camel back vs bottles on bike

[Jen]

I am planning to ride the MS150 in June. I was considering buying a camel back, 50 oz. for hydration. I feel they are safer and I am more likely to stay hydrated if it is easy to get to. I have heard that it is not a great idea to add any weight to the body on long rides because it is more weight on the seat. On long rides like 150 miles, do any of you use a camel back? If so, does if bother you to have that on your back all day?

[Veronica]

I prefer water bottles. I drink at least every 15 minutes.

V.

[bike4ever]

Go with two Polar insulated bottles - you don't need the extra weight on this road ride.

[DeniseGoldberg]

On long rides I often use a 70 ounce camelbak for water plus carry 2 waterbottles filled with Gatorade. But those are for long solo (and unsupported) rides.

The MS rides usually have rest stops at relatively low mileage points where you can fill your water bottles. And I believe that most of the MS150 rides are 75 miles done twice, not 150 in one day.

But - in answer to your question, riding with a camelbak should not be that noticeable. Yes, you know it's there, but it shouldn't slow you down. And if it is more comfortable for you to drink from it, it might be better for you than water bottles.

--- Denise

[han-grrl]

I did the MS tour (120 km on day 1,and 60 on day two) and there were more than enough rest stops to top up. i would just try to ride "free and clear" as i like to call it, and just use a bottle. don't forget sunscreen!!!

[mimitabby]

I use a camel back, and put bottles on the bike too for a long ride. when I stop, I can drink out of them.
It's so easy to drink from a camel back and besides, you can store things (like extra gloves,
chamois butter, kleenex) in the camel back. I don't like messing with waterbottles on a ride.

[caligurl]

i never use a camelback for supported rides.... no need... the rest stops are always close enough to keep my bottles full! not to mention i don't want the extra weight on my back for longer rides! (i only use my camelback for unsupported desert rides in the heat when i know there's no place to get water!)

[sbctwin]

I use a camelback...I have the "magic". My small bike frame only allows me room for one bottle. I found I can't reach the bottle easily when I ride and when I take it out of the cage, I am terrible at getting it back into the cage. It causes too much distraction. It is so much easier to sip from the camelback and I don't even think about the extra weight on my back.

[SadieKate]

For supported rides, there is no need for the extra water storage but to each her own. I don't like the weight on my bike and the added heat. Harder to take off and put on layers, and get to my snacks while riding.

Somehow I've never felt they were safer but then I can't get the hose to be in just the right position without leaking or hitting me in the face or flopping around distractingly. I have to unclip and re-clipping the hose means I have to look at it, unlike a bottle. Not to mention, after you've snagged a jersey with the velcro sternum strap you keep them relegated to mtbiking with jerseys that you know will be a risk anyway.

[Grog]

I find the camelbacks heavy, too hot, and they make accessing my jersey pockets difficult. (I tend to put a lot of stuff in there, like a spare pair of gloves (in cool temperature), arm warmers, food, another spare tube if it's not a supported ride or I'm riding alone, etc.)

I usually carry two bottles, one with some drink (lemonade with a pinch of salt) and one with just water (also useful in case of emergency to rinse a wound if you don't have any other clean water handy). I'll arrange to ride where I can find a convenience store or something similar to buy refills if it's a really long ride...

I think drinking from a bottle as one rides is a good skill to learn, but I'm no bottle-integrist. Do what feels best.

[nuthatch]

I've used a camelbak on the MS150 and, although my back did ache at the end of the day, I was grateful for a drink whenever I wanted it. It was over 100F and I'm a big drinker, so I go through bottles really fast.

[Kano]

Not an MS150, but on our first supported ride...

1000 riders, and those of us in the back third didn't get any water or the provided snacks -- the speedier riders drank and ate it all before we got there.

I was sure glad I had my own trail mix and water along!

Karen in Boise

[7rider]

Are you comfortable drinking from a bottle while the bike is moving? You said "safer" - so I suspect perhaps you are not.
If you are not, I don't think the added weight of a Camelbak will be a huge burden. You aren't packing all of your gear there, are you? Just water/Gatorade? Don't go crazy with the storage, and it would be fine. You can always take it off at the rest stops to give your back a break.
If you are comfortable drinking while moving, for an organized ride with plenty of rest stops, I'd say 2 water bottles should be fine - even on a hot summer ride.
Only you can make that call, really.

[roadie gal]

I'm a big drinker, so I go for the Camelbak with water and 2 water bottles with a sports drink, even on supported rides. I've also had the experience of the water/food/etc being gone by the time I've gotten to the rest stop.

I don't notice the heat or the weight of the Camelbak. Then again, I backpacked for years, so it just feels natural to me.

[Duck on Wheels]

I'm not really skilled at getting the bottle out of the cage and back in again. It takes concentration, I slow down, I even have to stop altogether many times. I also have to carry a bit more extra gear than most folks (emergency change of ostomy appliance -- just in case). So I always wear a Camelbak, one with just enough storage space and plenty of water. I put only water in the c'bak, then two bottles with sports drink on the frame. I sip constantly from the c'bak and drink from the bottles at every stop sign or other brief stop, then refill both bottles and c'bak at the rest stops as needed. I haven't done a 150, but I imagine I would do the same regardless of distance. That said ... my reasons need not apply to you. As folks have said already -- if you're fine with bottles, then you probably don't need the extra weight and warmth.

[Crankin]

I'm sorta like Duck. My bottle skills got a lot better this year, but on any ride longer than say 40 miles, I use my Camelbak and fill 2 bottles with Accelerade, especially when it's hot. I drink the whole 50 oz. of water on a fifty mile ride, plus at least one bottle of Accelerade. I have the small Siren model, which only has a small sip for keys or an energy bar. I hardly ever ride with the Camelbak I have with a backpack in it. That is heavy. The Sren is not.

[VeloVT]

I think this is really personal. I love my camelbaks for long runs, but they make me crazy on the bike. My bike has a very stretched out position. When I first got the bike I too had trouble drinking while riding (this does come with practice though! I can do it now), and took my camelbak on some rides -- and I found that it made me uncomfortable, as I always felt I was hunching my back/shoulders to keep the camelbak from shifting. For me this led to some shoulder fatigue (which I otherwise never get), and I was just generally always aware of it. Again though, I think some of this is that my position on the bike is pretty stretched out, with a lot of weight on my hands, so the weight tends to slide up/forward.

I ran across this the other day and, while I'm sure it would draw some stares, thought it was a clever idea:

http://www.trisports.com/nesy.html

Also I wonder if rear-mounted (that is, seatpost or saddle mounted) cages would be easier to master at first -- since you don't have to deal with moving legs or looking down.

Anyway, while I didn't like riding with camelbaks, I think you should experiment and do whatever makes you most comfortable. Congratulations on your event! I REALLY want to try a century and maybe a tri this summer.

[Jen]

I am not yet comfortable drinking from the bottle. I can get it out, harder to put back in but tiping my head back to drink while riding is difficult. I got a camel bottle with a straw so I don't have to tip my head back but it is a very tight fit in the bottle holder. I may opt for a fanny pack style of camel back. It holds 50 ounces and take one bottle refill. OR, maybe this spring I can practice and will get better at it.

[Jen]

I like that rear mounted gadget. That looks easy. Anyone ever tried it?:)

[nuthatch]

I am not yet comfortable drinking from the bottle. I can get it out, harder to put back in but tiping my head back to drink while riding is difficult. I got a camel bottle with a straw so I don't have to tip my head back but it is a very tight fit in the bottle holder. I may opt for a fanny pack style of camel back. It holds 50 ounces and take one bottle refill. OR, maybe this spring I can practice and will get better at it.

I talked to a bike shop guy at a race last summer, who said he was working with Camelbak on making one of these 'sipper' style bottles specifically for bikes, with an insulating sleeve on it. The only problem is, the volume of liquid would be reduced because it needed to be more narrow to fit in the cage. :mad: