Water bottles or camel back

[CHanson]

I am going to do some century rides this year well at least August and Sept. I have used a camel back on some lenghty training rides but I feel I downright uncomfortable after 60 miles or so. Has anyone else experienced this and what are some alternatives for carry extra water

 

[troyq]

Originally posted by CHanson
I am going to do some century rides this year well at least August and Sept. I have used a camel back on some lenghty training rides but I feel I downright uncomfortable after 60 miles or so. Has anyone else experienced this and what are some alternatives for carry extra water

When you say uncomfortable, what do you mean exactly? I also have a camelbak but I use it mostly for mtb'ing... now I wouldn't go without it.

The only negatives i can think of are the sweat buildup on your back (I assume that's what you are referring to?) and the water heating up in the bladder... ice cubes only work for an hour or 2. Both a small price to pay for being left "high and dry" so to speak

 

[Mowiss]

Originally posted by troyq
When you say uncomfortable, what do you mean exactly? I also have a camelbak but I use it mostly for mtb'ing... now I wouldn't go without it.

The only negatives i can think of are the sweat buildup on your back (I assume that's what you are referring to?) and the water heating up in the bladder... ice cubes only work for an hour or 2. Both a small price to pay for being left "high and dry" so to speak

I ride a recumbent so it's con venient for me to mount my Camelbak Unbottle 100 to the bike, but I also carry three 24 oz. Polar bottles. On a 60 mile ride in Florida I will easily consume all 172 ounces of hydration, and then some.

LouisG

 

[Can]

I would recommend a Camelbak everytime, much easier and holds much more. I have had serious troubles from Camelbaks before, I am allergic to something in the bottles off the shelf, and I have to REALLY clean it out with something like Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap peppermint (works well!) and then let it soak over night with baking soda, and clean again in the morning for the first couple uses. Otherwise I have had debilitating gastric reflux, with no history of it other than that, I was literally gagging on stomache acid which turned my tounge black and hurt so bad I wanted to throw up. I was saved by a teammate who packed extra water, which allowed my to dillute whatever I had drank and wash down the pain.
Otherwise, they are great =) I suppose they could have more pockets, like the Hawg and also have a concave back brace to allow air circulation.... but, whatever.
Jacob

 

[Geonz]

What do you mean uncomfortable? Sweaty? Water's too heavy? I keep a "reserve" bottle on the frame and ice down the water so it's cooling, and adjust the straps so I don't have a lot of weight on my lower back. And of course I don't fill the thing all the way for most rides, especially if there are stops where I can add to it.

 

[kokopuffs]

Just an fyi go to the Camelbak website and checkout their military line. The units having the same name include more storage capacity with better stitching. If I got a c'bak I'd get the military issue HAWG. More durability and capacity.

 

[romicsteve]

I use a 50 oz. Camelbak, which is not that heavy on my back. Then, I supplement with Polar water bottles, which I use to refill the Camelbak at rest stops.

I am MUCH better hydrated with the Camelbak. Mayve it's psychological, but having the tube right there in front of my face reminds me to drink more frequently.

Yes, it is a bit of a hassle keeping them clean. But, it's a small price to pay.

 

[BHman]

I also have a 50 oz CB, which I bought for and use on back packing trips (just home tonight from a 50 mile hike along Pictured Rocks nat'l lakeshore) I like the eas of use of the shoulder tube, but I do not care for the feeling on my back. When I tour, i carry 2 polar bottles on the frame mounts of teh bike and a spare in the rack top bag. That should give me at least 3 hr of pedal time betwen fill ups. I generally get off the bike every hour or so to stretch (and check the MAP!) so there is opportunity to move bottles around. On longer excursions, a water purifier can come along as well for use as opportuunities arise.

 

[JamesGibb]

Originally posted by CHanson
I am going to do some century rides this year well at least August and Sept. I have used a camel back on some lenghty training rides but I feel I downright uncomfortable after 60 miles or so. Has anyone else experienced this and what are some alternatives for carry extra water

What sort of bike are doing these rides on? Will you have any luggage? I'd never carry anything on my back for that distance if there was a way round it. Two or three litre bottles on the bottle cages on the frame and any extra you think you might need in a pannier, top bag, saddle bag etc.

 

[RegMeg]

Patience please - I'm a newbie. What is a polar water bottle? Thanks!

 

[romicsteve]

Originally posted by RegMeg
Patience please - I'm a newbie. What is a polar water bottle? Thanks!

Polar bottles are insulated, so they keep cold water colder longer. Isotherm also makes an insulated water bottle, I think, but Polar bottles are more readily available. They should be available at your local bike store.

 

[Dellphinus]

Originally posted by romicsteve
Polar bottles are insulated, so they keep cold water colder longer. Isotherm also makes an insulated water bottle, I think, but Polar bottles are more readily available. They should be available at your local bike store.

The polar bottle ads say they keep stuff cold twice as long as uninsulated bottles. So far, my uninsulated bottles keep stuff cold for about 20 minutes. Are the Polars really worth it? Or should I get used to drinking warm water?

 

[msrw]

Camelbacks are good for off road riding, where it may be inconvenient to reach down to grab a water bottle. But wearing a backpack on the road when you can easily carry a couple of water bottles on the bike? Seems like some sort of masochism. I vote for water bottles. Two will probably be sufficient for century riding, in which there are rest stops every 20-25 miles.

 

[stevek]

Originally posted by msrw
Camelbacks are good for off road riding, where it may be inconvenient to reach down to grab a water bottle. But wearing a backpack on the road when you can easily carry a couple of water bottles on the bike? Seems like some sort of masochism. I vote for water bottles. Two will probably be sufficient for century riding, in which there are rest stops every 20-25 miles.

I have to sue a backpack for commuting. the only real downside most of the time is the sweat even in winter. My back is the only overheated part. I have one of the vented backpacks that you have nylon mesh against most of your back and it sure helps. it has a pouch for a reservoir and a hole in top. So it serves both duties.
I would not be inconvenienced by just a camelback though.

 

[rdmartin]

I use a 100 oz camelbak for essentially all of my riding. I have had it with me on all the long distance rides I have done without any back pain. The one I have has air vents on the back so the sweat build up on my back is no worse than it is for anyplace else on me.

I live in the Phoenix area. In the summer, I cannot imagine riding without a camelbak. During the summer months (May through Oct), I will carry my camelbak, 2 bottles, and 32-64oz extra in a trunk. I carry the extra water after having run out of water in the middle of a road ride on desert roads where there are no c-stores or water spickets to get more water.

 

[greenie]

Originally posted by Dellphinus
The polar bottle ads say they keep stuff cold twice as long as uninsulated bottles. So far, my uninsulated bottles keep stuff cold for about 20 minutes. Are the Polars really worth it? Or should I get used to drinking warm water?

On hot days, it is much preferable to drink water warm unless you are trying to increase you body temparature.
reason for this is that your body thermostat's first priority is to regulate the temp of your vital organs and pooring cold water on your thermostat (drinking) gets it to generate more body heat. Drinking cold water is psychological only

Riding all day as we often do when fully loaded touring, its definately water bottles to keep your CoG as low to ground as possible, your balance, ventillation etc etc - no contest! Particularly now that adjustable bottle mounts are available that hold up to 2litre size bottles - uninsulated of course - you can't drink the insulation which cuts down your carrying capacity.

 

[msrw]

Originally posted by Dellphinus
The polar bottle ads say they keep stuff cold twice as long as uninsulated bottles. So far, my uninsulated bottles keep stuff cold for about 20 minutes. Are the Polars really worth it? Or should I get used to drinking warm water?

Insulated bottles do insulate much better--you'll get an hour or so before the cold water turns lukewarm. The downside is that they don't hold as much liquid for a non-insulated bottle of the same size--the difference in capacity is substantial.

Another option for the truly cold water obsessed: stainless steel vaccum bottles in bicycle water bottle size. They make these, complete with a standard water bottle drinking cap. They keep whatever you have hot or cold for at least 24 hours.

 

[brightgarden]

i use bottles exclusively for 50 mi or less rides, but have to admit when i use a camelbak, it is much easier to stay hydrated. otherwise, i love the feeling of having nothing on my back. i never found the camelbak uncomfortable (i use the rogue on my road bike), but i can see how my transalp might be uncomfortable on a long ride.

if you supplement with one of those white insulators, don't put ice in your camelbak on a warm day because it'll never melt--no kidding! had a friend with me one time who did that, and he was getting dehydrated because he'd drunk all the fluid, but the ice was all still there 3 hours into our ride! haha! well, it WAS funny in that way that things that should evoke pity are funny, but he appreciated the irony too (my stuff was **** warm).

 

[el Ingles]

Have you seen , they now make bottle carriers to mount to the handlebar : now were have I seen that before ?

 

[Spin baby]

Hmmm....

An insulated pac on my carrier with a large container of fluid with a few bucks of cheap food grade tubing running from the container to my mouth. No sweaty back, drinks stay colder longer... and one can pretty much carry a whole days fluid.