You can be perfectly trained – but if you don't drink enough, your performance will drop rapidly. Dehydration affects not only your pace, but also your concentration, coordination, and heart rate. Proper hydration is crucial, especially on long rides or in hot weather.
By Vincent Augustin 3 minutes read time
Published: July 30, 2025 | Updated: July 31, 2025
In this article, you'll learn how to recognize your fluid loss, how much you should really drink, and how to optimally rehydrate after your ride.
When you sweat, you lose not only water but also electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Even a 2% weight loss through sweating can lead to the following problems:
Reduced endurance performance
Increased heart rate with the same load
Concentration problems
Cramps or headaches
increased risk of overheating
So if you want to stay productive, you shouldn’t just drink “sometime” – but strategically and regularly.
This depends on temperature, intensity, duration, and personal sweating rate. As a rule of thumb:
Depending on the conditions, you lose between 0.5 and 1.5 liters per hour when cycling on a road bike.
If you want to know exactly, you can determine your sweat rate like this:
Weigh before the trip (naked)
Driving (without drinking)
Then weigh
1 kg weight loss = 1 liter sweat loss
Tip: Test this on a warm day during moderate exercise – this will give you a guideline for your fluid needs.
The goal is to compensate for as much of the fluid loss as possible – without overtaxing the stomach.
500–1000 ml per hour
Drink 2–3 sips every 15–20 minutes
In case of high heat or high intensity: 1 bottle (750 ml) per hour
Important: Don't wait until you're thirsty! The feeling of thirst lags behind your actual need—especially during exercise.
Plain water is often not enough, especially on longer tours. A good sports drink contains:
Water (liquid carrier)
Carbohydrates (approx. 6–8%) for energy supply
Sodium (600–800 mg/l) to improve water retention
Optional: magnesium, potassium, calcium
500 ml water
500 ml apple juice
1 pinch of salt
Optional: Splash of lemon or magnesium effervescent tablet
Pay attention to the osmolality — how quickly your drink is absorbed. Isotonic drinks are particularly effective because they have the same osmotic pressure as your blood.
You may already be dehydrated if:
your urine is dark yellow
you have to go to the toilet less often
you get a headache
your legs feel “empty”
you get chills or goosebumps (warning signs!)
The sooner you take countermeasures, the better.
Rehydrating after exercise is just as important as drinking during the ride – especially on hot days or after several training days in a row.
Compensate for fluid deficit plus about 25% extra to compensate for losses through urine.
Example:
If you have lost 1 kg = drink 1 liter + 250 ml extra → 1.25 liters of rehydration
Best suited:
Water + pinch of salt
Electrolyte drinks
Broth (especially for those prone to cramps)
Spritzers with 2/3 water – 1/3 juice
Drinking regularly is often more difficult during a race – due to high intensity, nervousness, or focus on the course. Therefore:
Mark bottles beforehand (e.g. with Edding) for better timing
Mentally incorporate drinking intervals (e.g. a sip every 15 minutes)
For short races (<60 minutes) one small bottle of electrolytes is often sufficient
For long races (>2 hours): 2 bottles with carbohydrates + salt, plan for refills if necessary
Tip: Practice drinking during training! If you can drink with one hand at 40 km/h, you'll be more relaxed during the race.
❌ Only drink when you are thirsty
❌ Only water – no electrolytes
❌ Drinking too much at once
❌ Not knowing how much you are actually losing
❌ Forgetting to rehydrate after the ride
Drinking isn't an afterthought — it's the number one performance factor. Those who drink regularly ride better, recover faster, and feel more confident on the bike. Pay attention to your signals, always have enough fluids with you—and practice your drinking habits just as you practice your acceleration on the climb.
Because sometimes it's not the strength of your calves that determines your performance – but the contents of your water bottle.
✅ Two full bottles of 750 ml each for tours > 2 hours
✅ Add electrolytes or isotonic drink
✅ Start well hydrated beforehand
✅ Drink every 15–20 minutes
✅ After the ride: Weigh + rehydrate
Almost every road cyclist remembers this moment: You're rolling slowly up to a traffic light, everything is relaxed – and then you simply tip over . Not quickly, not spectacularly, but agonizingly slowly.
Ein Tubeless-System funktioniert nur so gut wie die Dichtmilch, die darin zirkuliert. Sie dichtet kleine Einstiche in Sekundenschnelle ab – aber nur, wenn sie noch flüssig und wirksam ist. Wer sie vernachlässigt, riskiert, dass der Reifen bei der nächsten Panne nicht mehr selbst abdichtet oder schleichend Luft verliert. Die gute Nachricht: Dichtmilch nachfüllen oder wechseln ist einfacher als viele denken.
Die Tour de France 2026 ist entschieden: Tadej Pogačar fährt zum fünften Mal in Gelb nach Paris und schließt zu den Rekordsiegern auf. Das Finale über den Montmartre entschied Mathieu van der Poel um eine halbe Radlänge – gegen seinen eigenen Sprinter.
