Free cycling tools · your starting point
What will you take on your ride?
Your effort
Weather, sweat and bottle
- Carbohydrate
- Up to 60g/h
Total for your ride: up to 120 g
Fluid per hour: 0.4–0.8 L/h
Ride duration: 2 hours
A starting point; test it in training.
Carbohydrate: Up to 60 g/h. A starting point; test it in training.
Carbohydrate
Up to 60 g/h
Total for your ride: up to 120 g
A single carbohydrate source is fine.
- Fluid per hour
- 0.4–0.8 L/h
ACSM gives 0.4–0.8 L/hour as a starting point for marathon runners. This is not a fixed cycling requirement: adapt it to your ride and your own sweat loss.
Position within the ACSM range, not a measurement.
Cool with little sweat: lower end. Hot with heavy sweat: upper end.
Position based on your inputs: 0.6 L/h
Total for your ride: 0.8–1.6 L
Bottles for your ride: 1.6–3.2
Bottles = hourly fluid × ride duration / bottle size. A conversion, not extra advice.
Sodium in your drink
20–30 mmol/L, approximately 460–690 mg per litre
Sodium per bottle: 230–345 mg
Drink concentration converted to your bottle size, not an hourly amount.
Weigh yourself before and after training to learn your own sweat loss.
Individualise this guidance; aim to avoid losing more than 2% of body mass.
A starting point; test it in training.
Sources
- Jeukendrup A. A Step Towards Personalized Sports Nutrition: Carbohydrate Intake During Exercise. Sports Med. 2014;44(Suppl 1):25–33, Figure 1. doi:10.1007/s40279-014-0148-z.
- Sawka MN et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(2):377–390. Page 384: fluid starting point for marathon runners. Page 385: 20–30 mEq/L sodium in sports drinks for prolonged exercise. This tool shows concentration for rides longer than one hour.
Your ride at a glance
Endurance · 20 °C · How much do you sweat? average
0 min
Start
60 min
Halfway
120 min
Finish
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Make this advice more personal
Your nutrition plan based on your actual weight and power.
- Your details stay saved. No need to enter them again, even in other calculators.
- A narrower range. Your weight, FTP and sweat profile help you plan for your ride.
- Your next step is ready. Use your weight and FTP in the climb planner too.
These details go with you to your account
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The short answer
Plan food and drink around ride duration. The calculator provides carbohydrate guidance and a fluid range. Temperature and your chosen sweat profile position a reference point within that range.
How we calculate
Ride duration selects the carbohydrate category. The fluid range is multiplied by duration and converted into bottles using your bottle capacity. For longer rides, the model also shows sodium concentration.
What this cannot tell you
Your sweat profile is an estimate, not a sweat measurement. The reference point is a model rule. The range is not a compulsory drinking target; adapt your plan to your experience and conditions.
Worked example
An example with fixed inputs. Use the calculator for your own details.
Input
- Ride duration
- 2 hours
- Temperature
- 20 °C
- Sweat profile
- Medium
- Bottle capacity
- 750 ml
Calculated result
- Carbohydrate per hour, up to
- 60 g/h
- Fluid per hour
- 0.4–0.8 L/h
- Fluid for the ride
- 0.8–1.6 L
- Sodium per litre
- 460–690 mg/L
Common mistakes
- Confusing an hourly amount with the total for the ride.
- Counting bottles without checking their capacity.
- Trying a high carbohydrate intake for the first time on an important ride.
What this tool is for
A safe first pass for ride fueling
This page helps you think in ranges instead of guessing from habit. It is designed to make the next decision clearer, not to overpromise exact numbers for every rider.
Plan before the ride starts
Use ride duration, intensity, and expected heat to choose a workable starting plan rather than reacting after fatigue already hits.
Keep hydration realistic
Bottle count, refill points, and sweat loss matter together. A useful plan should fit the route and the conditions you actually ride in.
Stay cautious with assumptions
Gut tolerance, climate, and training load change the answer. Conservative planning is usually more durable than chasing a single exact target.
Common problems riders try to solve
Running out of energy on long steady rides or during late-race fatigue.
Drinking too little in heat, or too much because the plan is not tied to actual sweat loss.
Pacing climbs or events too hard because fueling never matched the effort.
What to check first
Estimate ride length, temperature, and intensity before changing any intake target.
Check whether the goal is endurance, performance, or simply avoiding a bonk.
Start from a conservative range and adjust only after you know what your gut and bottles can handle.
What not to change blindly
Do not copy a pro-level intake plan without testing it at your own pace and gut tolerance.
Do not push sodium or carbohydrate higher just because more sounds more scientific.
Do not treat one ride's success as proof that the same plan works in every condition.
FAQ
FAQ
Is this meant to replace a nutrition coach?
No. It gives a practical first-pass plan and a clearer decision path. Complex cases still benefit from a coach or sports nutrition review.
Should hydration always be measured in exact milliliters per hour?
No. Sweat rate, weather, and access to bottles make ranges more useful than pretending there is one universal number.
Explore more
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