carrying water

[sundial]

Now that I've got my touring bike I'm experimenting with things on my rides to get a feel for a method of madness that works for me. I'm trying to figure out a system for carrying water on my day trips.

I live in the south with Aug. temps in the mid 90's-100's. I have room for 5 bottles on my bike and I have a Camelbak with a 72 oz bladder. I'm wrestling with whether to carry water on me as opposed to bottles on the bike--or both. If I carry it on the bike it's likely to get hot because most of my bottles are not insulated. I do like the Camelbak because the water stays cooler longer.

Do you just get used to drinking hot water on a hot day? What works for hot regions?

[Zen]

I drink more when I wear the Camelbak since I don't have to stop. I do carry two extra bottles in case I drain the Cbak.

Warm water is better than no water.

You might try filling those insulated bottles and freezing them but that only stays cold slightly longer.

[Tri Girl]

+1 to what Zen said.
I don't even think freezing water bottles is worth it. I freeze a little water in my Camelbak then have one bottle with cold water on the bike. By the time I'm done with the bottle on the bike, my Camelbak has thawed enough to drink from and I have cold water on my whole ride.

[OakLeaf]

I really prefer water at air temperature, but when it gets super hot and my ability to cool myself by sweating is maxed out, I know that drinking cool water helps me keep my core temperature down.

If I fill my Platypus (neoprene insulated) with ice cubes, then top it off with water (which comes from my tap at 55°F), it'll stay quite cool for as long as it takes me to drink the 1.8 liters. I save the frame mounted bottles for electrolyte drink, mixed extra strong.

[sundial]

...but when it gets super hot and my ability to cool myself by sweating is maxed out, I know that drinking cool water helps me keep my core temperature down...

That's what I've run into--water too hot to keep me cool. I don't mind the Camelbak water getting a little warm, but when the water in the cages gets too warm it's only good for dousing to stay cool until I can get somewhere to get ice water. I've wondered how people do it with carrying all those bottles on their bike and staying cool and refreshed with the water.

[Biketouringrook]

Well, I live in Sunny South Florida, Ft. Lauderdale area, and it's HHHHOOOOTTT! The sun it hot around 8:30am and it does not began to cool until 6:30 or 7pm. The temp is around 90 to 94 degrees. I cycle for 4,5,or 6 hours. I always freeze 5 water bottles, take three with me, two on the bike and wrap one in plastice(keep things from getting wet) and place it in my tail rider trunk bag. This seems to carry me through. It's best if you let the water freeze for a couple of days, rather than overnight. This is why I freeze five, the other two will be solid when I'm ready for them the next day.