[Closed] Riding without a pack.

"Luckily the Malverns have plenty of springs so no need to lug water around,"

Really and truly? You would rather stick your head in a muddy puddle in January over carrying a light pack or a bottle cage?

I've used plenty of natural water on multi day expeditions etc but on a days ride I think I'll stick with a bottle full of Hi 5 thanks!

legend - Member
scotroutes - Member
I can only imagine how much stuff you've got hidden in those oven gloves

Really and truly? You would rather stick your head in a muddy puddle in January over carrying a light pack or a bottle cage?

Yup, really - they're not exactly muddy puddles, there are usually people there filling bottles from them as it's better than the stuff that comes out the mains.

I deffo take some of the water from one of the springs over a plastic bottle full of chemicals or a festering pack.

Short ride close to home? Bottle in cage, phone in pocket, anything more serious and I'll go home and grab the other bike or fix the problem properly before heading out again.

Away from home and a longer ride? Couple of tubes, pump and levers, cereal bar, £5, phone, drink and multitool.

Sounds like you've got it nailed deviant!

Damn this thread. It took me years to convert to a hydration pack from a fairly large bum bag. Now that I've been riding with my pack for several years along comes this thread and I'm confused 😆

I like the idea of riding light, but at least in winter would want to pack some extra gear. Like some others have said I rarely empty the bladder in the hydration pack (even if only filled half way) so would be fine with a bottle for most days except when it's hot.

Perhaps it's time to try a smaller bum bag than I had before? More likely a different solution is required for different rides/conditions?

"Luckily the Malverns have plenty of springs so no need to lug water around,"

Don't google land runoff... 😉

I wouldn't buy a bike if it didnt have a bottle cage mount. Infact that was pretty much top of the list when it came to narrowing down my enduro rig buying.

I had an argument with a bike shop owner about a bike not having a mount as he thought everyone uses packs so what was I on about.

But theyre too heavy and you end up carrying all sorts of rubbish.

I pretty much only take a multi tool, some money and a bottle. Sometimes take a tube and gas taped on but thats only for races. Especially since going tubeless.

Don't google land runoff...

Do Google Malvern Spring Water, I'll still be leaving my pack at home 🙂

Just bought one of these as i am trying to get away from riding with a pack. Holds loads of gear and has bungee straps to carry a waterproof/extra layer.
http://www.chevintrek.co.uk/omm-ultra-waist-pouch-6l-6011-p.asp

"Luckily the Malverns have plenty of springs so no need to lug water around,"

Really and truly? You would rather stick your head in a muddy puddle in January over carrying a light pack or a bottle cage?

Awesome. 😀

A few Malvern springs/wells:

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Got to be honest have never carried water hereabouts. Nothing beats the fresh-tasting brain-freeze inducing experience of a slurp from one of the above, usually following a hooge sweaty climb.

*addendum^

Sometimes get caught out by 'failed bacterial test' signs, so have to make do with a pint of local ale instead.

If its 2 hours or less I'll take my fanny pack with tyre levers, multi tool, tube, bottle, pump and phone.
More than that then I'll take a bag for more water.
and you don't need to prepare for every eventuality when you're just out on your local loop or with mates.

OK, third 'packless' ride out for me on Sunday just gone, according to Strava we were out 3 hours 28 minutes, clocked up 20 miles and did just shy of 2000 feet of climbing.

It was a bit of a funny ride as we basically rode around Cannock all off piste and rode loads of sweet, tight and twisty singletrack.

I made sure I was hydrated before the ride and also ate, during the ride I didn't feel like I needed to eat or drink, but was glad when we got back to the car (rididng mosty in the mud takes it out of your legs!).

I carried: Pump, multi tool, tyre levers, chain tool and tube. I put this in a little bag you get when you buy a Thomson stem then wrapped in a carrier bag for good measure. I simply carried this is the rear zipper pocket of my waterproof jacket and didn't event notice they were there.

I think for me, riding packless is the future!

Don’t need tools with my bike, can do a spin for 2-3 hours without food/fluid – will regularly pop off with my phone, a tenner and the shed keys in a pocket. I might put a gilet in my other pocket if the weather looks worse than I’m dressed for.

I must admit those springs look ace!
I'd still carry a bottle and fill it up from those.

In the winter I find carrying a pack gives me a 'security' feel - knowing it has an extra layer, some emergency food and most things to fit a trailside mechanical.

In the summer I try and ride packless when possible though I have an ultralight camelback which I bought for trail running which is so comfortable you hardly notice it

I used to use a bumbag, back in the day. They were far less comfortable than a camelbak imo.

Recent studies suggest that taking on fluids whilst exercising provides no benefit at all.

See, I drink plenty on rides - usually about a bottle per hour's worth. And yet I don't pee on rides and usually not much when I get home. So if I don't need it, why aren't I peeing it out? Where does it go?

Don’t need tools with my bike

Don't have a chain or pneumatic tyres?

I don't drink much and don't eat much when on a ride.

But

I'm damn sure that a warm layer or waterproof is preferable to a cold hr plus walk home (in case of a failure i cannot fettle a repair on), a spare pair of gloves is welcome if my gloves get wet. Although local rides will be bare minimum in the summer, definitely carry more in winter.

Don't have a chain or pneumatic tyres?

I can only remember snapping a chain once and I've not had a flat since going tubeless*.

*watch me double flat next ride now!

I'm damn sure that a warm layer or waterproof is preferable to a cold hr plus walk home

My bag has saved a few bruised ribs and back. I can wrap the phone in soft stuff so it's less likely to get snapped in a crash than if it's in shorts pocket. I genuinely don't feel encumbered in the slightest by a camelbak. I also tend to run low on energy quite easily so always carry a lot of food.

Me and a few mates did the Edale classic in summer 2013. It was insanely hot, something like 24deg, and as most of the route is up high pretty much no shelter. We started from Hope so had to climb the broken road and I had finished the water in my bladder by the time we were climbing up to the top of Jacobs Ladder. Halfway up there's a small stream that crosses it so I dipped my head under it to cool down, it tasted okay so I filled a bottle I was carrying for someone and drank that until we got to the pub in Edale. Glad I had a pack that day.

I prefer riding without one though. Looking to get a frame bag for the fatty.

I can only remember snapping a chain once and I've not had a flat since going tubeless

Hahaha... 🙂 After never having snapped a chain in 15 odd years of biking, I thought snapping chains was something that happened to other people. Until, I snapped one. Fortunately I was about 100 yards from the end of a 100km enduro 🙂

As for tubeless - you can still get flats that you cannot seal. I always carry two tubes. I ran over some glass once, huge pssss noise and latex squirting out everywhere - and remarkably it sealed. However I'd lost a lot of latex and when I ran over another piece of glass about a mile later, I needed a tube.

Bottle cage, big pockets. It's actually fine in Winter and also in Summer. The difficulty for me comes in autumn / spring when you want to shed a layer and you've got nowhere to put it.

I like the look of the Spesh SWAT lycra. Haven't heard many people talk about it, but it looks like a useful way to stash a bottle.

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/news/128/specialized-swat-technology

Simple answer......Wingnut hyper.......I brought one and it truly feel like you're wearing a bumbag even loaded and with 3litres of fluid in it.....I'm never going back to a traditional pack!

Me and a few mates did the Edale classic in summer 2013. It was insanely hot, something like 24deg, #

24 degrees? Bring it on, is all I can say - beats this bloody cold any day.

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Camerbak Flashflo FTW 🙂

It was insanely hot, something like 24deg

Hang on 24 and it was hot... WTF that's winter temperature. Summer is more like 30-35°C

For shorter rides I use a lezyne micro caddy under my seat its fine with a dropper, as there is no post strap. I managed to cram a small crank bros tool, tube, link, patch and air cartridge in it. Plus a bottle in my bottlecage on my frame.

Went for a ride around cannock sunday. Forgot usual jacket, camelbak, tools, everything apart from shoes and gloves. Downed 500ml water in the carpark from cafe, bought another for when i got back to the car. Never done it so fast. Not sure what i learned but i had a great time.

Each to their own, but seems to be a bit of alpha seeking one-uppery going on here too.

"Unless it's Iditabike, I just sling £1, patches and my trusty blade into a condom which goes into my seat tube. I might carry a pump between my teeth if it's a multi-day epic"

Meanwhile, in another thread posters extol the virtues of the extra space a LWB T5 gives you vs a SWB base one.

Consistency please people!

"Unless it's Iditabike, I just sling £1, patches and my trusty blade into a condom which goes into my seat tube. I might carry a pump between my teeth if it's a multi-day epic"

I don't think I've gone for a ride or run without a pack since 2002. I feel naked until I strap it on 😯

Me and a few mates did the Edale classic in summer 2013. It was insanely hot, something like 24deg,

If you aren't carrying a pack, you don't have anywhere to store your spare trousers. The barmaid will be angry when you leave a wet patch.

🙂

pfft. whole lot goes in the rubber, which is swallowed, drug-mule style, and when required shit it out.

Genuinely brilliant.... 😆