Viewing 35 posts - 1 through 35 (of 35 total)
  • Anyone ride without a camelback?
  • monkeysfeet
    Free Member

    So managed a cheeky half day, packed the car last night. Get to the trail centre and I have forgotten the camelback (doh!), no tools, first aid kit, pump and no-where to store my bladder.
    So, instead of doing the red/black, I did a few laps of the blue so i could get back to the car for a drink.
    It actually felt really nice without a pack, and itgot me thinking what alternatives do folk use?

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    Saddle bag, bottle and pump on frame. Bum-bag or frame bag of some sort of if I need anything else. Feels great eh?

    treaclesponge
    Free Member

    Haven’t ridden with a bag for years, pockets on jersey, bottles on bike, job done.

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    scaredypants
    Full Member

    Me, whenever I can get away with it

    big bottle in the cage and tools attached to the bike unless it’s REALLY hot or I’m going to be out a long time

    grievoustim
    Free Member

    I only use one if absolutely necessary (big loops with limited access to water, or riding with the kids and need to carry extra food and clothes for them)

    Otherwise , bottle on frame. Spare tube strapped to frame. Pump and patches/ spate chain links / multi tool phone food etc in jersey pockets

    NormalMan
    Full Member

    Bottle and cage here. Plus tools in jersey pockets or maybe a bumbag depending on the ride, etc.

    I do have a pack but use it without the bladder and only very occasionally.

    faustus
    Full Member

    For more of an xc ride, then jersey with pockets for tools and food, bottle in cage. The freedom is nice, but on longer rides and on more technical terrain (bottle popping out would be annoying) I’d still use a camelback for it’s capacity, and to carry extra clothing/camera/etc.

    Although – drinking from a muddy/gritty/sheep shitty bottle in winter isn’t fun, so a bottle is used more in summer.

    zbonty
    Full Member

    Yeah, it’s much better riding without a ton of nonsense if at all possible

    I don’t like stuff in pockets, other than a very small multo tool

    cozz
    Free Member

    yep, don’t like stuff on my back, too hot and sweaty

    use a bum bag 1990’s style

    or now got a frame bag, for tubes, tools, phone, pump etc
    bottle cages on forks

    Hob-Nob
    Free Member

    As much as possible. Hate riding with a pack.

    Bottle on the bike, & a few bits in the pockets & that’s all.

    njee20
    Free Member

    Yep, Co2 pump wrapped in tube attached to seatpost, mini pump and multi tool in pocket. Bottle on frame, another one in jersey pocket if it’s really hot.

    jekkyl
    Full Member

    I hate weaing a backpack when riding so always carry a drinks bottle on the frame and I have a saddle bag for a spare tube and some tools. BUT a saddle bag is far from an ideal solution. I have many old broken ones strewn about the floor of my bike shed, they seem to rip very easily, even the more expensive ones, considering the bike is jiggering around on techy trails. I’ve taken to wrapping a couple of cable ties round mine, which look gash. Other solutions would be a bottle or plastic tub like this in the spare mount filled with your bits or a frame bag, top tube?

    bonesetter
    Free Member

    Never ride without one

    Can’t stand stuff on the bike, especially cages

    endurokid
    Free Member

    I have two but tend to use the smaller of the two on a regular basis. Its big enough for a tube, pump, tyre levers, chain splitter, small pliers, zip ties and keys, oh, and my phone for Strava!

    No bottle bosses on my bike so I pretty much have to use one for fluids,

    I believe Dakine do an ‘enduro’ bum bag which looks good for about £30 so I might give one a try.

    sandwicheater
    Full Member

    Just put everything I need in a Tesco carrier bag and hang it of the end of my bars. Seen the kids do it and reckon it must be cool.

    PJM1974
    Free Member

    I hate getting a sweaty back from my camelbak, plus my ride roughly follows a railway line that stops 400 yards from my front door, so I tend to venture out with just a bottle, a credit card in my pocket and my phone.

    I would like to find some sort of dropper post friendly toolbag that’ll allow me to stash a multitool and a tube somehow though. Surely someone has designed something that’ll bolt to the saddle rails?

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    The little Ortlieb saddle bag does just what you want.
    https://www.cyclestore.co.uk/ortlieb_saddle_bag_micro_seat_pack-ID_23534

    fasthaggis
    Full Member

    I learned to ride with a head basket ,great skillz,great posture.

    deanfbm
    Free Member

    I go packless whenever i can.

    As above, bottle on frame, now have a fanny pack for tube/multi-tool/inflator/wallet.

    oliverracing
    Full Member

    I’m packless 99.9% of the time, bottle(s) on frame, tube(s) on seatpost and multitool, phone, pump in back pocket

    brant
    Free Member

    I’ve got a Deuter Pulse 3 hip pack as I’ve got a manky shoulder and rucksack straps rub my sticky out collar bone.

    It’s great for on the bike, or running.

    bonesetter
    Free Member

    Even when I go au natural, I wear one

    mudsoul
    Free Member

    Has anyone tried Specialized’s SWAT bibs? I think they’re too expensive, but I like the idea and would love to give riding without a pack a go (at least on shorter rides).

    bikeneil
    Free Member

    Anyone ride without a camelback?

    Yes. I’ve got a Hydrapak and I love it.

    njee20
    Free Member

    I would like to find some sort of dropper post friendly toolbag that’ll allow me to stash a multitool and a tube somehow though. Surely someone has designed something that’ll bolt to the saddle rails?

    I use one of these on my seatpost, but they work equally well on top tubes, stems, anywhere really. Yes your stuff gets muddy (on the seat tube at least) but I’ve never dropped anything, they don’t wear out, and it’ll hold as much or as little as you want.

    darrenspink
    Free Member

    So the only time I didn’t take mine out I was 6miles away from home, in the country and my chain broke. Phone had just run out so walked back.

    Got a 3l evoc now, 500ml of water the rest of the space is occupied with half a replacement bike. Great bag, forget its there.

    emac65
    Free Member

    So the only time I didn’t take mine out I was 6miles away from home, in the country and my chain broke. Phone had just run out so walked back.

    What,you can’t fit a multi tool & spare links in your pocket ?

    Never use a backpack – pockets & bottle carrier for me…

    stevomcd
    Free Member

    Ride with a big, heavy pack all summer for guiding, so try to ride with no pack at all whenever I get to ride for myself. Feels so good, don’t always appreciate how much the big pack affects my riding.

    dannymite1981
    Free Member

    Most rides i do are at the weekend and are 2-4 hr peak district rides(not many areas to refill a water bottle) and i normally drink at least two thirds of water in my 2 litre pack.Do many people do these kind of rides with just a water bottle?

    njee20
    Free Member

    I usually fill my water bottle up part way around, particularly in summer, but yes, I do 4 hour rides with a bottle. You don’t need “many” areas to fill up, just the one!

    deviant
    Free Member

    I only take a rucksack if the walk back to the car is too long and will spoil my day if I get a mechanical.

    For short rides in my local woods I just have a multitool in one pocket and my phone in the other.

    Only on long rides will I take a drink and even then I’ll stick it in a bottle cage rather than wearing a rucksack.
    I hate carrying stuff on my body, on the road bike everything goes on the bike itself, bottle cage, pump bracket on the down tube etc etc.

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    If I do use one it’s a minimalist bladder only job if a bottle won’t be enough.

    Every tool I’ve ever needed fits in a tiny velcro pouch attached to the seat post along with a co2 inflator and a patch. A spare tube is strapped to the headtube along with a second co2 cartridge.

    Phone goes in jersey pocket.

    jackal
    Free Member

    I just risk it if going out localish for between 1 – 1.5hrs, as in no camelbak or bottle (you should be able to last an hour without a drink) no tubes, pump etc. Just a small multitool a spare quick link and my phone in my pocket (and a tenner for the pub of course). It feels great, I love riding without that weight strapped to my back and you’ve got the added excitement of if you get a flat your walking home, which I have of course 😆

    For longer and more remote rides, yes, I can’t seem to get away from needing one even though I think it negatively affects my riding. What other options are there? How good’s that dakine pack mentioned above? Looks a little bulky to me….

    StirlingCrispin
    Full Member

    I run a bottle and pump on the frame, with a medium Lezyne Caddy Saddle Bag for tools.
    By wrapping the saddlebag’s seatpost strap round the saddle rails it works well with a Gravity Dropper. The pack carries a tube, levers, multitool, patches, tyre boot, chain links, and zip ties.
    A pertex jacket sits in my back pocket.

    monkeysfeet
    Free Member

    Some good ideas there. Thank you guys. The Deuter Pulse looks good.

    It did feel great without the pack on (osprey viper 10) 🙂

Viewing 35 posts - 1 through 35 (of 35 total)

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