Meet July's Partner of the Month - Precision Hydration & Performance

This July we're welcoming Precision Fuel & Hydration to the Collective as our Partner of the Month - and we think you're going to get a lot out of this one.

Precision Fuel & Hydration was built around a simple but important idea:

That individual differences in physiology matter, and that the best fuelling and hydration strategy is the one that's right for you specifically - not for an average athlete.

They work with endurance athletes at every level, helping them take a more personalised, science-led approach to what they eat and drink before and during a ride.

Over the next four weeks, they'll be helping us go deeper on four topics that affect every one of us on the bike: fluid, sodium, carbohydrates and cramping. Practical, evidence-based and no magic bullets.

We're starting this week with fluid ... because most of us know we should drink on the bike, but far fewer of us know how much we're actually losing.

ARE YOU DRINKING ENOUGH?

Here's something worth knowing: sweat rates vary far more between individuals than most people realise. On a warm day at moderate intensity, one rider might lose around 0.5 litres per hour. Another might lose well over 2 litres. Body size, fitness, heat, humidity and genetics all play a role.

Drinking to thirst works reasonably well on shorter rides. But on anything over 90 minutes (especially in the heat) a more deliberate approach pays off.

The Precision Fuel & Hydration team recommend aiming to limit fluid losses to around 2–4% of body weight during exercise. Beyond that, you're likely to notice it not just in how you feel, but in measurable drops in power output and concentration.

The good news is that you can measure your own sweat rate at home. Every kilogram of weight lost during a ride equals roughly one litre of sweat - giving you a solid baseline for how much you need to replace per hour in similar conditions.

A few practical habits that make a real difference, according to the PF&H team:

• Start every ride well hydrated and consider preloading with a strong electrolyte drink before long or hot sessions
• Set a timer on your watch/ bike computer if you tend to forget to drink mid-ride
• Adjust your intake based on conditions - a cool indoor session needs far less than a hot summer road race

Sweat rate isn't fixed either. It changes with temperature, humidity and effort level. Building an awareness of yours across different conditions is one of the simpler performance gains available to any cyclist.

Not sure where to start with your own numbers? Precision Fuel & Hydration's free Fuel & Hydration Planner builds you a personalised race day strategy based on your event, conditions, and physiology - taking the guesswork out of how much to drink and when.

Next week we'll be looking at sodium - the electrolyte your body loses most of in sweat, and the one that has the biggest impact on how you feel late in a ride.