Road Cycling - Hydration

I have a bike that only has room for one water bottle. I carry an extra one in my jersey but find it uncomfortable. I have looked at holders for the back of the seat but it looks to me like you can't have a bag under the seat then. I would like to be able to carry water for about 60 miles so that means for me I need at least 3 water bottles. I don't like to stop unless I have to. I just ordered a CamelBak Siren. Was this a good choice? Do a lot of people use them for road biking? What do you use? What would you recommend?

I carry two water bottles, filled with Gator-Ade, and plan all of my routes where I know I can get more water. I carry extra Gator-Ade powder, enough for two refills for each bottle.

I toyed with the ideal of a Camelbak, but I hate to carry anything on my back that will not let sweat evaporate. I know Camelbak says their packs are ventilated, but they lie. You will still not get enough air to your back. But, then, that's just me. If sweating were an Olympic Sport, I'd be a multiple Gold Medal winner and Captain of the team.

What do you recommend so that I can carry two bottles on my bike? It only came equipped with one. I have a WSD Trek 2200.

I've (not to be confused with TrekRider (nospace)) got a CamelBack and will use it on rides over 30 miles. I've found that contrary to what TrekRider (no space) says, I do get a cooling effect from the CamelBack. When I leave the house, the water in the Camelback is 40º, the temp of my fridge. Except on really hot days 85º+, the water will stay cool for 3 hours. Not cold, but cool.

Some roadies will look down upon you if you have a CamelBack, but most generally don't care, at least the ones I ride with. I drink more than most of the people I ride with and unlike some, I've never had any symptoms of dehydration.

What do you recommend so that I can carry two bottles on my bike? It only came equipped with one. I have a WSD Trek 2200.

try one of these: http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=72&subcategory=1023&brand=&sku=3478&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

I don't like the camelbak. I just don't like to carry extra weight on my back. I rather carry the weight on my bike. I had a camelbak, just didn't like it. A couple of guys that I ride with used the camelbak, but they have seen the light! :)

camelbak is necessary for long rides, in my opinion. better to rely on yourself than on some grocery store that may or may not be there or may or may not be closed, etc. any one will do, you'll do fine and you'll appreciate it.

sd

What do you recommend so that I can carry two bottles on my bike? It only came equipped with one. I have a WSD Trek 2200.
How small is the frame? Are there not another set of bosses on the seat tube for a second water bottle?

Minoura makes several excellent brackets that you can either attach to a seat post or to a frame tube. Ask your LBS.

How small is the frame? Are there not another set of bosses on the seat tube for a second water bottle?

No, just the one. :( I was thinking about getting one that you can clamp anywhere on the bike like fogrider suggested. I would like to put it on the seat tube but I don't think there's enough room for a regular water bottle to put one there. Probably why there isn't one there now.
I hate being short. It's always something. ;)

In the summertime a water bottle is good for about 15 miles.
Put Gatorade/Powerade in the water bottle and get a Camelbak (http://www.camelbak.com) (70 or 100 oz) for carrying water.

For road rides where I expect water stops will be plentiful (within at most 25 miles of one another), I make due with one bottle. For longer rides where I would need to go as far as 50 miles between stops to refill, I will use two bottles and probably fill one of those with an energy drink. Anything further than that and I will use my CamelBak which will probably be helpful in carrying other necessary long-distance essentials. My MTB also only has one bottle mount due to the frame design and because of the tight spacing will only accept a small bottle at that. If I'm sporting my lights for night riding then the battery eats up even that space so I'm almost always using a CamelBak while MTBing unless I'm just doing short loops in the trails directly behind my house.

It seems to me that your frame is pretty small so you have limited choices but they aren't non-existant. You could get a cage holder that attaches to the back of the saddle. However, as you pointed out, that would necessitate getting rid of your seatbag. What do you currently carry in your seatbag? How many extra bottles do you want to carry? If all you're looking to do is add one then what you could do is get a double cage holder for the saddle and use one of the spots for the additional bottle of water. Then get another bottle with a very wide mouth and stuff the current contents of your seatbag in it. Attach that bottle to the second holder behind your saddle and secure it with a velcro strap or something. If you currently have minipump or CO2 inflator in your bag, you might want to consider a holder that you can use to mount it to the side of your downtube bottle cage. They also make minitools and patchkits that come with a holder which will mount in a similar fashion. The Topeak Survival Gear Box (http://www.topeak.com/2004/products/tool_gearbox_lead.html) comes with a clamp that will allow it to be mounted almost anywhere. Many people mount it to their seatpost. You can also supplement storage space for other things with something like the TNi Bento Box. See my thread on the Bento Box (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=48084). Another thing you can do is get either a single or double handlebar mount. Minoura (http://www.minoura.jp/index-et.html) sells a couple of different kinds. You should be able to mix and match some of those above options to get you the desired effect.

I bet you can still rig something up with the seat bag and the seat post water cages. Dont forget to drink a lot b4 your ride too and then don't start drinking till your 15 miles out unless you live in the desert :)

What do you recommend so that I can carry two bottles on my bike? It only came equipped with one. I have a WSD Trek 2200.

A WSD2200 should have mounts for 2 bottle cages. What size is your frame? Is it too small to fit a bottle on the seat tube or is there really not room for 2 cages?

My wife rode a 52cm WSD 2200 with 650c wheels from 00-02 and she had no problem mounting two bottles.

My frame is a 47. The 47 and 43 only have one mount for a bottle. That's the only thing I didn't like about the bike. But it's minor. My other bike (which is too big for me) has the two bottles like everyone else. I'll just have to get used to it.
Just wanted to know what the rest of you do. Keep the suggestions coming.

My frame is a 47. The 47 and 43 only have one mount for a bottle.

Odd that they couldn't fit another mount on there. My frame is a 48cm (49cm at most since Aegis bikes run a little big) which is only slightly larger and it has two mounts.

You may be able to keep your seat bag (if it is one of the small ones) and still put a seat post holder on. I have a Specialized speed wedge bag and use this post mount to carry two extra bottles on non-stop century rides. http://www.cambriabike.com/food/profile_aqua_rack.htm

This seat post rack has an angle that points the bottles past the back of the bag. You will need a few inches of seat post under the bag to pull it off though.

You may be able to keep your seat bag (if it is one of the small ones) and still put a seat post holder on. I have a Specialized speed wedge bag and use this post mount to carry two extra bottles on non-stop century rides. http://www.cambriabike.com/food/profile_aqua_rack.htm

This seat post rack has an angle that points the bottles past the back of the bag. You will need a few inches of seat post under the bag to pull it off though.

cool rack, thanks for the link
yeah, I'm finding it strange that you don't have room
I ride a giant 'small' and there's room.
you've got some good suggestions here tho
if you don't want to go camelbak, I'd go seat post rack and either put your other gear in your jersey or maybe this one on the link with a small wedge...I'm hoping this one works with my wedge as I'm needing more than 2 bottles of water (desert=dry/hot=big need)

Why don't you just get something like the Profile Design seatpost rack for two bottles then get a triangular frame bag that straps between you top tube and seat tube. Maybe that would work.

I use two Zefal magnum bottles. The the Magnum carries 33 fl. oz. each. Doesn't the Camelback carry 72 ounces? With two $5 bottles I come close with 66 oz. What's the situation with your bike that you only have room for one bottle?

Rich

The lack of two water bottles on a small WSD bike may be due to the steepness of the seat tube and shorter tt. My 44cm Swift has room for 1 bottle nothing else.
REI just came out with hydration packs. They are very well designed. The models for women fit really well, especially if your small.
I have the Novara Singletrack which has room for my cell phone, camera, inhaler and a jacket. The Novara Freewheel is more minimalist. The bladder is 70 oz which usually lasts me for a 70 mi ride + my water bottle.
I started using hydration packs for mtn biking and like the convenience of being able to easily, I actually drink more than from the water bottle.
So far there has been no leakage from the bite valve which has been a problem with some of my others.
Hope this helps.
Kathi

My frame is a 47. The 47 and 43 only have one mount for a bottle. That's the only thing I didn't like about the bike.

Maybe Trek thinks smaller riders don't drink as much ;)

I have a camelbak Mule which I use mainly for mountain biking but do use it on those 50+ rides and works great although my back sweats more.

Before you go to any great lengths to do anything, try your hydration pack. I resisted for a couple of years, but after receiving one as a gift I thought I would try it out. Like a lot of other folks here, the thought of this on my back was not favorable. However I was pleasantly surprised that not only is it not a bother, when you fill it with a lot of ice (or even freeze it) it feels great on a hot day because you can feel the cool pack on your back. So don't worry about it making you sweat, or feeling heavy, etc. It holds a lot of fluid and is a lot more convenient than bottles. (Except for cleaning - can't throw it in the dishwasher!) Also, get the neoprene tube cover so the first sip of fluid isn't hot each time you take a drink.

Hello everyone. My name is Chris, and I am a CamelBak guy.
(now that I have confessed)

I was into MTB. IMHO only a CamelBak will do for that. When I switched to road riding I kept using my CamelBak MULE. I thought about giving it up. More to be like everyone else, than anything. Then BAM a guy goes down in front of me while drinking from his bottle and hitting something in the road. I decide to stick with the Camelbak for a while. Then I hear about the guy in Miami that goes off of a bridge, 70+ft. Same thing, hit a piece of pipe while drinking. I used to ride across that bridge. Two weekends ago in my group ride, a guy goes down reaching for his bottle and hit a repaired pothole. His bottle almost took me out. So, in my road biking experience I have personally seen four crashes. Two were caused by using bottles. Not to mention having to dodge several dropped bottles.

So yesterday I bought another CamelBak. The road specific Rogue. Smaller, cooler, more aero. I am convinced.

Use that cage for an extra bottle of Gatorade on long rides.


Some roadies will look down upon you if you have a CamelBack

They may look down at you for wearing one. But, if they see it, it is because they are BEHIND you!!!!

So, in my road biking experience I have personally seen four crashes. Two were caused by using bottles.

Hmmm... maybe it's because when I started riding MTB, they didn't have hydration packs so I and everyone else I knew had to make due with water bottles. I still carry a water bottle on my MTB but it's a small one so I now use a hydration pack. I use the water in the bottle to help wash out cuts and for on-the-trail showers (helps get rid of sweat in the eyes and such). I have never had an accident while taking a drink from a water bottle either on or offroad and I'm not the most coordinated of people by any means.

Some things I like about hydration packs:

Higher water capacity and even the smallest hydration pack holds more water than the largest water bottle and at least as large as two large water bottles.
Able to carry more than just water so for long excursions where extra gear and clothing are needed, it's nice to have.
Easier to drink from while on the move.
Can help keep your back warm in colder weather or cooler in hot weather for a very short time if you fill it with icewater but then it start to retain heat.
Can act as crash protection for your back.


Some things I don't like:

Can get hot despite the newer designs that are supposed to prevent this.
Keeps your back from "breathing".
Easy to get at the water but harder to get at anything else. My back pockets are effectively blocked when wearing a hydration pack too.
Can only really carry water unless you use disposable bladders (expensive) or want to try your hand at creating the next generation of germ warfare and bioweapons.
A little trickier to clean.
Shifts around on you and tugs at your shoulders, chest (sternum strap) and waist (belt strap) which can contribute to overall fatigue.
You have to keep readjusting the straps because either they get loose and things start to shift or as you drink, the amount of tension on them decreases.
Hose always seems to be whapping at me when I least want to be annoyed (like there's a good time to be annoyed :)) such as climbing a long grueling hill.

Just get a bike rack, and use bungie cords to hold the rack down.

I carried 5 extra bottles of drink once that way, and it was nice and secure for the entire weekend.

Now i have panniers...so I can carry about 14-16 bottles....call me Mr. Water buffalo :D

Just get a bike rack, and use bungie cords to hold the rack down.

I carried 5 extra bottles of drink once that way, and it was nice and secure for the entire weekend.

Now i have panniers...so I can carry about 14-16 bottles....call me Mr. Water buffalo :D

Would you be willing to carry other stuff? You're invited to all my rides. :D

Heh, not much room to spare after loading up like that...heh, maybe if I got a bag for the top of my rack, but that's about it.


anyways the 14 bottle incident was kinda a mean joke to one of the guys I sometimes meet on commute..he never has any water so he's always buggin me for it....the look on his face when he saw all those bottles was priceless. :D

I recently purchased Camelbak Rocket (72 oz bladder with small frame to allow ventilation) and I use it +35 mile rides or extra hot days. After my experience of going into a country bar in the middle of nowhere while in my cycling attire and asking the bartender to fill my water bottle, I decided to go with a Camelbak. The bartender was nice .... he actually offered me a beer!

So on my longer rides now I take the Camelbak with water and one water bottle with half Costco's sport drink and half water. I drink this after two hours in the saddle.

For shorter rides I just carry plain old water in good old fashioned water bottles.

Some things I don't like:

Can only really carry water unless you use disposable bladders (expensive) or want to try your hand at creating the next generation of germ warfare and bioweapons.
A little trickier to clean.


If you get the bladder and tube brush, you can keep them clean. Also, once a month or do I put a mixture of Clorox and water in it for about 30 minutes.

I bet you can still rig something up with the seat bag and the seat post water cages. :)

You certainly can, that's what I have. I have a Minoura SBH-300 that attaches to the saddle rails instead of the seat post since I have a Cervelo with an aero seat post. I also have a bag under my saddle. It's a tight fit, and I can only get into my bag when the bottles aren't in the cages, but it works.

After my experience of going into a country bar in the middle of nowhere while in my cycling attire and asking the bartender to fill my water bottle, I decided to go with a Camelbak. The bartender was nice .... he actually offered me a beer!

That's not a very good endorsement for switching away from water bottles. :D

If you get the bladder and tube brush, you can keep them clean. Also, once a month or do I put a mixture of Clorox and water in it for about 30 minutes.

Yep. I do that with my regular bladder although I'm a cheap-ass so I just string together a bunch of pipe cleaners which I also keep around to clean the frothing attachment for my espresso machine. :)