I thought the brushes seemed a bit expensive but then having a long thin brush to clean out the tube sounded like a good idea. But is isn't long enough to reach all the way down the tube.

I don't think the tube is designed to come off at the bladder end so I can clean from each end. It seems very reluctant to come off anyway.

In all the years i have used camelbacks i have never cleaned the bladder!

Rinse it out when done then stick it in the freezer, job done 🙂

It does come off, at least mine does.

My old one comes off.

si_progressivebikes – Member
In all the years i have used camelbacks i have never cleaned the bladder!

Rinse it out when done then stick it in the freezer, job done

POSTED 6 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

+1

mine came off and went on again.

It comes off no bother, otherwise you wouldn't be able to get a replacement if for some reason it gets effed.

you need to pull it harder.

fnar fnar.

Run a bit of hot water on the tube first, and it should come off more easily.

Or save yourself some £££s and use an unbent coathanger with a little loop bent in the end and a piece of towelling material. Works just fine, and plenty long enough 🙂

I use Milton sterilising fluid . . . about twice a year when the mould looks like it moving!

freezer…it's kool!

Mine wasn't long enough for the tube at its original length, but then the tube was incredibly long… Once I cut it down to a more sensible size, the brush was long enough.

I had the same problem and combined the brush with ajantom's solution and extended the brush using some sort of stiff wire I had kicking about.

ISTR reading that next years brushes are longer but you have to wonder how hard it would have been to test the original ones.

ahhh…. it does come off, I just needed to be a bit more force full with it. I like the freezer idea though.

Simple solution, get some parcel string, thread it through, tie a knot big enough to require a bit of pulling and then pull it through the tube.

Repeat until clear. £1 simples!

milton

"stick it in the freezer"

???

I had the camelbak pipe cleaner brush thing, all was well until the head snapped off in the mid-point of the tube 👿

Managed to get it out by some manipulation of the tube but was about 30 mins of my life wasted 😆

(to get the hose off from the bladder end, put the kettle on, bring to the boil and then hold that part of the hose in the steam for a couple of seconds, comes off easily then).

Mine very rarely needs cleaning as I only use tap water in it. (If I'm camping and use bottled water the bladder goes slimy after a few days due to lack of chlorine in the water)

I use a gear cable, wrap a bit of kitchen towel around the nipple then pull it through. Thats a deep clean though once every six months or so, normally combine with a soak in milton fluid.