What's Really Wrong With Riding a Roadie With a Camelbak?

Rich Hcp

I have a MTB, Orange G3 and a Roadie, Spez Allez Sport (2007)

I have no bottle cages on the MTB, the bottle gets covered in, well, everything!

So I have a Camelbak Streamlined, which holds 1.5 litres, plus enough room for a few bits and Bobs

I also use it on the Spez, I have water in my Camelbak and Lucozade Sport (Or similar) in the bottle.

The Sreamlined is, streamlined, you can still use the back pockets in the jearsey, don't get a really sweaty back, doesn't seem to make me any slower.

Using a Hydropack seems to be frowned upon, if you're riding a roadie why is this?

I can see in a race or TT then a pack would not be such a good idea, but why not at other times?

It seems to make sense to stay hydrated in this way

bendertherobot

Nothing wrong with it at all if it makes you feel comfortable. Someone will be along shortly to tell you you're not a real man unless you can survive on a thimble of water during a 24 hour ride though.

topdude

Who frowns upon your camelback :?:
You could ask the same question about peaks on your helmet, baggy shorts, triple chainrings, unshaven legs, just because the "Pro" riders don't use them does not mean we can't.
Most of us are not "Pro" and never could be so why are so many trying to imitate them :?:

There is nothing wrong with these things, you can wear / use whatever you want, just enjoy being out on the bike.

Rant over

jpembroke

Pro riders do use them in Time Trials; they are just concealed under their jerseys making them look like Quasimodo.

willbevan

i use one for long rides when i cant really carry enough water for the distance, i.e.80oddmiles in the heat :S

blorg

If it works for you I don't see why not. I have SPDs on my road bike and wear sandals, which regularly raised quizzical looks from other roadies but doesn't make me any slower.

Personally though I would get annoyed with having the thing on my back; you can get 1.5 litres of water onto a road frame very easily and for the price of two bottles and cages I'd consider trying it with nothing on your back and see how you find it. You might like it, and stick with the Camelbak on the MTB. Or you might not, in which case continue with the Camelbak.

Phekdra

Rich Hcp wrote:

It seems to make sense to stay hydrated in this way

I agree. I've got a 2l Camelbak Rogue, which is enough for 100km even when the sun is out like this morning. Plus room for a couple of bars of crunchy stuff, a banana, my wallet and keys. Also a pump if it wasn't already in my saddle bag. It's also very flat and streamlined and I only really notice it when it's completely full and starts to ride up on my shoulders when I'm in the drops.

Of course, I try and conceal it when I'm passing another roadie... :P

Phekdra

synchronicity

topdude wrote:

Most of us are not "Pro" and never could be so why are so many trying to imitate them :?:

I agree with that 100%.

I've sure changed my tune with respect to bike components & clothes in the last 2 years... I'm all for things being more practical.

There's nothing stopping me from wearing a camelback, but I'd only do so after the first 2 waterbottles are filled to the brim.
While it's great for MTB use (my MTB doesn't even make allowances for bottle cages), for road use, I do prefer to get the weight off my body for some reason. But if the alternative was dehydration, I wouldn't think twice about taking one.
Eg: for long rides in Australia, you need to carry at least 2 litres during summer if you're heading away from civilisation. I took a camelback regularly there on my road bike rides; filled with ice, it's unbeatable!

Not Another Hill

bendertherobot wrote:

Nothing wrong with it at all if it makes you feel comfortable. Someone will be along shortly to tell you you're not a real man unless you can survive on a thimble of water during a 24 hour ride though.

Full thimbles are for girls....half a thimble for real men

nasahapley

Another Camelbak fan here; I realise they're not for everyone but I did a 137 mile ride (longest yet!) on Friday and my big 3l pack is perfect for that sort of thing, saves having to faff about stopping at shops. I have encountered a bit of mild mickey-taking on occasion for using it on the road bike, but if anyone actually thought less of me for using it then they're not worth bothering with and I wouldn't hesitate to tell them to p**s right off.

But then I do have a triple, mtb spds and shoes and a peak on my (seldom worn) helmet, so I clearly don't know what I'm on about

redddraggon

I've got two camelbacks, but wouldn't use them on my bike, I try to avoid heavy stuff in my pockets on my back. I've just spent a year commuting with a rucksack on my back, and I hated it. Generally I can get away with 2 x 750ml bottles on my riides, but
I can nearly always find a shop to get some liquid.

It's definitely a comfort thing, anything that lets my back breath less is out, Professionals could use them but I wouldnt' copy them.

Jeff Jones

I use one for long rides so I don't have to stop and fill up. It's quite comfy, although it does shift your weight balance a little. I also use the backpack to carry stuff on my way to TTs. So far, no-one's complained :P

chuckcork

Only reasons I can think of for not using one are weight, and that having something on your back just reduces the ventilation there, i.e. you get a damp spot.

Personally I have a Minoura bottom holder bolted to my seat http://www.zyro.co.uk/product_detail.asp?pid=1227 which takes two bottles, with the two bottles on the bike frame that gives me 4 bottles and 3 litres or so capacity for riding, enough at my usual rate of drinking for around 120km or so distance without having to start shopping.

Only problem is that when full they throw the handling of the bike out a bit, but as soon as I can, when I've emptied one in front I switch with the rear so not a problem for too long.

I'd get a front mounted adaptor like this http://www.zyro.co.uk/product_detail.asp?pid=483 as well but unless I start doing 400km audax and am riding where shops are non-existent, I can't see I'd ever need it, and if it was the case I'd probably just carry a backpack with more spares.

Campy King

bendertherobot wrote:

you're not a real man unless you can survive on a thimble of water during a 24 hour ride though.

someone had to do it!

Chris5150

It actually surprises me how many mtbers use camelbacks, I hate them!. I mountain bike & roadbike and I just cannot stand the weight of the camel on my back at all. Yes sometimes my MTB bottle gets covered in muck but thats the only disadvantage I have come across. Not many people go out on an MTB and dont stop at a gate or something or find a little smooth track to be able to have a drink from a water bottle, think a lot of it is just this silly fashion thing of what you must have to look serious etc.
I would much rather carry a bit of Go powder in my jersey & stop off & fill my water bottles up at a garage or something than lug all that weight on my back and have those straps around me.
Each to their own I suppose.

ride_whenever

When road riding i use waterbottles, but on my MTB i tend to fling them all over the trail, any tips for keeping them in place?

bendertherobot

ride_whenever wrote:

When road riding i use waterbottles, but on my MTB i tend to fling them all over the trail, any tips for keeping them in place?

Buy the Specialized Road Pro cage. You'll never get the bottle out but at least it won't fall out.

Rebel Ian

Buy the Specialized Road Pro cage. You'll never get the bottle out but at least it won't fall out.

Oh no, I put one of those on my bike only yesterday!! I'll find out tomorrow evening whether I can get the bottle out!!

bendertherobot

Rebel Ian wrote:

Buy the Specialized Road Pro cage. You'll never get the bottle out but at least it won't fall out.

Oh no, I put one of those on my bike only yesterday!! I'll find out tomorrow evening whether I can get the bottle out!!

Don't worry, they're really good, but stiff at first and some bottles won't go in.

snakehips

I saw plenty of Camelbaks on all sorts of riders at the Dun Run on Saturday/Sunday.
Nobody looked too embarassed to be using one

Snake

passout

Nothing wrong with it but personally I prefer to use bottles on the road. Unlike MTB'ing you tend not to get cow shit all over water bottles on the road! I like to not having to carry anything on my back if I can avoid it.

gtr mart

I recently got a camel back and have been using it for mtb and road (on longer rides I would also carry a rucksack anyway).

I did the woodcock coast to coast recently and after aparticularly hard run we set off again afte r a quick stop and I forgot both my helmet and camel back. I remembered to go back for the helmet but not the camel back. I needed to stop at a garage to buy some water which i tucked into my cycling top - but the feel of riding without the camel back was so much better.

I am in two minds as to what to do. The camel back is new so a bit of a waste if I dont use it, but I think on my road bike I am going to attach bottles and saddle bags to carry water and tubes / tools etc and then will try both options on my mountain bike. It is nice having lots of water and room for kit especially off road when things can get really nasty.

love the link to the twin cages that hang off the saddle. think I will invest in some of those.

cheers
Mart

bigjim

What happened to the twin bottle cages of my youth? They sat on the handlebars and you could stick a straw in the top and help youself as you rode along. Never see them now.

Jim.

myoplexman

I have used a smaller camel on my road bike but lately I have reverted back to a bottle cage. It was handy for carrying things like some food, keys, mobile, rainjacket etc which in some ways was a disadvantage as I tended to carry more weight than was strictly necessary which sort of defeated the point of investing in a lighter road bike :roll: I tended to leave the chest strap undone when i did use one.

clanton

bigjim wrote:

What happened to the twin bottle cages of my youth? They sat on the handlebars and you could stick a straw in the top and help youself as you rode along. Never see them now.

Jim.

I' ve seen similar on TT bikes.

Bikerbaboon

passout wrote:

Nothing wrong with it but personally I prefer to use bottles on the road. Unlike MTB'ing you tend not to get cow shoot all over water bottles on the road! I like to not having to carry anything on my back if I can avoid it.

I have just switched to using 2X 750 on my mtb and a very small pack if heading a long way out from civi. I generaly find that horse muck does wonders to minprove the taste of the sports drinks .


as loads of other people b4 me have said. bike kit is all about getting the right stuff for you and not being a sheep that has to get the right kit as it matches the type of bike hes riding to fit in with hte current biking trend.

trends change every 5 min getting a comfy bike set up lasts for ever.

Cheshley

I have only recently bought a road bike after years of MTBing. I have 4 Camelbaks, a waist fitting one for walking, a 3 litre Blowfish for shorter rides, 3 litre HAWG for longer rides and a smaller 1.5 litre pack that I got free with my subscription to a magazine a couple of years ago that is pretty much useless for MTBing due to the amount of stuff I carry. This smaller pack has only been used since I got the road bike, maybe it's because I'm used to having something on my back, maybe I'm too cheap to buy bottles when I already have something that will do the job or maybe I just can't fit enough in my saddle bag and need somewhere for my pump (slides down the side of the bladder). I know what people are saying about the wet back but I'm used to it. Maybe I'll get out locally one day and see what the difference is riding without it......

BTW, I also have SPD's, a peak on my helmet etc etc............