Hydration Bladder General Queries
 

I recently bought a frame bag which means I can't fit a bottle holder where they normally go so my options are carry my water bottle in a jersey pocket, get a holder that goes on the handle bars or get a hydration pack and stick it in the frame bag which has a hole designed for the pipe to come out of.

If I did the latter can you buy clips to hold the pipe where you want it ... if not I'd probably just make something up with adjustable zip ties.

The bigger question ... how easy are they to clean, do the bladders / pipes need to be sterilized or can you just flush them through with water and leave them out to dry after use ....

I've gotta be honest if it becomes a pain looking after them I'd probably just stick with a bottle.

Bladder care is almost as diverse as chain care.
The bigger platypus bladders have a wide zipper at the top end. Drying and cleaning these are real easy.
The camelbaks etc with a big circular lid are more difficult. I have a discarded tube I fold double and shove in there to improve air access.
The camelbaks with their easily removable tube, I disconnect the tube and hang it upright with valve pointing down. That way, it dries out just fine.
Some don’t bother with drying, but stick them in the freezer between uses.

It also depends if you intend to run pure water or use additives.
Pure water require the least upkeep.
Electrolytes, bicarbs basically are almost as easy.
Sugary stuff, carbs, you do need to make an effort IMO.
There are specialty products sold, cleaning tablets, very long & narrow brushes for the tube, drying inserts etc if you want to get fancy.
And a number of DIY, home remedies type of stuff with boiling, bleach etc etc.
Apart from the special tube brush, I’ve Never tried anything more advanced than a rinse and some creative drying.

The problem with my CamelBack bladder is that it tastes like one.



I am also interested in the recommendations, having got a new off-road bike that comes with a custom-fitted frame bag. Has anyone tried fitting a frame bag between the WolfTooth double water bottle setup?

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/02..._1024x1024.jpg


Link

Another option would be a seatpost holder which puts the bottle (sometimes two) behind your saddle.

No storage in the frame bag for the bottles? I've also seen dual and triple bottle cages that mount on the seat post behind the saddle.

Can you use side loader cages with the frame bag?

Camelback supplies the Army, now, so you can find them as war surplus..

I have my own war surplus ARMY Camelbak and although I've never used it for cycling I can't bring myself to throw it away. It sits in a drawer next to my unused MTB Camelbak. Desert camo doesn't match my PI screaming yellow jerseys too well.

Hopefully answering all the queries ... my seat post is totally taken up by saddle bag and mudguard I literally can't get anything else on it, had to buy one of the clips that go through the loop on a saddle bag to mount my rear light.

I could put the bottle in the frame bag but mainly bought it for if I need to peel layers off to put in there so will kind of depend on the weather conditions I'm going out in and on some days yes ..... and others maybe not .... I may get one of the handle bar mounts and use that just when I have too much gear in the frame bag.

I'd never seen the side loader cages before, I'll have a look and see although the design of the bike there's very little space in that area (had to buy a small frame bag to get it to fit) and wonder if there may not be enough head room between the down tube and the bottom of the bag.

Wonder if the WolfTooth double water bottle may possibly work as it may just push the bottles out to the side to give enough headroom but with that design go on the down tube or would you constantly catch you ankles on it where it's come out sideways quite a bit??

Side loader cage
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Aru...ttle-Cage/16KI

HOW MUCH :wtf:

Think I'd go with one of these and the holder I have rather than that route :)

https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/e...clamp/p/04087/

Other brands make side loader cages, not just Arundel.

Arundel cages, along with King titanium cages, are the finest made. Nice things cost money but there are plenty of other brands which are not as expensive.


-Tim-

On mine (not sure what brand it is, probably something cheap from China) it says not to use anything but water in it. Since it kind of folds up flat when it's empty, I think if I put anything sugary in it it would likely stick together by the time I got home. Plus it's not easy to get into it and clean it out. I just rinse it out when I'm done and then hang it on half a plastic clothes hanger I cut up for that purpose. I slide the clothes hanger inside the bladder and hang up to dry.

We have water bottles on our bikes, but my wife and I both also have Camelbaks which we sometimes use, for times we want to hydrate while still riding. It's hard to get "the taste" out of the bladders. But denture tablets, as well as lemon juice helps. When drying them out, I'll hang them upside down, with the sealing lid off, and a plastic cup inside the bladder, to keep the sides separated. I wouldn't put anything but water in them.

OP, lots of options for bottles. Check out 2 fish. Mounts for the fork, downtube and head cap. For starters.

They're quite neat !!

Had a look round the bike today for spare space and the only place I can get one is on the handlebars so will definitely either go with one of the Bontrager ones I linked to above or Topeak do a similar one.

Cheers to everyone for their help!!!

I wouldn't either, because I think it would be too hard to completely clean out so you don't have a lot of yuck in there later.

I used to use a camelbak for long unsupported rides, along with three on-frame bottles (it was hot where I was). I freeze my bladders inbetween uses (empty), and run warm water with making soda through it every 4-5 uses, and that seems to do the trick.

My slim hydration backpack (room for the bladder and 1 or 2 larabars) had a clip to hold the tube, and you can fix it so a turn of the head would let you drink.

I wouldn't put anything but pure water or water with unsweetened salts in it, but I feel the same with my bottles. Don't need no candy water.

That's a good question although it seems very well secured so I wouldn't have thought so ... one thing I really notice if you're cycling with a heavy side wind the frame bag certainly seems to acts like a boat sail and you can feel it push the bike off course a lot more than I noticed before fitting it.

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5044-6...ad-Bottle-Cage
I have bought a couple of these. Inexpensive, especially when you convert Canadian dollars into US dollars. I didn't think that my dual suspension mountain bike had room for a water bottle. I was wrong. I also gave one to my grandson for his 20" tire mountain bike. Having access to a water bottle that you can slam into its holder after using it is a huge benefit
Too bad they don't make a version for lefties

It is steel, so I am hopeful a factor of 2 won't make a difference.

Yes. There is an additional extension piece you can get that puts the bottles up near the head tube, like you see in the photo. (My frame has an array of those bosses, so I might not need one.)