Re: Cycling editorial

On 4/21/2024 4:52 AM, Wolfgang Strobl wrote:

Am Fri, 19 Apr 2024 16:32:00 -0400 schrieb Frank Krygowski
<frkrygow@sbcglobal.net>:
 

The water bottle cage on the front of the handlebar looks handy too! Why
did that go out of style?

 Perhaps because racers have a cycling computer there?
<https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cnv35cjD2aEgNJ5CFXzBHV-1024-80.jpg.webp>
(from
...
 In addition, I'm not restricted by official competition rules
restricting bottle size and placement.

I didn't realize there were rules on bottle size and placement. Perhaps I should have guessed that.

On super-long rides, including my (only) double century, I often had my
water bottle in my handlebar bag, assuming there was room for it. Much
handier to reach. And better insulated on hot days.

 Indeed. I've never done such long rides in my life, but for doing more
than 100 km into the Ahr hills nearby
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahr_Hills>
on hot days in summer you also need a lot of water.

My main problem on that (hot) double century was balancing water intake with salt intake. Even on that rural ride there were enough places to refill bottles. But I drank so much water I was hyponatremic for a while, which I fixed by downing salt packets from a fast food restaurant.
I remember one solo century ride (a spontaneous one, not planned) in central Michigan during which I ran out of water. It was remote enough that it took me a long time to find a place to refill.
--
- Frank Krygowski