Water

xloly
xloly Posts: 140
edited April 2010 in Road beginners
I generally drink about a litre for every 20-25 miles, are there any reasons why people don't use camelbaks on road?

Comments

  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    Because it gets sweaty and uncomfortable.
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    camelbacks are only really needed off-road to enable you to drink while you are on the move without taking your hands off the bars - which on many MTB trails can be a bit risky - or down right dangerous.

    Reaching down for a bottle on a smooth road is not really an issue...
  • softlad wrote:
    Reaching down for a bottle on a smooth road is not really an issue...

    Not sure where you ride, but smooth roads are rare round here :( the potholes (or should that be mini trenches) don't seem to have changed much but it does make taking a drink more exciting :shock:
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    softlad wrote:
    camelbacks are only really needed off-road to enable you to drink while you are on the move without taking your hands off the bars - which on many MTB trails can be a bit risky - or down right dangerous.

    Reaching down for a bottle on a smooth road is not really an issue...

    Not to mention on an MTB your bottle is likely to get smothered in mud.
    IME a litre over 20 miles is quite a bit really, I find it depends rather heavily on the weather.
  • xloly
    xloly Posts: 140
    will3 wrote:
    softlad wrote:
    camelbacks are only really needed off-road to enable you to drink while you are on the move without taking your hands off the bars - which on many MTB trails can be a bit risky - or down right dangerous.

    Reaching down for a bottle on a smooth road is not really an issue...

    Not to mention on an MTB your bottle is likely to get smothered in mud.
    IME a litre over 20 miles is quite a bit really, I find it depends rather heavily on the weather.

    Yes, I know. I am fat though. :)

    It's not a litre, it's more like 750ml over 25-30 miles.
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    xloly wrote:
    will3 wrote:
    softlad wrote:
    camelbacks are only really needed off-road to enable you to drink while you are on the move without taking your hands off the bars - which on many MTB trails can be a bit risky - or down right dangerous.

    Reaching down for a bottle on a smooth road is not really an issue...

    Not to mention on an MTB your bottle is likely to get smothered in mud.
    IME a litre over 20 miles is quite a bit really, I find it depends rather heavily on the weather.

    Yes, I know. I am fat though. :)

    It's not a litre, it's more like 750ml over 25-30 miles.

    Are you calling me thin?
    :lol:

    Obviously YMMV, drink as much as you need to, especially on hot/humid days. Riding with a splitting headache is no fun.
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    A 1 litre bottle, or 2 x 750m bottles of water or something stronger ought to be enough for most rides, certainy up to about 50 miles or so. A camel back sounds a bit exccessive tbh and by definition is lot of weight to carry on your back.
  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    CiB wrote:
    water or something stronger ought to be enough for most rides.




    Vodka? :shock: 8)
  • xloly
    xloly Posts: 140
    CiB wrote:
    water or something stronger ought to be enough for most rides.




    Vodka? :shock: 8)

    Meths. :shock:
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    1ltr per 25-35 miles sounds about right, you can lose between 0 and 1.5 ltrs an hour when exercising. I'd obviously be wary of taking on that much water without any electrolytes though.
  • xloly
    xloly Posts: 140
    1ltr per 25-35 miles sounds about right, you can lose between 0 and 1.5 ltrs an hour when exercising. I'd obviously be wary of taking on that much water without any electrolytes though.

    Why?

    I've got some powdered SIS stuff and can carry 1 bottle of each but don't really understand the benefits. I once made up 3 litres of it in a camelbak and drank the lot over about 30 miles.

    God, did I ever feel sick!

    What's the (Hijack) benefit of powerbars then?
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Which SiS stuff?

    If you sweat out salt, and replace fluids you're effectively diluting yourself. Not a huge problem for short rides, but can lead to death in extreme cases over longer distances.

    3 litres over 30 miles sounds waay too much, particularly if you were using go, which has carbs in too, unless you made it really dilute. The idea is to maintain your blood sugar levels as you exercise so you don't run out of energy and keep yourself at the right concentration so your muscles can work properly.

    Powerbars give you more energy very quickly with a slow sustained release source and is basically just another way to keep your energy up as quaffing gallons of fluid isn't exactly fun, as you found out.
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    softlad wrote:
    Reaching down for a bottle on a smooth road is not really an issue...

    Not sure where you ride, but smooth roads are rare round here :( the potholes (or should that be mini trenches) don't seem to have changed much but it does make taking a drink more exciting :shock:

    smooth roads are rare anywhere these days - but reaching for a bottle is not exactly life-threatening. Try doing it in a road race bunch.. ;)
  • Lancslad
    Lancslad Posts: 307
    Ok anyone that wants to replace the electrolytes without all the sweet tasting sis stuff should try Nuun tablets. I have tried SiS I find it to sweet I combine the Nuun with jelly babies obviously I dont put the jelly babies in the bottle......... :D

    Benefits are that the Nuun come in tubes of 12 tablets so you can refill your bottle and pop a tablet in there if your on a really long one.
    Novice runner & novice cyclist
    Specialized Tricross
    Orbea (Enol I think)
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Which SiS stuff?

    If you sweat out salt, and replace fluids you're effectively diluting yourself. Not a huge problem for short rides, but can lead to death in extreme cases over longer distances.

    I rode 160km a day for 5 days in the Pyrenees, with each day over 30 degrees and the only drink I ever had was water.

    I was nowhere near dying, not even when a brake cable snapped on the decent of the Marie-Blanque.

    "Can lead to death". Jesus.

    Doing anything in "extreme cases" leads to death.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Which SiS stuff?

    If you sweat out salt, and replace fluids you're effectively diluting yourself. Not a huge problem for short rides, but can lead to death in extreme cases over longer distances.

    I rode 160km a day for 5 days in the Pyrenees, with each day over 30 degrees and the only drink I ever had was water.

    I was nowhere near dying, not even when a brake cable snapped on the decent of the Marie-Blanque.

    "Can lead to death". Jesus.

    Doing anything in "extreme cases" leads to death.


    I'm sort of with you on this. People seem to think that they must take this or that supplement to even be able to ride. It's my belief that actual real food will give you enough of these THINGS you "MUST HAVE" and that water is the most important issue, not what you put in it. But I'm pretty sure I'll be told otherwise very shortly. :wink:
  • morstar
    morstar Posts: 6,190
    Death by drink...
    I swear I nearly experienced that on a winter night ride.
    I was on a pitch black country lane on the verysame ride where I established that I needed to invest some money in decent lights.
    I reached down to get my water bottle at exactly the same point my front wheel jarred over a pebble in the road. Nuts landed on the top tube and right forearm landed on the handlebars. Severe wobbling for a number of yards and ground to a halt. Nothing but pride and nuts dented but...
    Don't dare say there is little risk in reaching for your water bottle.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    A guy died at the marathon 2 years back now I think it was - purely down to drinking too much water. Nasty stuff but incredibly rare.

    Dont think you're in danger with 750ml over 20 miles or so, but its a heck of a lot more than I drink. Mine would be more like half of that over a training ride I reckon - so 2 bottles on an 80 miler. Ish.
  • Buckled_Rims
    Buckled_Rims Posts: 1,648
    I never use Camelbacks simple because they are a bast*rd to clean once scum forms. Besides on the road it feels better just having a thin shirt on!

    Much easier to have a bottle and cage system. Quicker too.
    CAAD9
    Kona Jake the Snake
    Merlin Malt 4
  • xloly
    xloly Posts: 140
    Which SiS stuff?

    Lemon Lime Go.

    I've made up a bottle today and have another of water. we'll see if it makes any difference..
  • Rich Hcp
    Rich Hcp Posts: 1,355
    xloly wrote:
    I generally drink about a litre for every 20-25 miles, are there any reasons why people don't use camelbaks on road?

    Thats a lot.

    I use a Camelbak slipstream on my MTB, saves the bottle getting covered in mud etc.

    In my roadie, I only use it for 50+ mile rides, I only ever fill it with water, using the bottle on the roadie for SIS type drinks.

    Because its a small camelbak the slipstream is not bulky and not too sweaty
    Richard

    Giving it Large
  • skyd0g
    skyd0g Posts: 2,540
    If you're trying to lose weight, the Nuun tablets may be a better option than the SIS Go - they have the electrolytes, but no sugar.
    Cycling weakly
  • dreamlx10
    dreamlx10 Posts: 235
    are there any reasons why people don't use camelbaks on road?

    Because you would look like a complete t** !
  • Paul E
    Paul E Posts: 2,052
    dreamlx10 wrote:
    are there any reasons why people don't use camelbaks on road?

    Because you would look like a complete t** !

    I use mine minus the bladder, it a ventoux from god knows how many years ago now in orange and silver, not sure I look like a tw@t though!
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Paul E wrote:
    dreamlx10 wrote:
    are there any reasons why people don't use camelbaks on road?

    Because you would look like a complete t** !

    I use mine minus the bladder, it a ventoux from god knows how many years ago now in orange and silver, not sure I look like a tw@t though!


    +1...... I took the bladder out of mine and keep the pack permantely loaded with anything I might need on the days ride. Grab it and go. No need to get everything ready each day.
    Don't really care if I look the idiot. :D:D:D
  • daveydave43
    daveydave43 Posts: 200
    If you think that you are drinking enough to warrant a camelback, then they do the Veloback or racebaks, which are baselayers and jerseys with an integrated reservoir.
    chain reactioncycles has them

    Velobak (jersey) £99.99
    Racebak (baselayer) £84.99

    Both are 2.1 litres.

    Just thining that wearing an integrated reservoir with baselayer/jersey reduced the number of layers on your back, hence less sweat. Plus, you can just remove the reservoir and lob the jersey in the wash to remove the 'scum'.

    Not sure if this is helpful or not. :)
    Go for the break
    Create a chaingang
    Make sure you don't break your chain
  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    Plus, you can just remove the reservoir and lob the jersey in the wash to remove the 'scum'
    Doesn't the scum form on the inside of the reservoir? Can't see how washing the jersey minus the reservoir would deal with that.

    PP
  • daveydave43
    daveydave43 Posts: 200
    ahh, sorry i may have misunderstood.
    in referring to scum i took ths to mean ay buildup of sweat upon the back of the camelbak, which cannot easily be washed off due to the fact it is on a rucksac.
    the scum that you seem to be reffering to is the buildup of mould in the reservoir?

    new camelbak have a new omega reservoir, with antibacterial/fungi stuff in the lining, to prevent 'growth'. so im not sure if this is a problem anymore.
    and, tbh, washing out the reservoir is no major difficulty, using washing up liquid and a tissue shoved through the tube with a coathanger to getany crap out.
    as i say, this may not be a problem.

    other benefits still apply, i believe :)

    sorry for the confusion, my mistake.
    Go for the break
    Create a chaingang
    Make sure you don't break your chain
  • Paul E
    Paul E Posts: 2,052
    Washing the resevoir right way and then putting it in the freezer always stopped any nasties growing, it hasn't had any effect on the materials to date either
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    Water alone is not much use other than for cooling as you need to replenish lost electrolytes.
    How you do this is up to you but most do it by way of sports drinks, either bought or made yourself.
    If I drank that much I would be stopping evey 5 miles for a pxss stop :D