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I find that pubs will happily refill my bottles. Maybe we're just lucky around here and all the other places I've road ridden but there always seem to be enough of them dotted around for it not to be an issue.
Fine on a road ride, but when your in the middle of nowhere on an MTB the extra bottle is a godsend, that said I could use a camel back, but they really are shit.
If you're in a proper roadie position then the (minimal) weight will be on your back, not pulling down.
My roadie position is pretty good actually. But it's still a pain when moving about and so on. I dont' stay fixed in position for 4 hours 🙂
Must just be you then 🙂 Can't say I've ever heard of it being an issue even when climbing 'vigourously' out of the saddle...
I think I may be underpacking.
Rides of 20-150 miles have the same kit (pump, tube, CO2, multitool, levels, chain link, chain tool).
Drinks on a short ride (up to 60 miles) in one bottle. Poss refilled if hot.
Food for up to 70 miles = 2 gels in back pocket.
Other pockets have phone, bank card, ID, cash, house key, inhaler.
Why the need for all these extra provisions? Are you all going on expedition?
Even the the op used the stupid 'darkside' word I'll still give them some advice, which is pretty much the same as most others have said.
I use a specialized micro saddle bag like this one [img] 
[/img]
this holds one inner tube, small lezyne multitool with chain tool, tyre boot (piece of groundsheet), puncture patches, couple of chain links (kmc quick links), one tyre lever, mini c02 inflator and 2 cartridges and a couple of zip ties.
Phone, debit card, cash and door keys go in zipped jersey pocket, which leaves 3 pockets for mini pump, food if on long ride (usually gels/energy bars) and any extra clothes (either gilet/arm warmers or small waterproof.
Don't really see what the isue is with carrying stuff.
[i]I hate having my jersey pulled down by tons of junk in the back pockets. Plus I can't carry anything like enough fluid in two bottles.[/i]
Never had a problem with this either, suppose it depends on the quality/fit of the jersey.
FWIW, I'd not get 60 miles on a bottle of water and two gel packs - everyone's different - some need more food/water, others less.
ourmaninthenorth
I am with you on this one, i did 75 miles on saturday, stopped once to fill up 2 x 500ml bottles, ate one bar.
Road riding is meant to be hard and a sufferfest 😉
I obviously don't drink enough when on the road bike! Usually 2 bottles of water / electrolyte energy drink will last me 100k, even when hot and it's not hard to find somewhere to refill when empty. In a typical 2hr evening ride I probaly use half a bottle so a long way of Shreds drinking rate. Strangely offroad with a Camelbak I'll get through 3l in 4hrs easy.
I keep multi tool, tyre levers, tube and CO2 in a small saddle pack, which also means I don't have to remember them. Phone, money and keys in pockets plus arm warmers, windproof, food if needed. Small pump on frame but i've not needed it in 3000 miles of road riding so really I could dump it and all the contents of the saddle bag but that would be tempting fate.....
I take in my camelbak:
1-3l of drink depending on distance and conditions
up to 2 gels and 1 energy bar depending on needs and time of day
Small multitool
Pump
Tube
Puncture kit (in case I have lots of punctures)
Phone
Money/card
Definitely don't take CO2 tho since punctures are so infrequent that the pump is not a chore.
tragically1969 - Did you also eat a lump of coal and get up before you went to bed? 😉
FWIW, I'd not get 60 miles on a bottle of water and two gel packs - everyone's different - some need more food/water, others less.
Fair enough.
TBH, the bottle has energy drink in (self-mixed*), and unless it's a really hard ride, I don't use the gels (just there as emergency rations).
*six spoonfuls of maltodextrine, three spoonfuls of fructose. Unflavoured. No need for food with all that sugar.
I also dislike loading up my Jersey pockets or using a back pack.
I’m currently using a Bar bag on mine, it’s not exactly “Aero” but it hasn’t actually reduced my commute times at all, I also have a very small seat pack with spare tube and multi tool permanently attached (I honestly don’t notice it), the mini pump clips on behind Downtube bottle cage and I have used the larger one of [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=16400 ]these[/url] on and off for stuff like mobile, keys, wallet, work passes, etc but the bar bag means I can have 2 bottles in the cages, and carry load more stuff to work including waterproofs an extra tube, a lunch box, torch, basically loads of kit…
If I was just out for a 3 hour ride though and only wanted to carry a few extra bits I‘d Just use the storage bottle, no point going OTT, I only take a water proof if heavy rain is forcast (worth looking online beforehand)…
Rationalisation of what you need to carry does help, it’s easy to slip into thinking you need 3 tubes a full tool kit clothing for all conditions, the truth is for a quick road loop less is more, otherwise you're basically a tourer…
[i]Road riding is meant to be hard and a sufferfest[/i]
I think you'll find that even the pros aren't hard enough not to fuel properly. But if you're happy to not eat/drink enough in the hope that it makes you a hard roadman then you carry on.
not quite mtb but I carried 8 pints of milk home last night for 5 miles, damn heavy.
Yeah, sounds like the stupid days where riders were only allowed a fixed number of bottle of water/etc in the TdF for no logical reason 😉
FWIW, I'd not get 60 miles on a bottle of water and two gel packs - everyone's different - some need more food/water, others less.
Last weekend I managed 50 miles in the heat drank two bottles and ate nothing which is unusual for me, I also clocked an average of 18.5 mph which again surprised me, probably because there were a lot of riders out wearing Bad-Tri kit who needed to be dropped. 😉
Anyway, for Realman, the tip for the Ventoux is this: it's baking hot, and will be all the way up on any of the three routes), but you can find the temperature a *lot* lower at the top. Take a wind jacket or gilet only, and then the rest of the stuff you have been told about.
If you're riding up from Bedoin, you can fill up a bottle at Chalet Reynard. It's only 6km from the top, but that 6km is completely exposed.
Enjoy the views from Ventoux - I tried to, but was too busy throwing up.... 😀
probably because there were a lot of riders out wearing Bad-Tri kit who needed to be dropped.
Quite right. Hope you nonchalantly ambled past at 22 on the tops... 😀
(I sometimes see a triathlope when I ride to work. Even at 8am, it's essential that I ATTACK..!)
I think you'll find that even the pros aren't hard enough not to fuel properly. But if you're happy to not eat/drink enough in the hope that it makes you a hard roadman then you carry on.
There is a slight difference between expending 12000 calories for days in a row to doing a 50 mile road ride on a sunday morning !!
For all your roadie needs!!!
[img] 
[/img]
What about a little bum-bag?
I know it's rather 1980's, but I use a little one sometimes if I'm not wearing a jersey with pockets, can get as much in it as I can in a small seatpack.
You can set the waist strap loose enough that the pack just sits on the top of your cheeks, doesn't constrict and is nice and out of the way.
What about a little bum-bag?
Now that would be uncomfortable on a road bike plus people will point and laugh, understandably.
*six spoonfuls of maltodextrine, three spoonfuls of fructose. Unflavoured. No need for food with all that sugar.
just bought of of that + electrolyte from www.myprotein.co.uk
very cheap compared to ready made and no aspartame like SiS..
if you use this code at checkout MP107371 you get 5% off -(from this guys webpage http://www.jibbering.com/sports/drinks.html)
used 1.5 bottles this morning of mix on the route in from woking to central london
as for bags, small or large saddle bag is the way to go
[i]doing a 50 mile road ride on a sunday morning[/i]
Sorry I thought you suggested [i]Road riding is meant to be hard and a sufferfest[/i]
You could always remove your bar tape, or take the tyres off if you want it to be hard. Or how about remove the saddle. That'll really make it tough, especially if you wear a rucksack full of bricks.
🙄
just bought of of that + electrolyte from http://www.myprotein.co.uk
It's where I get mine from.
Going to try their electrolyte - Nuun makes me feel sick (hence Ventoux comment).
Torq also contains no nastiness, and some fructose (the flavoured ones)
Road riding is meant to be hard and a sufferfest 😉
See that wink, its meant to represent sarcasm, something which bypasses you lot by the look of it 😉
I'll wade in now..
Small saddle bag for tools, tube etc.
Pump is attached to the frame.
Tri-bag ("bento box") attached behind stem for gels, bars, phone, money.
Two 750ml bottles on frame.
That leaves my pockets free for a gilet and arm warmers or a jacket.
Seems to be much the same requirement be it 20-30 miles or 130 miles.
[i]don't carry tools in your rear pockets, it really hurts if you come off the bike and land on something sharp[/i]
Chain tool actually chipped my spine from crashing when carrying one in jersey pocket.
Camelbak being a no-no, "obviously"? Do grown ups really care that much what other people (especially roadies) think of them??
[i]somethig which bypasses you lot by the look of it[/i]
Nah, the server I'm on doesn't show smilies.
My better road jerseys will hold a 'shop bought' 2 litre bottle of water without it dropping down my back.
I'll buy one of those midway on long hot rides as my bike only carries one bottle.
I top up and drop in a munn tablet, drink a fair bit then drink from the 2L bottle until it's empty, so I have my bike bottle in reserve.
Might have a little shower as well from the big bottle.
750ML bottle and no food for 100Km is fine for me, though I've recently taken to carrying a Lucozade pouch/drink as well.
I've had a mobile phone jump out of my jersey pockets in the middle of a busy road (I had to cross a road on foot to avoid death) so I only put light clothing in them now.
Definitely don't take CO2 tho since punctures are so infrequent that the pump is not a chore.
But the CO2 is lighter than a pump, the only time I've carried a pump with me on a ride in the last 10 years is when I ran tubs, so I had the option to keep 'topping up' if I flatted. I never used it! CO2 only, lose the pump IMO.
Agree that a bum-bag would be horribly uncomfy, that'd be a long way down my list of ways to carry stuff, just after 'balanced on my head' 🙂
Surf-Mat I only buy jerseys with an extra zip pocket, I wouldn't be happy having phone/keys/card in an open pocket.
to avoid death
Pansy!
My pump is pretty light; but more importantly CO2 only works once 🙂 Two punctures and you're screwed.
Mol - if I showed you the junction, you'd understand...!
molgrips - MemberMy pump is pretty light; but more importantly CO2 only works once Two punctures and you're screwed.
Take an extra cartridge?
[img] 
[/img]
Bike junk in saddle bag. Down sleeping bag, beanie, merino longs, baselayer in dry bag, food, waterproof and lights, phone, wallet etc in pockets.
If you're not riding for two days, you probably won't need anything in the dry bag.
Micro sized saddle bag contains tube, real patches, quick patches, pump, asthma inhaler, multitool, tyre levers, powerlinks, brake pads, gear cable, zip ties.
I think I may be underpacking.Rides of 20-150 miles have the same kit (pump, tube, CO2, multitool, levels, chain link, chain tool).
Drinks on a short ride (up to 60 miles) in one bottle. Poss refilled if hot.
Food for up to 70 miles = 2 gels in back pocket.
Other pockets have phone, bank card, ID, cash, house key, inhaler.
Why the need for all these extra provisions? Are you all going on expedition?
this ^
just use jersey pockets, have a small pump/co2 thingy (it works as pump too) a lightweight tool, park patches and tube. still enough room for food/keys/phone.
can even fit a gilet, armwarmers or a stowaway jacket if needed. i have a small saddlebag but only used that on the tour of flanders for more tubes and extra food.
[i]Two punctures and you're screwed.[/i]
Not if you have more than one cartridge. But I get where you're coming from. I use c02 so I can get the tyres up to a proper pressure, the mini pump I use does as an emergency 'get me home on 60psi' job only.
Can't believe someone up there carries brake pads with them.
If you're doing 400+k and the pad material comes off the backing, you fancy doing the remainder on one brake?
For a 200k road ride all I take is the saddle bag and some food. Its not like caliper brakes get this issue.
[i]If you're doing 400+k and the pad material comes off the backing, you fancy doing the remainder on one brake?[/i]
No, but I'd fit a set of pads that were fit for the trip before I set off.
anotherdeadhero - Member
If you're doing 400+k and the pad material comes off the backing, you fancy doing the remainder on one brake?For a 200k road ride all I take is the saddle bag and some food. Its not like caliper brakes get this issue.
And the probability of pad material coming off is? It's something I've never had happen to me. I can think of lots of other eventualities which might require the carrying of spares too - where do you draw the line?
LOL at the indignation.
where do you draw the line?
Taking an extra bike? For 10g of brake pad, which packs up absolutely miniscule, I can't see the issue. Its like taking a gear cable, which can be used as a brake cable in an emergency. Unless you snap the frame in half you're probably covered for every likely eventuality.
Like I say, I never bother with caliper brakes, I just make sure there is plenty of rubber left on them, and i wouldn't bother if I wasn't off out for several days.