I feel like I'm staying with baggies partly because I'd have nowhere within reach to stash energy bars for a decent event/race. The side pockets on ym bag aren't good enough to be able to reach to from a riding position.

Does this help justify a wingnut bag?

What does everyone else do?

Jersey pocket.

We sell a few of these for this purpose
http://www.thebikechain.co.uk/store/product/20784/Profile-Fuel-Box/

Jersey pockets are the obvious one, but aren't accessible if you're wearing a pack, and you can't carry enough liquid for a long event in just bottles!

tbc – I was hoping someone made exactly that as that's what I'd like for the K100. Ace 8)

What sort of pack are you wearing? Most race oriented packs sit quite high on your back

and you can't carry enough liquid for a long event in just bottles!

How long do you call long?

Vast majority of XC racers use bottles over a backpack.

I'm not really much of a 'XC Racer' I just love riding my bike. Thus I haven't made much of an investment yet into peripheral kit.

Kingtut – Long rides = 3-4 hrs. Last years Dyfi was my first 'event' and took me 3h40. I've done a few local Kielder events that are 3-4 hrs and you have to carry tool bag and first aid kit plus you extra kit/layers should it turn nasty. Up to 10/11 hrs for the K100.

ac282 – just a fairly standard EBC Revolution one. It sits quite high, but not above the jersey pockets for sure. For local stuff I have a small Camelbak Chaos

Jersey pockets

I've done a few tris and they love those bike box things, or failing that just taped to bars of top tube with electrical tape.

For drinking at 'races' bottles is my preference. Riding without anything on you back is so much nicer. All long events have opertunity to refill bottles, but 2 big bottles is enough for a long time provided you drink alot before and its not too hot.

Agreed, it's really nice to not have anything on your back, but my main biek has only one set of bottle cage bosses and drinking beforehand will give me a bad stitch!

Cheers for all the ideas though, I'd forgotten about taping bars to the bike.

wingnut are ace
carry enough for a full days ride in the side pockets, which are accessable without removing the bag.

similar to above a top tube box but a bit smaller velcro makes easy to open

http://www.tri-1st.co.uk/product_IRONMANTUBEBOX.htm

and i don't race (much) but i find useful out with "mates" that won't stop

but my main biek has only one set of bottle cage bosses

One bottle on the bike, one bottle in a jersey pocket as long as your jersey is a nice snug you don't notice it.

if you are talking racing, gels or bars up the shorts leg, once used in the pack pocket of your jersey or gel drop bins if they are provided, NOT on the floor PLEASE.

Adventure racing bag with hip pockets – allows you store enough gels and bars at easy reach and 3 L of liquid as well. I used to be one of the fashionable racer types with just bottles and an extremely limited spares kit in one of my pockets. I'm over that now though! Always amazes me when people bust their balls in a Merida and then have to stop at the feed stations to top up on fluids, hence losing minutes.

At meridas 2 bottles is more than enough for between checkpoints if you're going a reasonable pace. Used just one actually the past 2 years and that was ok. Pockets for food, pump on frame, tube and multi-tool in the saddlebag.

As others say, so much nicer riding with no bag on. And I'll just take maybe a gilet spare. On a short race that's fine, longer ones tend to be laps (so that's fine) or have checkpoints. In which case it's fine, or if I slow down too much for some reason I'll abandon.

I always wonder what folk have in the massive bags at these events…

If it was a long event with no feed stations etc to refill (can't think of any?) food would be in a bag and i'd just stop for the seconds it takes to fish it out and get going again.

i tape gels to the crossbar by the top rip off part, so when you grab them they open ,, then stuff the empty wrappers in my pocket,

I don't often use a back pack these days. Not even on all day rides but if I do, I have two neoprene small camera holders on each of my shoulder straps and put energy bars in there. They easily hold 4 energy bars each. Not that I'd eat 8 bars in one day.