Cages + Water Bottle Clearance = Advice

[spokewench]

It's one of those snobby road biker things! No camelbacks and no visors on your helmet!

[Crankin]

I just bought the smaller, 20 oz. bottles...
I wore a Camelbak for a long time and no one ever made fun of me (except my son, but hey, he was 17 and a racer).

[OakLeaf]

There's definitely a snob element to it, but also the hydration packs that sit high on your back are really unwearable on a road bike - they put too much stress on your back. You'll want one with a waist strap to put the weight of the water onto your hipbones, and just let the shoulder and sternum straps stabilize the position.

[MartianDestiny]

There's definitely a snob element to it, but also the hydration packs that sit high on your back are really unwearable on a road bike - they put too much stress on your back. You'll want one with a waist strap to put the weight of the water onto your hipbones, and just let the shoulder and sternum straps stabilize the position.

This.

I wore my camelbak a grand total of once on a road bike. Not again. It's painful and restricting and really makes a huge difference. A low sitting one I might consider for very long rides. But even my traditional (vertical bladder) bag with a "waist strap" has too much weight up too high. It's never been an issue on the mountain bike or hiking.

[OakLeaf]

too much weight up too high. It's never been an issue on the mountain bike or hiking.

What happens if you just loosen the shoulder straps (and possibly tighten the waist/hip strap)?

I don't really like to wear a hydration pack on the bici, just because when it's hot enough to need one, it's too hot to have something on my back - but on hot days, I really, really need the extra water. I'm the queen of sweat and it can be 30 miles or longer between water stops.

I basically have three settings for the straps: short for walking/outdoor events; low on the hipbones for cycling; and blow it all out when it has to go over a motorcycle jacket and armor.

[MartianDestiny]

What happens if you just loosen the shoulder straps (and possibly tighten the waist/hip strap)?

I don't really like to wear a hydration pack on the bici, just because when it's hot enough to need one, it's too hot to have something on my back - but on hot days, I really, really need the extra water. I'm the queen of sweat and it can be 30 miles or longer between water stops.

I basically have three settings for the straps: short for walking/outdoor events; low on the hipbones for cycling; and blow it all out when it has to go over a motorcycle jacket and armor.

No dice. They make packs where the bladder is horizontal around your waist and I bet those would work, but it doesn't matter how I adjust the vertical pack it's too much on my back on a road bike.

This doesn't bother me as going to bottles wasn't a big problem. But it's not just "snobbery" that keeps roadies away from camelbaks and I imagine the "n00b" comments associated with them occur far more often on internet forums than on actual bike rides.

[wackyjacky1]

No camelbacks and no visors on your helmet!

Uh oh, guilty on both counts, LOL!

(I have found my Camelbak to be invaluable during our hot summer months, and surprisingly comfortable.)

[tongue_tied]

I use a CamelBak if I'm going to go on a really long ride, like sixty miles plus... and this was when I only had one bottle cage. It really is uncomfortable - but it forces me to drink more water to get the weight off of my back. It just seems like two water bottles wouldn't do it on a longer ride... but I guess it depends on the distance between stops.

[arielmoon]

I use shorter (20oz) bottles and honestly I think they are easier to handle when I am out riding.

[BellaMTB]

It's one of those snobby road biker things! No camelbacks and no visors on your helmet!

Just curious; who makes these rules anyway? I depend on my visor to keep my face from burning and to help see the trail at dusk. So glad I'm not a road biker.

[MartianDestiny]

Just curious; who makes these rules anyway? I depend on my visor to keep my face from burning and to help see the trail at dusk. So glad I'm not a road biker.

Mountain bikers that want to make road bikers look like jerks.

Frankly, there are reasons why many road bikers ride without camelbaks or visors. Camelbaks have been covered. Visors can reduce your vision, especially in an aero position and loose some of the utility they have on mountain bikes. Still some people ride with visors and/or camelbaks. I've done both. No one has ever said anything to me or anyone else (that I've witnessed) outside of joking on an internet forum with the exception of mountain bikers (on internet forums) talking about what jerks roadies are. It's all very ridiculous.

[crazycanuck]

Excuse me? I'm a mtn biker & i think it's roadies that have the anti-camelback attitude thank you very much! Roadies make fun of mtn bike baggy clothes etc.

Roadies think they rule the planet...

*harumph*

Excuse me whilst I go and drool over some singletrack.

[pinkbikes]

Now see, I'm a roadie, a mountain biker and a triathlete as well, so everybody gets to make fun of me!

Or is it that I get to make fun of everybody else??

I do wear a visor on my helmets. But I don't wear a camelbak on my roadie. I do wear a camelbak on the mtb. I do wear lycra for everything (although some would wish I didn't). I sometimes wear full-fingered gloves on the roadie!

I do have a tiara cable-tied to the top of both my helmets, although I broke one (helmet and tiara) the other week when I took a swan-dive onto the road after a collision with another direction-challenged cyclist! I do wear seasonal jerseys (Easter Bunny and Santa Claus) in triathlons. I love jerseys that poke fun.

I think everybody suspects I don't take "the rules" very seriously. I suspect we only make up the rules for a bit of fun at each other's expense. I've got enough amunition to poke fun at myself all day!

[MartianDestiny]

Excuse me? I'm a mtn biker & i think it's roadies that have the anti-camelback attitude thank you very much! Roadies make fun of mtn bike baggy clothes etc.

Roadies think they rule the planet...

*harumph*

Excuse me whilst I go and drool over some singletrack.

I'm a mountain biker too, BUT... I have NEVER met with an anti-camelback, down on baggy mountain biker cloths, rule the planet roadie in person. Mountain bikers really seem to love to beef up that stereotype though. You just proved my point....