# Combatting feelings of dehydration on rides



## zachattak (Jan 10, 2012)

I am one of those guys who can never have too much water on a ride. I drink water constantly, and always feel like i need more. I know i am drinking enough as I dont cramp up on rides, nor is my urine bright yellow, but the feeling, sensation remains. 

My question is this: Is there a product that will help me retain more water and hopefully dimish this feeling of constantly needing more fluids? At this point, i'd love to just be less reliant on water and make less go further, so I can forego a hydration pack and just use my on bike bottle, and at most, my hip packs small resovoir. 

Am I SOL, or is there something that could help?


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

Have you ever been checked for diabetes?

The fitter I get the less water I drink on a ride. Beginning season I drink as much water on a 10 mile as do now on a 27-30 mile ride, and at a much harder pace. You may also try making sure you well hydrated leading up to your rides.


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## zachattak (Jan 10, 2012)

WHALENARD said:


> Have you ever been checked for diabetes?
> 
> The fitter I get the less water I drink on a ride. Beginning season I drink as much water on a 10 mile as do now on a 27-30 mile ride, and at a much harder pace. You may also try making sure you well hydrated leading up to your rides.


Yep i have been tested, came back negative. I do drink lots before my rides too (i drink water constantly throughout the day). I do feel like i need less now, like you, than the beginning of the season, but that feeling is still there. Perhaps its because I am a mouth breather and get bad allergies, so I often cant use my nose to control airflow.


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## Geralt (Jul 11, 2012)

Is it just dry mouth/throat or does the feeling go beyond that? If you're just getting dried out, I'm not sure if there's much you can do besides minimizing the mouth-breathing. Maybe hold some water in your mouth a while before swallowing from time to time? I have that problem occasionally when I'm on a bike a long time in a very low humidity environment. I try breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth when I feel it happening. A couple of weeks ago I dried out enough that the uvula(the little thing that hangs down your mouth) became inflamed, swollen and elongated--weird sensation. It's happened before, but it's been about ten years.


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## TwiceHorn (Jun 18, 2014)

I do a lot of mouth breathing myself for similar reasons. I find chewing gum during rides helps a lot.


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## abaughman (Aug 25, 2018)

Make sure you are hydrated before the ride are you drinking enough the night and day before? There is also pre-workout drinks that they say help fend off cramps.


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## milliesand (Jun 29, 2015)

Another mouth breather, but go by Pee color and weight loss over a ride to judge if I'm drinking enough.

Easily 1 liter/hour,


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## b rock (Jan 5, 2017)

milliesand said:


> Another mouth breather, but go by Pee color and weight loss over a ride to judge if I'm drinking enough.
> 
> Easily 1 liter/hour,


Same, although I drink a bit less if it is cold out.

Try adding a couple Nuun Active (calorie free electrolyte) tablets to your water if you are going out for a couple hours or more. I find water with electrolytes more thirst quenching, and I think I have fewer leg cramps that way. It also becomes more and more important when you are drinking 32+ oz in a ride.


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## zachattak (Jan 10, 2012)

b rock said:


> Same, although I drink a bit less if it is cold out.
> 
> Try adding a couple Nuun Active (calorie free electrolyte) tablets to your water if you are going out for a couple hours or more. I find water with electrolytes more thirst quenching, and I think I have fewer leg cramps that way. It also becomes more and more important when you are drinking 32+ oz in a ride.


I have a full pack of NuuN i will give a try for sure!

I have noticed that since I began riding this season, I have been able to significantly reduce my dependance on water after each ride. Im sure weather plays a part, but also fitness and stamina seem to be helping too, as im not as winded and sucking in air throguh my mouth, drying it out.


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