Cycling and the Camelback.

[in difficulty]

Does anyone use a Camelback type system to keep hydrated? Not having to reach for a bottle and carrying plenty of liquids totally makes sense to me but I have never seen a cyclist wearing one.
If you have a reason why you don't wear one let me know.
Your opinions please.

 

[Noodley]

Sweaty back, limits movement, difficult to keep clean, annoying to fill.

I also do not find it difficult to reach for a bottle.

 

[Tynan]

Sweaty back, limits movement, difficult to keep clean, annoying to fill.

I also do not find it difficult to reach for a bottle.

but apart from that?

 

[numbnuts]

"Camelbak"
I've been using one for at least 8 years now road and MTB and I find them great, in the winter I fill it with warm juice stays warm for 3 hours in the summer I put in a freezer pack

 

[dodgy]

For proper offroad MTB a Camelbak is great (I use one), for road use bottles are fine.

Dave.

 

[Dayvo]

I used one (or something similar) last weekend over a 5-hour course. Filled it twice and had no problems with it - apart from it dribbling from the mouthpiece onto my left thigh, until I sussed out that if you blow the liquid back into the bag from the tube, it'll stop dribbling. I had a bottle too, which I also find no problem reaching for.
I wouldn't use a camelback for shortish rides (one or two bottles should be enough), but for longer jaunts, I think they are very good, especially as you can put smaller items in them without having to stuff them in your jersey/jacket pockets.
I didn't sweat more than normal either, so, yes, I would certainly recommend them.

 

[Steve Austin]

I use a camelbak off-road, but don't on road.

No problems with movement, just gets a bit warm. No rules why you can't use on on the road though, so feel free

 

[Kirstie]

I use a camelbak off-road, but don't on road.

No problems with movement, just gets a bit warm. No rules why you can't use on on the road though, so feel free

The reason you can't use it on the road is that it bashes you in the back of the head all the time! MTB only IMHO.

 

[Steve Austin]

LOL Good point Kirstie!

 

[LLB]

I've got one, but don't use it - they taste horrible

 

[vernon]

Does anyone use a Camelback type system to keep hydrated? Not having to reach for a bottle and carrying plenty of liquids totally makes sense to me but I have never seen a cyclist wearing one.
If you have a reason why you don't wear one let me know.
Your opinions please.

I use one for all of my 100km Audax rides and on cycle camping tours. I use a Camelback Mule and it's given excellent service over the past three years. I still use the origianl bladder. Providing you keep on top of the washing/rinsing and drying of the bladder, it will not taint drinks. Even after I forgot about an orange juice/water mix for a week or so and it fermented, a good wash and rinse purged it of the stale beer odour....

I rarely see them in use by roadies but they are common place amongste the off road cycling community.

Although some folk find that their backs get sweaty, I have not really suffered from this.

 

[mondobongo]

Great for off-road use used a mule and the massive Hawg in the past, due to the different positioning on a road bike to an mtb they are not so well suited to road use.

Have recently got one of the Camelbak Podium bottles and am well impressed. Yep its a few quid more than an ordinary bottle but the camelbak valve in the bottle is well worth it.

 

[Mr Celine]

I was given a camelback road version for xmas. Only used it once.

Pain in the arse to fill it, sweaty back, irritating chest strap, harder to drink from than a bottle, no way of telling how much juice you've drunk/got left, pain in the arse to clean it afterwards.

Most useless piece of kit I've ever been given.

 

[dodgy]

Have recently got one of the Camelbak Podium bottles and am well impressed. Yep its a few quid more than an ordinary bottle but the camelbak valve in the bottle is well worth it.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, I've just gone and ordered two (710ml size) as I was looking for decent new bottles

Dave.

 

[ian_oli]

Generally agree about not using Camelbaks and don't use mine much. Would now only use mine in hot weather as a supplement to bottles in places where getting refills frequently might be problematic.