Rekker

Water & food carry calculator

By Jesse Burkunk · Updated July 2026 · Numbers tuned on real long-distance rides

On a self-supported ride the question is never "how much per day" but "how much do I carry across the next gap without a shop or tap". These are the rough numbers I plan my own rides with. Enter your longest resupply gap and get a carry target.

A loaded bikepacking setup with bottles and frame bags, the bike Jesse rode during the Race around the Netherlands 2026
Size your bottles to the longest dry gap, not the whole day. My bike during the Race around the Netherlands 2026. Photo: Jesse Burkunk
Water to carry
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Food to carry
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Time in the gap
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Rough planning estimates, not medical advice. Adjust to your own sweat rate, effort and appetite, and always keep a reserve for delays.

Find your resupply gaps automatically

Rekker maps every shop, fuel stop and water point along your GPX and flags the longest carries for you. The Pro Carry planner does this per leg.

How this is calculated

Time in the gap is distance divided by your average speed. Water is that time multiplied by an hourly rate that rises with heat (roughly 0.5 to 1.3 litres per hour). Food assumes about 300 kcal per hour of endurance riding, and we show it as ~250 kcal bars or portions.

Tips for closing the gap

Top up at every reliable tap even if your bottles are not empty. Cemeteries and graveyards with a tap are common water sources when the route runs dry. Treat "24/7" fuel stations as your night-time lifeline, and never assume a supermarket is open on a Sunday in Germany or the Alps.