Camelbak or bottles for Sportive

Gabble Ratchet
Gabble Ratchet Posts: 17
What do you reckon, don't like faffing around with bottles, not sure I want to wear a backpack though - any thoughts?

Comments

  • BrandonA
    BrandonA Posts: 553
    How far is the sportive and does it have feed stations?

    If there are enough food stations and you are willing to stop you could get liquids from there.

    I tend to think that camelpaks are for mountain bikes when you don't want to hold something. I would there take two 750 bottles on a sportive.

    Another option might be gels.
  • AK_jnr
    AK_jnr Posts: 717
    Two bottles and stop if you need to re fill just like any other training ride. Its not a race.
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 16,431
    what's the problem with bottles?

    they're easy to use, cheap, and simple to refill
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    What do you reckon, don't like faffing around with bottles, not sure I want to wear a backpack though - any thoughts?

    If you don't like bottles or backpacks, then dehydration might be the only viable alternative...
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    Bottles for me. You get used to bottles pretty quick surely.
    What do you reckon, don't like faffing around with bottles, not sure I want to wear a backpack though - any thoughts?

    If you don't like bottles or backpacks, then dehydration might be the only viable alternative...

    You could get a frame bag like a triathlete!
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Bottles are by far the best option. What's your issue with them ? If you can't drink and ride at the same time yet then maybe you need to practice before the event.
  • Surprised there isn't a decent frame-mounted option, or maybe it's just a fashion thing. Ok, bottles it is.
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    Surprised there isn't a decent frame-mounted option, or maybe it's just a fashion thing. Ok, bottles it is.

    ??

    There are several manufacturers that make a frame-mounted option for bottles. Most frames will be able to take two of these fittings. Very convenient way of carrying your bottles for sure.
  • AK_jnr
    AK_jnr Posts: 717
    Are you talking about bottle cages?! Lol
  • No ... I was meaning like a frame mounted Camelbak.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    No ... I was meaning like a frame mounted Camelbak.

    Why not just get one of those novelty long curly straws and stick it in your bottle?
  • singleton
    singleton Posts: 2,489
    There are things like speedfills you could consider.

    You could also mount 2 extra bottles behind your seat if there were not many feed stations - that would give you four total..
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,718
    With the others on this, use bottles, if the faffing about you refer to is stopping to refill them then use bigger bottles, most frames will take 1 litre bottles and I've used them on the Marmotte without problems.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • No-one wants to see a Camelbak on a roadie, so don't be that guy!

    What distance are you looking at? To be honest, if you're like me and don't want to deal with the scrum at the food stations, I'd just take 2 bottles and blast it round without stopping. At this time of year you're not going to sweat litres away, just ration your fluids sensibly and take some real food (e.g. bananas, rice cakes, mini pies) that has a bit of water content and not some sticky, dehydrated energy bar.
  • Is there a web site that lets you search for images with something along the lines of "can't tell if serious" written across an appropriate facial expression?
    Advocate of disc brakes.
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,439
    Amusing of backpack gets uncomfortable for me after 15-20miles. So bottles would be my choice. I think the last sportive I did was about 60 miles and I used 2 500ml bottles, didn't take advantage of the feed stops as we were aiming for a 'gold standard' fat lot of good that did me.
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    I've used a speedfill thing for triathlons - only the once though. Its a pain in the bum.

    Its very easy to refill - so thats good - but not as easy as it is to just take a new bottle.

    OK so you lose aero position when you take a drink - but thats barely an issue in a TT - let alone a sportive.

    Get two cages and two bottles - that should take you most of the way round at least.

    Why would you want a bike mounted camelback ? For what reason ?
  • Camelbak all the way. Run the tube up through your jersey to your mouth and you don't even need to break your aero position to drink. Awesome for when you use the drops or aerobars.

    Fluffing around with bottles ruins your drag coefficient and costs you precious seconds.
    Supporter of Sky, transparency and clean cycling. Opponent of pseudoscience.

    The greatest clean cycling performance ever http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eiN2vfGKhk
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Fluffing around with bottles ruins your drag coefficient and costs you precious seconds.

    What - on a sportive?
  • g00se
    g00se Posts: 2,221
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  • mrfpb
    mrfpb Posts: 4,569
    Camelbaks keep your mouthpeice away from the ground, so more hygienic on wet roads or if cycling off road. However lots of bottles have covers over the mouthpiece, which keeps them clean, but adds an extra second each time you swig.

    As others have said 2 x 750ml will be more than enough for this time of year. Also allows you the option of two drinks - one energy/electolite, one clean water.
  • Elfed
    Elfed Posts: 459
    I just get one of my Domestiques to drop back to the team car and return with fresh bottles...