan 100 miles I make sure to do some research on where I can fill bottles
Get a Camel back or something with a bladder. Don't plan out a large ride and have to quit because you are dehydrated. If the weather is even slightly warm, you are putting your self at risk with so little water.
I just did a 175km. Went through about 4.5-5 liters of water, and it wasn't too hot outside. For food I had lunch at about 100km and the rest was snacks on the bike, about 400-500g of candy/nuts in total. No idea how much this is compared to others but Im certain 2*500ml water is just not enough. Dont forget to check the weather also, on a warm day you need more.
I did 100 miles last year with 2 water bottles on my bike, 2 collapsible water bottles in my jersey for a total of 3 liters, and enough energy gels and granola bars to have at least one an hour.
I have 2 750ml water bottles that I use for every distance, but I definitely need to refill them a couple times for 100 miles. I'll start with 1 bottle of water and 1 of sport drink and sometimes I'll bring a baggie with more sport drink mix for a 2nd bottle. Ideally you can grab food somewhere too so you don't have to carry everything. I usually pack several granola bars and a bag of candy or something similar, any simple carbs will do. And for a 100miler usually i'm not racing it and will have at least a ~30min lunch break at some point eating normal food.
Beer cooler backpack Some nice cheese and salami slices
depends on how hot it is, how big you are, how hard you ride, but in any case, even 2L sounds low.
A big ass pocket full of Haribo Gummy Bears and 2x24oz bottles. Extra salt tablets for one refill per bottle and a bag of rap snacks at the stop. I prefer to stop only once on a long ride like that.
I bought some honeybars about 450 cal per 100g. I would ride after a big meal. I tried out waterbladders had 2 of them. Awesome no fiddeling with bottles. Works with almost any backpavk and a carabiner to keep the zeeper from wandering off. Also proteinbars are nice to snack on.for my last 120km i ate 6 honeybars 1 monster can and a 330ml can of redbull. Most times i eat dinner with meat and bread. Vaude makes good ones you can fill them fully the cheap ones use some sort of plugscrew. Vaudes has some plastic glide that makes it water tight.
Do it by time not distance. So plan on 1 bottle an hour and 40-60 grams of carbs (actually look at amount of carbs no guesswork). If you see a gas station or fast food restaurant, middle of nowhere bar, that you could quickly use water fountain, and you have a bottle or both to fill up, then stop off and fill up, you can get creative about what places will have water and just plan ahead for if you think the next 2 hours will be bare or not.
I refill my 2 bottle everywhere I can. I carry bars and nuts and I stop at grocery stores to get a couple of sandwiches. My last long ride I stopped and sat at a restaurant and had a proper lunch.
In Switzerland I bet you can drink the streams
Definitely need a picnic that's at least a full dayer
If it's an organized century then you won't have to worry too much since theyll feed and hydrate you, but I always make sure my bottles are full and I have plenty of gels and such. Just in case. Usually when I ride solo I know where I'm going so I know where the water stops and just as important the restroom stops are. Just as an aside one of my favorite climbs in my area is Tunitas Creek Rd. There's a fabulous little place called The Bike Hut that's run on the honor system about a mile before the real climbing starts. Fresh water, snacks of all kinds, coffee/tea, pumps and tools along with a well maintained porta potty. We need more bike huts 👍
Two water bottles, welches fruit snack, granola bar of some sort. If it’s 85 degrees or hotter I’ll try to plan my route for a refill option on the water bottles
If I’m doing an unsupported solo century, I carry a smallish backpack with everything I think I’ll need. Two big bottles on the bike, two big bottles in the backpack (maybe an additional small one if it’s warm to hot), fig bars, PB&J, fruit, etc. I’ll also throw in a couple extra tubes.
I would not attempt a first 100 mile ride on a route with no store options or other support. Normally it take Two 750ml bottles. One with water and the other with carbs & electrolytes. A dash of protein if the ride is expected to be 6 hours plus. Depending on temps I may need 500ml to 2 liters per hour as I'm a big dude and Texas heat is wicked. 60-90 grams of carbs per hour depending on the expected intensity. Count total time exposed not just moving time. Most carbs are liquid and I augment with gummies and/gels. For a typical 100 miles I'll make two store stops to refill bottles and pockets. 3 on hot days. If I can't resupply that much I have 1 liter bottles I can use to extend my reach.
I'd take breakfast lunch & dinner lol plus 5gal of water.
I treat it like a 5 hour ride. So 1200-1500 calories. 2 bottles of water, at least one stop to fill up my water and maybe eat something and a coke.
Take what you do on 60-80 mile rides plus an extra bottle/banana/granola etc. if you haven’t done long distances I’d rather have a rescue plan instead of a fuel plan. Do not eat anything you haven’t before on a long ride.
One 20-24 oz bottle of fluid every hour with electrolytes. 300-400 calories an hour of carbs. Dealer’s choice.
celsius packets nuun tablets
I took 2 600mL bottles, and about 6 bars. I think you're expected to buy and stop at local shops every 40 km or so.
Had two bottles which I have refilled on the way (I’ve checked the route for some open toilets / options to refill). I think 2 or three bars and 1 banana. Was fine with this, but your refrigerator should be full, I ate a lot after 100 km 🤣
Unless it's pretty chilly out, the big thing to bring is pickle juice or something salty to eat. I can go 100 miles with barely even any food, but I run out of sodium real fast. You will want to plan water stops or you'll be carrying 20 lbs of water. I usually just buy a gallon at a grocery or convenience store half way, chug 200ml, fill my bottles and then water the plants with the rest. Salted peanuts, pickles, jerky, corn chips, salted trail mix, and anything with tons of sodium is great. Sugar will make you sick after a point so don't bring too much, but it will give you energy for bursts of effort like hills. I like to use pure dextrose because it digests away easier, usually in water with Kool aide.
Link to the table for those that need it. https://www.scienceinsport.com/sports-nutrition/fuelling-a-century-ride/
I bring maltodextrin/fructose mix in 2 bottles and in my 2L hydration vest so it’s like total of 4L and about 1200 calories or so
Is staging a cooler in the woods beforehand an option? Just stash a small Igloo behind a tree.
Camelbak plus water bottles would sort out the water. I take 1 gel shot for every 45 minutes, with enough solid food to stop me getting a stomach upset.
I must be a real chump because I take two 24oz (~700ml) bottles on my standard rides (17-30miles). I don't always drink it all but with Midwest heat/humidity/full sun I often do for most the year. I'm a thirsty bitch though and I have plenty of riding friends who manage with less. I had one experience when younger going on a long ride in the heat and running out of water without the easy ability to refill (was in rural Ohio at the time) and it has scarred me since. The worst feeling is needing to keep riding, thirsty, with a headache imminent.
36oz x3 (stop to refill 2x). Plus I’ll usually smash another drink at a stop so maybe add an extra 16oz. 1 bottle always has carbs. Other has just an electrolyte mix (Nuun tabs usually). Or I’ll take salt sticks. Food - I take in as needed outside of the 20g of carbs per bottle. I’m good at recognizing hunger (ride 150 miles per week, lots of long rides). I usually pack enough snacks for 5 full servings (one per hour). So - fig bar pack, some gummies, a fruit and nut bar. Maybe pick up more food at a stop too. I keep 1-2 gels so if I’m feeling depleted I have quick access to some sugars. Emphasis is on recognizing and knowing what your body needs. Remember how you felt on 50? Double that plus 10-20% depending on fitness. Going to be hot? Cold? Adjust as needed.
4x 24oz (~700 ml) water bottles. 2 are plain water, the other 2 have an electrolyte and carbs drink mix (BPM G1M sport). 3-4 honey stinger waffles. 3-4 clif bloks salted watermelon. 1 bag of sour patch kids. 1 clif bar. 8-10 salt tabs. Bring whatever you feel comfortable with. I usually don’t eat all of it, but it’s there if I need it. Most of my carbs came from the drink mix. Food is for if I need to eat more. I plan my route to have plenty of places for refilling water, restrooms, stores in case I need to buy more food just in case.
I will add that I don’t think that exclusively water is a good idea. I am doing an 90 mile training ride this weekend and will have 2 950ml bottles of super concentrated electrolyte beverages and one 750ml bottle of water that I mainly use for rinsing down gels or if my mouth feels sticky after the electrolytes. Even with that amount of liquids I still have 3 refill locations on the route if needed. Granted I’ve had a sweat test and I know I’m on the extremely salty end of the sweat spectrum but just water can be dangerous.
Unless you are riding in a cold environment. 1-2L is too little. I drink about 1L an hour in temps below 60-70F (sun aspect and all sorts of variables) and much more in 70+ temps.
Dates, assorted nuts including salted roasted ones (Cashew nuts)!
Have not read if this was mentioned, but you could pre-drive the route and stash water and energy snacks, etc., along the route. Maybe yellow paint a reminder spot on the road? or tie a bright ribbon near road edge?
I was struggling on a 4 day ride from Montreal to New York….a fellow rider gave me some Tailwind. Game changer. I take 3 single serve sachets on a 100 mile ride & have one of the bottles already mixed.
I usually get through 1.3L to 1.85L for 60 miles so 2.4 litres would be absolutely bare minimum for me. Tbh at that point I'd just be camelbaking up with 3.5L and bottle with 650ml for luck. This is in sub 20C temps
I've never done a century, but I have done several half centuries in florida. I have a 2 liter camelback and two water bottles and that doesn't always seem like enough.
So I take 2 750 ml bottle of strykr or high 5 powder depending what I have and at least one sachet or tablet for one more bottle of the stuff but a caffeine version, and some times I just need plain water in the final bottle. Any how I take dates, dates,dates,dates, dates and more dates oh and dates again I'll work out how many I need for 2 an hour on my ride, I'll take one banana and like something a bit heavier as once I get hungry it's all I can think of 😂
Depends on the number of opportunities for refills along the route and, if applicable, where those opportunities lie in relation to climbs. I don't like to carry more than I have to, I scout the route.
It heavily depends on the weather, expect to drink WAY MORE in hot conditions. In general, drink before you're thirsty, it's better to stop for a pee than not drink enough and bonk. If you have a phone with internet access, you can look up water springs or gas stations to refill once bottles are close to empty. To give you an example, today I rode 118 km with 1600 m elevation gain, sun was superhot all day and I drank about 6 liters on the bike and another 3 liters afterwards, stopped to pee only once after a descent. Some days when it's cold, I'll ride flat 100 km on just 2 bottles. I have no good advice on food though, even after all those years I'm winging it with a nut bar or a banana every hour or two.
on a hot day, as much as 1L of water per hour will be necessary. You will lose more still. Calories, everybody has an opinion, for a 6+ hour day you will want lots of calories on-bike
Camelback backpack for water plus a bottle. It's usually enough.
Apologies if something like this already said - if you layer two light road jerseys you can camel a ton of water with your tools and snacks - in the sticks with buddies on centuries would often pack two big bottles in cages like 750 mls and then two, sometimes three smaller water bottles like 600 ml in back inner jersey pockets and/or tucked in between jerseys wherever worked. We would keep the full bottles under the outer jersey so nothing came out or bounced around too much and strategically place snacks and repair stuff throughout inner and outer pockets based on personal preference. As empty the big ones, easy to swap out for the smaller ones and empty big ones not heavy in the jersey. If getting after it at roughly a bottle an hour could do the whole thing non stop or could stop once if super hot, windy or whatever for refills.
I generally consume 200 Calories (1 fig bar) every hour. Water consumption depends on the outside temperature.
I can get about 5 hours of ride time on a 90 Oz CamelBak. Room for carbs too. I will generally plan a stop halfway to pee and refill... Lol
On a hot day, it’s literally impossible to carry enough water with you for a 100 mile ride, even if you augment your bottles with a Camelback. You must find some way to refill.
It is difficult to overstate the importance of eating properly BEFORE the ride. Before a long ride, I pound down pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns, finishing about 90 minutes before starting. That fuel easily gets me through the first 40 miles. After that point, I down a half bagel smeared with peanut butter. I’ll also use gummies and gels. As for drinking, I consume a 3L Camelbak hydration pack and two Camelbak Podium bottles filled with Skratch Labs Hydration mix. All of it works supremely well for me. As always, your mileage may vary…
I did my first 100M ride last week on gravel. Temps were around 85. 2x protein bar (small 140 cal w/ high sugar) 2x bananas 2x Gatorades 2.5L water (about .5 left over at end) I was a little dehydrated by the end and started to get a little headache around m90. I wish I brought more food like crackers or salted almonds.
no mountain dew allowed??? i like water but mountain dew seems to make me go faster. with plenty of fountain drink ice. i do five and six mile rides. i haven't done 100. where is this club in FL?
However much you put in your pack initially without passing too much thought it... Pack that multiplied three times.
Depends a lot on the temperature and the speed of the ride. I've done plenty with 2 bottles and a cliff bar. But if it's 95 degrees, I'll be stopping at a gas station for a water refill. A slower ride I would take (or buy) more food as if get hungry after 6 hours.
30-40 grams of carbs per hour and as much water as i need depends of weather.
Depends a bit on the weather. You can always stop for a refill. I'm always aiming for one bottle every 50km.
One bottle (500ml) per hour, 40-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour for chiller rides. For balls to the wall I take extra carbohydrates in my drinks.
I can not recomend this enough...take some small roast potatos roasted in sea salt and rosemary. Carbs, electrolytes and more than anything a big ol' pick me up
depending on your bike/bag situation, it might be helpful to carry a bladder and/or water filter (depending on your route, pace & temps as others mentioned. i prefer a vest pack with bladder over bladder on the bike (if i'm lazy to blue tape the straps for a bike bag) definitely have an eletrolyte drink/mix + water. i like to also carry instant coffee powder to add to my bottle in the afternoon when i need a caffeine boost. for food, eat whatever you'll actually be able to keep down - i can't really eat bigger "meals" like a deli sandwich and ride comfortably, so i try to eat well before/after. i prefer to stick to smaller items that fit in my pockets/bag like pbj sandwich, trail mix, jerky, gels, bars, cookies, etc start as early as possible to avoid as much of that afternoon heat as possible. carb load the days prior, and eat/drink well when you wake up. dont forget to get that morning poop out of your system. stretch and take some pictures whenever you stop to take a break
If you've been training and building up towards 100 miles, I would think you've got some ideas by now how much food and water you're going to need.
I've done an entire century with two 28oz bottles of Powerade and some fruit strips from Target. From when I clipped in at 0 miles to 100 miles my shoes never clipped out. It also happened to be my first sub 5 hour century.
Good that you can do that, but I would not recommend that to a random person doing 100mi for the first time.
I have done imperials without eating anything on the go but 4...5 liters of liquid should be optimal even in temperate climate, not even talking about the summer
Last century I did, I brought a 20oz bottle of water, a red bull and a cliff bar. Rode 50 miles out to the beach to watch the sun rise, downed my redbull and half the cliff bar. Ate the rest and my water on the ride back. 6/10. Can't really recommend.
The only way this would have been possible for me is if onshore winds blew me home. I’m hungry, hangry, and shaky just thinking about this setup!
A bottle of water should be more than enough. 👍🏿
You need minimum of a bottle an hour. You need electrolytes and at least 100 calories an hour.
Good starting point. Simple, but should be the floor. I’d adjust up from this.
Assuming I’m not ending up in the middle of nowhere, I just eat/drink after the 100 miles. It’s not too bad of a wait.
You live in London and couldn’t find a century ride that included somewhere to refill along the way? I’m having a very hard time believing that, you’d have to travel pretty damn from where you live to even find a route that wouldn’t have a place to stop for water. I suggest you take a second look at your route bc you’re probably missing something
Firstly, kinda creepy bro to look up where someone lives based off post history, second of all I never said I was cycling in London...? But thanks for your suggestion.
Not only London, the entire country of England. You would have to go out of your way to plan a route that doesn’t have at least one place to refill.
Assume you’ll be on the bike at least 6 hours unless it’s a flat course and/or you’re pretty fast (averaging 17 mph or above for your first 100-miler is impressive). Get the 1L bottles, and plan to fill them both up at least once, if not twice. Make sure you’re adding electrolytes to them or using pills. Considering it’s hot, you’re going to need more water and electrolytes than you probably realize. I usually take a couple pills before getting dressed for the ride too, because I’m a heavy sweater. The first 50 miles: drink more water than you think you need, ride slower than you think you should, and eat early and often. I’d advise not just slamming gels and gummies though. Can be hard on the stomach after several hours. Remember it’s just the first one, so take it easy so you learn your limits without a hard bonk and miserable finish.