Originally Posted by Bob Watts
undefined Curious as to whether anyone knows whether climbing on a mountain bike or a road bike is made more efficient by carrying your liquid refreshment on your back (camelback) or on your bike (bottles). I've heard for ages in the mountain biking world that it is much more efficient weight wise to carry that weight on your back rather than on your bike. Is that true or just an 'ol wivestale with no basis in fact?
It depends a lot on how you are looking at it. When it comes to the carrying bottles on the frame is probably more efficient. Less waste weight and also the pack on the back creates (minor) mechanical strain.
But if you are riding there are other considerations. Pop the nipple from a camelback in your mouth going over the top and you can drink all the way down a hill unless the hill is truely insane. I also remember scoring not one but two waterbattles on an offroad ride on a downhill section of dirst road. Bounced out of someone elses bottle holders. On that count water on the back blows waterbottles away. If the pack comes off you have other problems, but you could lose both bottles and be without water in the middle of nowhere.