Camelback/Hydration packs...OUT OF FASHION??

UncleFeet

UncleFeet

Likes Dirt
...I was out working today with the father of a prominent Australian Trials Rider and he told me that Camelbacks were now out of fashion with the MTB community...Just wondering how you hold a cup on a psycho thirsty downhill. Do you use china cups and saucers?.. or if weight is a concern, do you use a disposable polystyrene cup? Are special cupholders available? If so can you get then with built in shocks so they don't slop your drink over the side? Do some riders use a conventional bike bottle on the frame but with an extra long straw? I ask because its going to be 37 degrees tomorrow and I am going riding. I couldn't bear the scorn from other riders...:eek:
 
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I-shred

I-shred

Likes Dirt
who cares if it's out of fashion, i'd rather be "uncool" and hydrate than pass out from dehyration.
my $0.02
 
Angry Atheist

Angry Atheist

Banned
ahahahhha

gulible much?

No, I'd prefer to be well hydrated, thankyou. I'll leave kidney stones for those that jump from trend to trend and for those that actually think that the whole world looks at them like they are the centre of it.

Ride safe. (including not fainting!)
 
Pebble

Pebble

Likes Bikes and Dirt
For DH can't you just get helmet mounted bottle holders that are gravity fed via a hose?:D

I use my camelback on any rides (apart from around the house), besides it provides good back protection if you stack and don't wear upper body armor.
 
Moggio

Moggio

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I always use it... stuff my snake bandages, phone, ID, money etc in it too. So even if doing a road ride I use it. Took the bottle cage off my bike.

One thing that has taken me a while to work out is to just fill it to an amount that I need on a ride rather than full every time!
 
J

JP

Likes Dirt
I love my hydration pack! When the ride is longer than bidon length it's great. Unlike Moggio I fill it to the top every time. I like my water. I figure it's better to have a bit left at the end of a ride than to run out far from a refill, which I have done twice and suffered incredibly. this is complemented with a bottle or two of extra strong gatorade for real long or hot rides.
 
3viltoast3r

3viltoast3r

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I love my camelback. Its awesome.

Can someone explain why roadies go to ridiculous lengths to save weight and then they go add 750ml (750grams) + bottle + bottle mounts?

Actually now I think about it the reason MTB's aim to be lighter is for handling whereas in a roadie handling doesnt matter as much. You still have to apply more force to propel that weight whether its on your bike or your back. :eek:
 
D

dilzy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
For shuttle or push runs I just leave a bottle in the tray.

For xc I take a Camelback Mule. It's the muts nuts.
 
AngoXC

AngoXC

Wheel size expert
Gosh! Get with it!

And you guys call yourselves mountain bikers...


Hydration packs are for pussys! :cool:
 
Spanky_Ham

Spanky_Ham

Porcinus Slappius
Moggio said:
One thing that has taken me a while to work out is to just fill it to an amount that I need on a ride rather than full every time!
Click to expand...
full every time!!

Spanky no race, so different story.. but a recent forced (read: triple puncture ride) walk home in 35C heat made him glad he had 3L of water, ran out about a km from home. Never know when you or someone else on the ride might need some rehydration.

On the back of my bag it says "hydrate or die" ..... in australia's recent summer heat - thats dam applicable.

s
 
WolfCreekPsycho

WolfCreekPsycho

Likes Dirt
UncleFeet said:
...I was out working today with the father of a prominent Australian Trials Rider and he told me that Camelbacks were now out of fashion with the MTB community...Just wondering how you hold a cup on a psycho thirsty downhill. Do you use china cups?.. or if weight is a concern, do you use a disposable polystyrene cup? Are special cupholders available? If so can you get then with built in shocks? Do some riders use a conventional bike bottle on the frame but with an extra long straw? I ask because its going to be 37 degrees tomorrow and I am going riding. I couldn't bear the scorn from other riders...:eek:
Click to expand...
Judging by the ad-hoc-farkin-pole just performed, it looks like the Father doesnt know what he is talking about.
 
S

stringbean

Likes Bikes and Dirt
i never use one for dh caus there just to annoying, usualy just have a bottle of water in the shuttle car or leave it on the ground at the top or bottom of the track. I'll use it if im doin a long enough xc ride, otherwise a bottle does the trick.
 
J

jobi_one

Likes Bikes
im not a fan of the new camel backs ...too big/bulky and heavy ...i have the older style of camel back ....a 10 year old mule ....still going hard and nothing to comnplain it rocks....lighter than the new ones heaps of storage...wish they would go back to the older styles
 
Dirt king

Dirt king

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I pretty much never go anywhere (riding) without mine. Take it to races, casual rides everything. I really don't care whether they are in or out of fashion, they are a great thing to have because they hydrate and they also carry a lot of spare things that become very handy at certain points in time. ;)
 
Steepy

Steepy

Likes Dirt
He probably meant that hardcore XC racers don't tend to use them anymore because it's unnecessary to carry all the extra water/weight around for the whole race when they can just grab a new bottle every couple of laps.

I love my Camelback but the sucky thing is how much it makes your back/pits sweat when you ride with it on. After a couple of years of solid use mine is starting to grow crystals on it from all the evaporated sweat which might just come in handy as a salt lick to keep me alive if i ever get stranded out in the bush :D
 
MARKL

MARKL

Eats Squid
UncleFeet said:
...I was out working today with the father of a prominent Australian Trials Rider and he told me that Camelbacks were now out of fashion with the MTB community.....:eek:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the fashion tip...

As everyone is probably aware hydration is a major concern for trials riders with the big distances and all that they travel, I hear they deal with it by making sure the car they are in is fitted with cupholders...:D
 
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