To use a Camelbak or not. That is the question
 

Hi All,

I posted this question on the "I Love Road Cycling VIP" Facebook page and it went viral. I have a Camelbak for my back. I'm a road rider. I was talking to a local bike shop owner who had a definite opinion about it. He said that it's a little overkill for small rides, I agree. It makes you hotter and can slow you down on hills. He also says that most road cyclists don't use Camelbaks and might look at me funny. This last piece kinda threw me. What are we in 8th grade?

Do you use a Camelbak backpack on rides? What are your thoughts on this? LMK. Thanks

no I do not use a camelback on rides. It would not bother me if other folks did. I got one thinking it would be a good idea, but when I used it, it was not comfortable to me and was more of a detriment than an asset, so I quit using it.

I ride a road bike. I use a hydration bladder/backpack combo I picked up from Walmart for 20.00 USD. It works. I use it rather than the bottles, even on rides as short as 30 miles. It does not make me hot and sweaty, my riding makes me hot and sweaty. It does not slow me down, I slow me down.

People look at me funny anyway because I am 6'2", 250 lbs, dressed in lycra, and riding a bike on busy 4 lane highways, in the middle of 90 degree days, traveling upwards of 100 miles for no particular reason other than I want to do it. It has nothing to do with a camelback.

Thanks guys. I know. It just feels like I'm back in 8th grade all over.

Camelbak discussion are among my favorites. I have a Camelbak and use it even on shorter rides of under 20 miles, but others eschew their use for road rides of any length. To each his own. I don't notice it's there, much less do I find it uncomfortable. On longer rides I carry bottles as well as the Camelbak and drinking while riding is much easier from the Camelbak. Without it, I would have to stop more or drink less, both of which I prefer not to do. It may slow me down, but probably less than dehydration would. I also carry my extra stuff (tubes, pump, patch kit, cell phone) in my Camelbak, and that keeps me from forgetting anything.

I'm sorry your Camelbak went viral. That sounds gross.

There are times when camelbaks are a real plus like when you are doing a really long ride and you either don't want to stop often or water resupply may be an issue.

The other time is when it is really hot out there; there is a lot to be said for filling the bag full of ice and drinking cold water deep into a ride.

It is a matter of personal preference and as you have correctly pointed out, anyone that has issue with that is most likely immature.
That being said, I don't even bring a small water bottle on my rides anymore as they only average 60 - 100 minutes and when I first started I kept coming back with a full bottle.
It's not that I care at all about the extra weight or lack of.
I just don't use them and I do admit that I get a small amount of smug satisfaction when the occasional other dramatic riders question me about it after they notice my empty cage (which if I cared about weight I guess I would remove come to think of it lol)
Everybody's engine runs a little differently I guess and I have always been fine with some water before and after a workout.
To each his own

I have a camel back that I like but don't use much because if I use ice in it to keep cold or cool, at first it makes my back cold. Looking for a combo back pack/ hydration unit with some insulation between the bladder and my back. Until then I use a large insulated bottle, and an adjustable holder
http://www.amazon.com/Arundel-Looney...+bottle+holder

Not 8th grade, but 6th grade. You're supposed to be older now, but you brought the dorky lunch box to school and people are laughing at you.

But seriously, do what you want. I used one for a while years ago, but as you evolve, you find things that work best for you. For me, it's camelbak insulated bottles. I would rock a hydration pack for extended offroad adventures, but road riding? Nope.

Also, you keep using this word, "viral." I do not think this word means what you think it means.

Camelbak for mountain bike riding...
 

...absolutely. Sure. It's an excellent innovation for when you cannot remove a bottle from a cage to drink while riding (safely). When you crash or go over top of a major obstacle on a mountain bike, caged bottles are invariably ejected and lost. As were any contents of your jersey pockets, generally. So, I say, yay for Camelbaks!

For purely road riding, they're unnecessary, because the same function is accomplished just as well with frame mounted bottles and sundry items can fit in a jersey pocket or small seat bag.

Bottles offer distinct advantages over the hydration bladder. Foremost, one can have two different drinks in two bottles. Perhaps one with an energy/electrolyte mixture and another for water. In this way, one can keep track of overall hydration better. Plus, bottles are easier to clean.

The downsides for road riding have been explained already, weight, ventillation, etc.

Plus there are cultural norms in cycling. Ignore them or not.

OP, folks have explained the reasons why not to use a Camelbak on a road bike: practical and functional, as well as cultural. You can choose to be different. No one really cares... You will find that most adults aren't fixated on what other people think.

OP, how do you keep your Camelbak's hydration bladder clean? That would be a helpful input.

Camelbak Mule NV is what I have. It keeps ice for a good amount of time, it also has airflow pads that keep the pack off your back.

I already have two cages, three pockets, and dozens of bottles. It doesn't make sense for me to buy an additional doo-dad to solve a problem I don't have.

An 8th grader would care what other people thought about them using a CamelBack on a road ride. Just sayin'.

I used one once (in addition to two water bottles) on a long road ride when it was extremely hot and humid. I tour with one all the time. It is relatively small (40 oz. I believe) so any additional heat is not a big factor. It's certainly better than being dehydrated. On tour, one benefit is that you don't have to make as many trips to the campground water spigot when making something like pasta for dinner.

If it's a shorter ride I get away with a bottle or two. On the 100mile ride I just did this past weekend, however, I had a 2.5L camel back full of water, plus two bottles with other stuff mixed in with the water. I believe people who do longer rides with just bottles are filling them up along the way, but I prefer not worrying about finding a place to fill up, or dealing with the bike and shoes at a convenience store stop.

I had some gels and a cellphone in my jersey pockets. I had a spare tube, tools, and some food in the bike bag under the seat.

Not for a road ride or commute. Every mountain bike ride though. 100 oz bladder filled with ice for the win. Good for a sandwich, tools, bacon, extra layers, emergency stuff and such. Also keeps the pump and trail saw. YRMV. Pedaling in Texas heat with limited resupply? Might be a good idea.

I would say that if riding with a camel back has you staying hydrated better that reaching for water bottles that would be a good thing. Who cares what others think. Let them pound sand.

I am not a pack mule or beast of burden.

It makes no sense to carry on my back that which can be very conveniently carried on the frame in handy, easily reachable holders.

Additionally, bottles go in the top rack of the dishwasher for an easy cleaning. Cleaning out camelbak bladders is a pain in the asp.

He probably means "bacterial" which is what the inside of most camelbaks are.

That's odd, especially considering that the Camelbak was invented by a road rider for a road ride. Mountain bike riders embraced the Camelbak because they could ride and drink easily over varied terrain. The downsides exist for mountain bike riders as well and are probably worse since mountain bike climbs tend to require more effort due to the more highly variable inclines and rougher surfaces as well as not moving as fast as road riders. But mountain bike riders have embraced the positives and don't worry about the negatives. Maybe they are more open minded and less fashion conscious.

I suspect that phillycodehound keeps his Camelbak bladder clean the way the rest of us do. Keep out sports drinks and rinse it out occasionally.

I use one occasionally (like if I'm on a route with few places to get water) and I've been heckled more than a few times. I agree, it's really immature. People need to get over themselves and understand that not everyone has the same preferences.

Who cares what "they" think? If you like it, use it. Not any harder to clean than many other containers designed to hold drink or food - worst case scenario you can always use weak bleach solution (whether or not approved by the manufacturer, I've done so for years without any problems).

I bought one a few years back when I got back into training and needed to drink a lot due to a medical condition. Like it on the bike - love it for running on the treadmill at the gym in winter - my balance is off a little due to said medical condition and that is almost hands-free and better for me on the treadmill - and unlike water bottles, which cost up to $20 each for the good ones, I don't walk off and forget it in the cup holder.��

I commute and I don't use a camel back, but I can see where it would be good for commuting on traffic. There are many times I've wanted to drink but both hands were busy because I was in traffic.

Most road bikers I see here in the US simply use water bottles. However, the opposite was true in the UK, most road bikers I saw (that were exercising or commuting long enough to be in lycra) had camelbacks on.

I personally don't use a camelback when I ride my road bike or commute. I do however, when I'm mountain biking.

If you need a Camelbak for the extra hydration, use one. I use one in the summer here in Texas. I stop and refill it twice on a 40+ mile ride -- it's a 70 oz version. Letting other's opinions dictate what you do is not wise.

I teach a road cycling course for beginners here in southern California, and carry a Camelbak Mule for those rides. I use it primarily for carrying extra tubes of different sizes, patch kits, pump, wrenches for nutted wheels, etc. I also carry ride sheets and some info the university wants me to have with me. Occasionally I even carry water in it!