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Some bikes make a big fuss over this, others refuse to compromise their suspension to accomodate one.
For you, is it a:
a) necessity - it's far nicer to drink from a bottle and have free shoulders for shorter rides or when resupply is posisble
b) Will use it if it is there, but not a dealbreaker. I'll adjust my water and tool carrying to suit the bike, not the other way around
c) irrelevent - backpack all the time for every ride.
(a)
B mostly, but A if its my only bike that gets used for rides with the kids as well as big days out/gnar stuff.
edit: although kids are getting bigger so they can carry the water....
a)
B
I'd probably muddle through without one if the bike was good so not a deal breaker but I'd much rather have one, or in fact, two. Somewhat disappointed that my 456 only has one mount despite there being plenty of room for two.
At the moment b) as my shoulders & neck are a bit achey, but normally c).
a
A.
One 750ml bottle on the bike, another 500ml in the bumbag. Can't remember the last time I used my backpack on a proper ride (other than transporting beers down to the river). My back gets hot and sweaty real quick so prefer not to have it covered.
On a big climb, rather than taking a backpack, I'll strap my knee pads to the bar and loop the helmet over them, rolling and stuffing my back protector into the helmet.
Depends a bit on the bike, but mostly C, occasionally B.
A. it's one of the biggest factors in purchasing a bike.
A
Still use a pack on long rides or with kids though. Just prefer a bottle.
On a full suspension bike - C. Full sus generally equals a big day out, so would use my backpack.
On a hard tail - B.
On a road/gravel bike - A.
B doesn’t preclude drinking from a water bottle so A and B.
I find threaded inserts useful for other things too such as carrying a trail pump alongside a bottle
B.
I only bother in weather like we've had recently, both my previous bikes, SB66 and Capra couldn't take one, wasn't an issue.
What changed?
Thirty years ago if designers managed to squeeze three sets of bottle mounts on a frame they were lauded in magazine reviews, then camelbacks, in all shapes and sizes ruled until about 5 years ago- for years cage mount bolts went unused, to the point where a lot of frames didn't bother designing them in. did it really take people that long to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages and decide that carrying your water on your back wasn't such a great idea?
Is this just a fashion thing?
A
I wouldn't even think about buying a bike that doesn't have a (proper) way of storing a bottle. All my rides pretty much are sub 2 hour blasts so 1 bottle is all I need. Riding without a bag is so liberating, I'm never going back!
A for me, rode with a camelback for years, but really got fed up of the sweaty back, especially as I've moved all tool and spares storage to the bike, just don't like the idea of landing on anything hard and lumpy, so I was carting round a great big CB with a litre of water in it.
I have bought one of the CB bumbags, but only used it once so far (have owned for 2 years)
A as well.
Deal breaker for me for a bike not to have one. Yes, long day epics might need a pack as well but most rides are under two hours for me and using bottles is my preferred option.
Is this just a fashion thing?
Rise of enduro? Its something vaguely akin to a trail ride and a big day in the hills - so there is an aesthetic to aim for. Coloured jersey, shorts and light knee pads and so on.
Prior to that your look options were either xc racer in training (lycra jersey with pockets), or outdoor enthusiast who just happened to be on a bike rather than on foot (big bag with tools, clothes, water).
A* - two of please
A)
I sold my Flare partly because it couldn't accommodate a bottle without it rubbing the shock mount.
Depends on the bike?
If nothing else it's a convenient place to stash a multitude of things. Everyone likes to bang on about the ever changing standards of the cycle industry, whilst forgetting that bottle mounts have been 2 bolts, 2.5" apart since basically forever. You can get pumps, tools, CO2 inflators, alsorts of stuff that mounts onto those 2 bolts.
Sort rides - 1 bottle
Races (or organised events) - 1 bottle + somewhere to fill it
Long day out - camel back
Because even with a bit of planning carrying/obtaining enough water over a longer ride is difficult sometimes. But not having any bottle mounts at all would be a PITA.
A bike without somewhere to stash at least 1x 1000ml bottle would be a pain to live with.
B but leaning towards A!
I've ridden with a pack for years and it's not really bothered me, until I build a HT up with bottle mounts. Took the opportunity of adding a bottle (fidlock for ref.) and really miss it on my FS now. to the point that all of my idle browsing of new FS bikes is including bottle bosses in the frame as a purchasing consideration.
A for me. Bottle is pretty much what i use 95% of the time, I've a Camelbak for the days I don't
c for MTB, a for road and gravel, d (it's all irrelevant) for the commuter.
On a full suspension bike – C. Full sus generally equals a big day out, so would use my backpack.
On a hard tail – B.
On a road/gravel bike – A.
This exactly.
Bottles also get covered in mud and cow/sheep shit.
Totally c. Have backpack for big rides and bum bag for quick blasts.
B or C. I use a bum bag or whatever they're called.
All my current bikes can hold a bottle (2 only just) - but I certainly wouldn't discount a bike or frame if it couldn't.
A. Both for short rides & when doing longer days out. Electrolyte in the bottle & water in the camelbak
I really want to support Orange as a uk manufacturer. Single pivot yadda yadda but on of the ‘erm’ points is lack of Sensible bottle mount on their bouncers. I’d just about got over it then they pulled the Stage 4 🙄
Road gravel and hardtail: A
Full-suspension: B
I used to always use a hydration pack when mountain biking but have moved back to using a bottle lately, possibly because in the last few years I've been riding the road bike more and that's what I'm now used to.
A. Absolute deal breaker - wouldn't even consider a bike I couldn't get a bottle plus a frame bag on.
A
At least two sets, sensibly placed. My road/cross/gravel bike has two, but they're 'innovatively' positioned, meaning that I have to lose a bottle if I want a frame bag. My previous MTB had just one, which also had to be lost if I wanted a frame bag. Now have a bike with five sets!
A. it’s one of the biggest factors in purchasing a bike.
Needs two as a minimum
A.
B. Plenty of other options.
A. The poxy 500ml job that is all my Jeffsy will take just isn't big enough so any new bike will have to take a full size bottle, not an easy task on many size small full suss frames it would seem 🙁
B. I use one for most of my riding but I also have other options for carrying water. Daft to discount a bike based on this.
Problem solved:
A - critical and must be up to a litre
A) for me, absolute deal breaker if there's no bottle mount, and I'd need very very good reasons to pick a frame without on within the front triangle.
I always carry a Camelbak hip pack but only use the bladder on longer rides to complement the bottle in the frame.
I absolutely hate to clean bladders, while bottles are cheap, can be thrown into the dishwasher and I always have half a dozen of them lying around
a) for me. My current full sus I can only just squeeze a 600ml bottle in, I'd like to be able to fit a 750!
B, on everything but a road bike. I literally use a mountain bike bottle for 7 hours a year.
B - I've got a choice of enduro bumbag with reservoir and/or 2 bottles, and a 15l bag with bigger reservoir.
A regardless of bike. Would really like 2 on my 29er hardtail
Was B.
But now I have a bike with space for a bottle cage, I'm firmly A.
I just didn't realise how much I'd missed it.