Which is best - Weight on your back or on the bike?
d3matt
Posts: 510
Comments
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i go with camelbac,once its on i dont realy notice the weight,unless your going to carrying a load of water bottles for refill on you.i have repair kit,inner tube,shock pump,multi tool and my water bag and its not realy heavy at all.Giant Reign 2
Crohnie0 -
MTBing - camelbak.
Road touring - bike.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
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Parktools0 -
I vote for back as well, as long as you have your bag done up tight so it doesn't fly over your head whenever you attempt a kerb!
As mentioned above, once my bag is in place I hardly feel the weight in it, you get used to it being there.Very funny Scotty, now beam me down my clothes.0 -
you have the added advantage that the hydration bag can act as a back protector. Though you will get a good soaking if you test it.0
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I always thing of it as a ratio of the weight of the object.
So a kilo or 2 of water on a 1 kilo bike, is about 8% weight change. on a person between 60-80kilo. talking much less of an impact
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Don't like either, try to travel as light and minimal as poss...a bit in pockets/on my bike, as I find a lot of weight on my back throws me off balance especially when it gets really steep & tech but unfortunately carrying a load of sh1te around can't always be avoided so Camelbac it is.0
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I much prefer carrying stuff on the bike rather than my back.
If the weather is dodgy then I'll carry a waterproof jacket on my back but still put my water on the bike. I've got one of the cheap saddle bags from Asda and I can get spare tubes, tools, keys and a phone in there no probs. Weight difference is negligible.0 -
On the bike wherever possible. I hate a pack on my back, blocking the air flow and getting all sweaty, but then I tend to sweat more than most other people for some reason.
I have an Abus bike lock bag which velcro's at the top of the main triangle of the frame and carries a fair bit. If I want more I try to put in in the pannier bag. I have done all sorts with a pannier on - definately prefer this for tame XC and have even gone as far as using the pannier at Sherwood Pines on the red route (albeit I think this is a quite tame red route).
I think red route or above and you are better with it on your back for stability but in general I would limit what I take as much as physically possible for such a ride anyway.0 -
I carry a small Topeak under saddle bag that has a mulitool, tyre levers, spare master links and CO² inflator with 2 CO² cartridges. So, not quite light but not overly heavy. I also have a bottle cage for good measure, as in just in case
My Hydrapak has a 2L bladder and I also carry a spare tube, energy gels and 2 additional CO² cartridges, again, just in case..
I am not overly bothered by weight on my back though and that comes from being in the military0 -
I was wondering if there where any advantages or disadvantages of having all the weight on the bike or on your back.... i.e. any technical or safety advantages.
I've been running with a saddle bag and a backpack up to now, as I only have a small Camelbak and it doesn't fit all the clutter I carry. But I'm considering buying a larger backsack and was wondering if there were any technical reasons why it might be better having all the weight on your back. Now the mud is back, I'm getting fed of a my pump & saddle bag getting plastered. Also will now be carrying lights and batteries too and maybe a jacket sometimes.0 -
Who cares if a pump and saddle bag gets dirty? That's the point of MTBing.
I carry everything in a backpack normally, as I prefer not having the bike look covered in things, and camelbaks have the advantage of being huge water bottles as well.0 -
Being on the larger size in pretty much every way the essentials go in my hydro pack as I just don't notice it, AND it means all the kit can be easily transfered between bikes rather than having it attached.-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Mongoose Teocali
Giant STP0
Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:0 -
I got fed up with bottles raining down on me when I go over the bars.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
MountainMonster wrote:Who cares if a pump and saddle bag gets dirty? That's the point of MTBing.
True about the saddle bag, but I do care about the pump. It's very annoying trying to use it when it's caked in crap with grit in the threads.
So I'll get the larger backsack then. I'm hoping to choose one at the Cycle Show next weekend.0 -
Have a saddlebag with my heavy tools in and then my lighter kit and jacket go in a pack. Remember, however light you pack, you are still likely to have to carry a couple of litres of water...Swveeeet¡¡¡0
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I carry a camelback for water so I chuck the pump tube and few tools in with it - no hassle at all - I had a saddle bag once - it shook itself to pieces in two rides so I decided against that - also if you run a full susser and drop the saddle you run the risk of tyre to bag interface. Plus saddle bags dont really work with dropper posts.Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.0
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I used to use a saddle bag, my friends used to call it my knitting bag when the tools rattled.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
Nothing on the bike, everything in the pack.0
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It took me a year of training to get rid of weight I am certainly not going to fill a back pack with water and tools and carry that weight around with me again.
On the bike every time.0 -
omegas wrote:It took me a year of training to get rid of weight I am certainly not going to fill a back pack with water and tools and carry that weight around with me again.
On the bike every time.
Erm, you're still carrying it around with you regardless of whether its on the bike or you.0 -
:?omegas wrote:It took me a year of training to get rid of weight I am certainly not going to fill a back pack with water and tools and carry that weight around with me again.
On the bike every time.0 -
Only got 1 set bottle mounts on the bouncer so that limits the water I can carry. Basically anything over an hour I have to have a pack for the liquid. It is nice going for a short local blast in summer without a pack to get you all sweaty.Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap0
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Easiest way to carry extra weight is to put it as near as possible to the center of balance.omegas wrote:It took me a year of training to get rid of weight I am certainly not going to fill a back pack with water and tools and carry that weight around with me again.
On the bike every time.
Center of balance of you and your bike is somewhere in your upper body.0 -
I find that water bottles tend to get ejected if you like to ride half aggressively, basically if you like jumps and drops it has to go on your back.
Also, its' just easier to drink from a hydration pack, that's why I even use them for XC racing.Custom 2010 Stumpjumper FSR Pro AM
Custom 2009 Specialized Tarmac Pro SL20 -
omegas wrote:It took me a year of training to get rid of weight I am certainly not going to fill a back pack with water and tools and carry that weight around with me again.
On the bike every time.
How does that reduce your overall weight, i.e you + bike + 'stuff'0 -
97th choice wrote:omegas wrote:It took me a year of training to get rid of weight I am certainly not going to fill a back pack with water and tools and carry that weight around with me again.
On the bike every time.
How does that reduce your overall weight, i.e you + bike + 'stuff'
tongue in cheek , it was meant for people with a sense of humor
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Oh I thought i'd add that I haven't got a tube long and straight enough the mount the mountain morph pump and the crank bros pump that I had in a seat bag would have been quicker walking home than pumping up a tyre
Seriously anything less than 10kgs on your back is not really noticeable after a while or maybe that is just me :roll:-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Mongoose Teocali
Giant STP0
Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:0 -
Back everytime, I used to have it all on the bike and I got sick of it. The rattling, losing bottles etc all got annoying. You definitely can't flick the bike around in the air, hop or even flick the bike around tight corners quite as nice with the weight on the bike, So definitely all the weight on my back for me.0
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depends on the ride.
I used to just rely on a HUGE courier bag and stuff everything (an 17" laptop, books, cloths, shoppings...) in there. It was heavy, hot... causing shoulder ache, and sweaty back for any ride more than 30mins.
Recently having this different idea 'why not let the bike takes the load', so i got those topeak seatpost mount rack with bag. it looks not fashionable, but my shoulder thanks the rack.
if it is a bumpy ride ---> then back
if its just day to day ride to work / touring ---> let the bike do its duty0 -
I think we're on about a proper mtb ride with decent singletrack, drops, jumps etc, not going to the shops along the cycle path...0
