ir0nfist

I saw it mentioned in the WWIII thread. I have one from when I was in the military and have used it on my longer rides because it holds a lot of water, about 2.5 liters I think. Does that make me a Fred? It also has a nice pocket to put my MP3 player since I only have one cycling jersey right now and it's not always clean.

Flatballer

I wear mine to ride. The main problem I've heard that people have with it is that it puts extra weight on your saddle, instead of just carrying water on your frame. And to those people I say... HTFU

Plus if they don't look like the perfect cyclist they feel bad about themselves because someone calls them a Fred.

aham23

what if it does? what if it doesnt? will you not ride with it or not ride at all?

fact is most roadies do not use a camelbak. not sure what that makes you though.

for me, its just easier to stop and refill or carry an extra bottle in a back pocket. the weight of the pack when in the drops, the slushing around of the water, the extra back sweat on hot days.....it just is NOT my thing.

later.

ir0nfist

I was just curious. I will still use it for longer solo rides. If you have used one you will know it doesn't slosh around, it creates some kind of vacuum and the water doesn't move much at all. I think it hurts the roof of my mouth though and sometimes the cable will hang down when I am in the drops and annoyingly touch my right knee. But that is easily fixed.

Pugsly

I don't like those packs for two reasons -

1. It caused wear spots on my cycling jersey
2. I sweat when I ride, and don't want that thing on my back - get's hot and annoying.

jrobe

2 hour ride - 2 bottles on the bike
3 hr + ride - Camelback (no searching and stopping to fill bottles)

End of story.

Hammertoe

I use a CamelBak on every ride...

It has almost everything you need to fix a mechanical...

I even stuff a Topeka Road Morph pump in it...

Oh, and on a long ride I put some water in it...


I don't care if I am a Fred...

Nobody has laughed at me to my face...

It is all about the engine...

Flatballer

I also carry all of my tools and spare tubes and iPod (gasp! say it ain't so!), and food, and all that good stuff in my Camelbak. I still use water bottles for Gatorade sometimes, since I don't like putting Gatorade in my Camelbak.

blacksquid

I use mine when I ride to my rock climbing gym. Carries all my gear plus my water. It's useful.

aham23

i have two of them. the mule for the mtb'ing and a smaller roadie specific one that i have only used once. they both slosh. later.

SpongeDad

I've used one on hot days and didn't find the sweat issue to be too bad.

Also good for mountain biking because it keeps the water supply away from splashing mud and microbes.

Allegheny Jet

I use my 50 oz camelback and two bottles on long solo rides. I can ride for 3 to 4 hours before needing refills. The weight of the camelback has never been an issue. What I really like about the camelback is that I can fill the bladder with ice with some water to fill the voids, then 2 + hours later I still have cold water. The camelback also has webbing that I can put a jacket and tights under when it warms up.

ncherry

I qualify as a Fred but I also ride double metrics at 18.5 avg (over the entire ride). I guess that makes me a fast Fred.

I use the Camelbak because my rides are long. This weekend I may have a 50 mile section with no stops (i.e. there is nowhere to stop) and I down two water bottles in an hour on my commutes so water bottles won't work for me. I tend to ride with the Camelbak anyway because I'm conditioned to reach for the tube without thinking. Lastly, I'm the ride leader and I keep extra tubes, tires, tools and what not in there. The Ventoux model makes that easy to do. Ya know it might be a good idea if I kept a map in there too (nah, what's the fun in that ).

Things to point out, it really doesn't slosh though a full pack and full bladder do requires a readjustment. My pack does move about as I keep the straps rather loose. It is a little annoying when in the drops but easily fixed. BTW, my handlebars on my Giant TCR3 are a good deal below the nose of my seat. Oddly enough I think the Camelbak protects my back from the sun. I ride in the NJ Pine Barrens and there is no shade on some sections (22 miles on this Saturday's ride). I don't notice excess sweat running down my back but that may be me. I use Gatorade and I keep a small 'can' of the powder in the pack. It's a lot cheaper. I also carry 2 water bottles. On my long rides into the Barrens I use those to dump over my head.

As far as weight, yes my pack is heavy. I'm used to it and I have no back or shoulder problems. A full bladder, 3L, weighs less than 8lbs. To see what I typically carry see my Ventoux Page. To see my routes see My routes on Bikely and this Saturday's ride (Cranbury-Batso-Tabernacle).

ehidle

Absolutely nothing wrong with a Camelbak. They have their utility. I wouldn't show up to the weekly A-ride with one, but if I'm going somewhere by myself in rural PA where there is 20 miles between WaWa stores, I'm taking my H.A.W.G.

RubenX 

I will use it on really long rides (60 milers) if refilling is an issue. But I do prefer a handlebar bag with 2 extra bottles. My only problem with it is that it takes more time to clean it and getting it ready.

jccaclimber

I use mine when I can't carry enough water in bottles. I do however get a really hot stripe down the middle of my back because there is no airflow where the Camelback is.

umd

I don't care what YOU do, but I don't like to ride with ***** on my back. If I need the extra water I can put extra bottles in my pocket. Conveniently, jersey pockets are intentionally sized to hold water bottles. (and no, the bottle in the pocket is not the same as a packpack pressed up against my back). 4 bottles x 24oz = 96oz (almost 3 liters). I've never had a situation where that wasn't enough water to last me until I could refil again.

Zan

prep the bladder, then.

fill the thing full of water, and seal it. then get rid of the air bubble that remains; that is what causes the sloshing. suck it out with the hose. if it's only water in the pack it won't slosh.

i ride with my cbak, but i look/act like a noob on the road.

Nachoman

I've only ridden with my CB on a hand full of occasions but each time it was great. I followed a tip I learned here on BF. I filled the camelbak half way up with water and then froze it. Then the morning of my ride I filled it again with cold water. I ended up drinking cold ice water for the entire 4-5 hour ride. And because it stayed cold it wasn't TOO annoying on my back.

umd

Interestingly on one of my rides where I took a bottle in my jersey pocket, I froze it the night before, and it stayed cold on my back. I had frozen another bottle that I kept on the frame and it melted and warmed up far quicker than the one on my back did.

logdrum

I use the hydrapak brand. Very small profile. I switch from bike to bike, so it is just a convenient place to carry water plus tools. It is a small one. Sweat has never been an issue. You get scorned by serious roadies and OCPs.

idcruiserman

Bottles don't keep water cold in the summer, and they freeze in the winter time.

jcbenten

More air flow on the bottles on the frame. In your pocket your body blocks the air from pulling the cold out of the bottle. BLT Baby!!! (BLT= Boundary Layer Theory)

pagliaci

If you have to ask, there's no hope for you.

TromboneAl

2.5 liters of water weigh 5.5 pounds.