Which one do you use and would you recommend the one you are using or something else?

Six of one, 1/2 dozen of the other.

Water bottles are easier to keep clean; hydration bags typically hold more water.

I like hydration bags for hot days (fill it full of ice) and long days; otherwise I stick to water bottles.

Bottles for road, packs for offroad and carrying more stuff on the road

Water bottles most of the time for road cycling.

When temperature reaches 95, give or take a little depending on humidity, I use a small camelbak packed with ice for rides of 50+ miles. Also carry a couple of bottles. The ice helps to keep me a little cooler than otherwise and is a source of needed water.

Bottles for shorter rides and pack for longer rides.

A good comfortable backpack that's just the right size is no burden on long, hot days.

For road I like cages and stainless steel Theromeses to keep water really cold on very hot days during long rides. A handlebar mounted cage and 500ml bottle let's me have water near to hand and i top up that bottle from the
termoses.

#04g Miele Uno L.S. Rebuilt 4 Touring - Thermoses Keep Water Cold on Very Hot Days by Miele Man, on Flickr

Cheers

Bottles. Wearing anything heavier than a shirt on my back and neck sounds horrible. Let the bike carry the heavy load -- that's why I got it.

But I'm biased by physical limits. My C2 vertebrae is splintered from a car wreck, so I can't carry heavy weights on my neck or shoulders. That's why I prefer cycling over hiking or long distance walking. If I can't carry it in a waist pack, it doesn't go.

Bottles for road. Hydro pack/vest for running, hiking and sometimes MTB if particularity long and hot (add ice)

Bottles. After a short while so call hydration packs end up full of cooties. Besides on a hot day who wants something on their back.

Additionally I hate the taste of rubber or plastic. Besides if you can taste the rubber or plastic, you are ingesting something you shouldnt be. I use stainless steel bottles.

I used to use only bottles, but when I saw those "rules of cycling" and that camelbak's weren't cool, I immediately (that same day) went out and bought one.

I fill the camelbak with 70 oz water and fill my water bottle with gatorade.

The camelbak also solved my issue of hating large saddle bags.

Water bottles and plenty of places to fill them up hopefully. I wouldn't want something on my back all day. I can't carry enough water if over 2.5 hours.

Water bottles, with no extra weight on my body.

Plus a 1L Platypus in a trunk bag for extra capacity riding far from civilization.

I toured with 4 bottle cages on the frame; 3 water & one Petrol for the stove .

Water bottles for me.

Only have used bottles and fill up when needed. Also wanted to try a pack, but the fear of grossness/germs in it just ruins it for me. Is there actually a way to clean a hydro pack thoroughly?

I used to think that wearing anything on my back would be horrible, and I still say that a rack and panniers of trunk is better for commuting that wearing a backpack. But I bought a Camelbak when it was offered at below wholesale cost (a company rep did a product presentation at the shop I was working). I really enjoy using it, and not just on the bike. While I still mostly use bottles, if I'm going to be out for awhile and it's really hot, I'll take an ice-filled Camelbak.

I just did a three day tour this past weekend. I used both. For road rides, it's bottle only. Nothing says "Fred" like wearing a pack on a road ride. Just don't do it. And don't put anything in a pack's bladder besides water.

Bottles, I will freeze one third of one bottle and two thirds of the contents of the other the night prior.

Well for starters, if you only put water in it, all you have to do is take the pack out when you get home, drain whatever is left, extend the arms that keep the pack open (kind of like sunglasses) -- and then just hang it upside down.

I assure you I'm a germaphobe and there's no grossness to my camelbak. In the case that you are putting orange juice and stuff in there, you can just flush it with water. They also sell cleaning kits, or recommend using bleach then flushing it thoroughly and allowing it to dry. Essentially I wouldn't buy one used, but if you bought it new, there's no reason the hydration pack can't look the way it looked when brand new once it's a few years old.

That's just me though. I always try to be a little uncool just because I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard.

When it's hot, both.

I've not used a hydration pack for cycling (yet) but when I've gotten home from hiking I will fill it halfway with fresh water and add baking soda. Freeze overnight and then thaw and drain upside down for several hours. No problems reusing.

I hate having anything on my back, and carry bottles. My girlfriend hates reaching down for bottles, and wears a Camelback.

All personal preference.

Thanks for the tips. I don't mind bags while cycling as urban is my preferred form of riding, so I usually have my chrome or a murse anyway. Knowing it can be cleaned well, and to reduce my germaphobe fears have prompted me to buy one to try.

I also feel that for hiking, or days at the beach or just being out, it would be handy to have water at my disposal.

They do look kind of silly when someone is drinking out of one, but hydration is king, and summer is rapidly approaching!

Bottles for two reasons, I hate wearing backpacks while riding, and I prefer to stop when I drink.

I don't mess around. Both bottles frozen solid along with the two 18 oz jugs filled and frozen solid and left in the car if I'm not going very long.

2 Saturdays ago it was two 24 oz bottles frozen, an 18 oz bottle frozen, and a 12 oz Powerade frozen. There was water several places to refill and we stopped for lunch at the turnaround point. I drank 309 oz of fluids for 65 miles and had some water in the car when I got back that was still cool and I drank that.