Camelbak

[ColinJ]

I have a 2L Camelbak bladder you could have if that would be any use to you RB?

I use the Camelbak bag when out riding but have decided that I prefer drinking from bottles so the bladder doesn't get any use. Yours for a piece of chocolate cake if you want it - I'll have the cake when we finally end up on a ride together!

 

[RedBike]

Thanks for the offer ColinJ, I have a few bladders (cheap ones from Decathlon). It's just finding space for everything / trying to keep the weight down.

I don't mind using bottles. I'm still a roadie at heart I think. I like being able to see just how much water i've got left and have two bottles on the go at once.

In one bottle I put energy drink and the other just plain water. The waters vital forr cooking / making cups of tea along the way and the energy drink keeps me going.

 

[Bigtwin]

Trust me, I've already made the mistake for you, touring the south coast for a week when I was a poor student.

If you put that lot in a rucksack you will pummel your arsehoop to a merry hell and back.

Do yourself a favour and get a rack to put the heavy stuff on.

 

[RedBike]

Trust me, I've already made the mistake for you, touring the south coast for a week when I was a poor student.

If you put that lot in a rucksack you will pummel your arsehoop to a merry hell and back.

Do yourself a favour and get a rack to put the heavy stuff on.

Hehe, I did a short trip two weeks ago with just a rucksack
http://redbikes.blogspot.com/2009/07/pennine-way-double-trouble.html

My bag was so heavy it got nick-named burden. The lack of a waist/chest strap (can't think of the name for them) and worn out shoulder straps meant the bag was soon cutting into me. Two weeks on and the bruises/ friction burns still haven't healled.

I've tried the pannier (and even the trailer) route as well and i've decided the best route for off-roading as my frame isn't really suitable for panniers is to pack as light as possible, use a good quality rucksack (ie this post), and take a bit of weight off my back by using a frame/seat post bag(s) for a few heavier but small items like the camping stove / tent.

 

[RedBike]

Right, the bags been ordered.
I've gone for this..
http://www.planetfear.com/item/Brand_lowe-alpine-rush-25_0_0_23573_1.html

Half the weight of the camelbak, but with the same cargo size. Hopefully it's small enough not to get in the way of my helmet/saddle yet large enough to take most of my stuff. The only real downside is it isn't specifically designed for a bladder. Although I can't see bottles on the bike being a major problem (and not having a bladder will keep the bag a lot lighter!).

Now I need a BIG frame bag, bar bag and seatpost bag?
Any suggestions? - There's no way i'm going to fit everything in that bag!


The camelbak Hoss looked ideal; bit of a shame about the price!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Right, the bags been ordered.
I've gone for this..
http://www.planetfear.com/item/Brand_lowe-alpine-rush-25_0_0_23573_1.html

Half the weight of the camelbak, but with the same cargo size. Hopefully it's small enough not to get in the way of my helmet/saddle yet large enough to take most of my stuff. The only real downside is it isn't specifically designed for a bladder. Although I can't see bottles on the bike being a major problem (and not having a bladder will keep the bag a lot lighter!).

Now I need a BIG frame bag, bar bag and seatpost bag?
Any suggestions? - There's no way i'm going to fit everything in that bag!


The camelbak Hoss looked ideal; bit of a shame about the price!

I'd beg to differ.... I'd argue the bladder is not in the best place for cycling; vulnerable to off's and a little far back from your body mass so will act like a pendulum but it can be done as they show. I think that is a platypus or similar.

bottles:- I always lose them on fast bumpy technical descents and they literally get covered in shite off road.

could you hang the sleepingbag/bedroll from the bars btw?

The HOSS is a pricey bit of kit, but I'd say it is ok vfm wise, very well thought out, good detailing, well made etc., etc.

 

[Bigtwin]

Carry the water on the frame. 2 x 1.5 litre bottles is about 7lbs off your back. Just get/make a pair of velcro straps to secure them in the cage. Carrying water on your back's a mugs game!

Why are you not using a rear rack - full suspension?

If it's not that, but lack of mounts, I did a Borders to London tour with a MTB rack fixed on with hoseclips (used old tube to protect the frame). Worked perfectly entirely without a problem for the whole journey. Cheap too!

 

[RedBike]

My MTB frame has no mounting points what so ever for a pannier rack and the un-usual rear seat stay(s) and the disc brake make mounting a rack really difficult. I have managed to mount a rack using a combination of p-clips, zip ties and toured like that; but I decided that I prefered not to have all the weight on the bike.

I found carrying the bike an absolute nightmare with a heavy pannier rack. I also found that loading the MTB up with the weight up high caused some rather major handeling problems over rough terrain.

So far my prefered solution has been the rucksack. Even though I found carrying a large load very uncomfortable after a while / few days.

My plan at the moment is to try the rucksack approach again but this time with a better fitting rucksack and fastening some of the larger (but reasonably light) items like the sleeping bag, fleese coat to the bike.

Which leaves me with a camping mat, stove, tent and clothes in my rucksack. Which hopefully that 25L bag should be just about big enough for.

 

[RedBike]

I'd beg to differ.... I'd argue the bladder is not in the best place for cycling; vulnerable to off's and a little far back from your body mass so will act like a pendulum but it can be done as they show. I think that is a platypus or similar.

bottles:- I always lose them on fast bumpy technical descents and they literally get covered in shite off road.

I use a velcro strap(s) that came with an old set of lights to fasten the bottles in.

I tend to just drink out of a small bottle mounted on the rucksacks straps, which normally stays reasonably clean. I then keep topping this small bottle up from the larger very mucky bottles velcro-ed to the frame.

When you remove the lid of the bottle thats got covered in crap (literally) the rim of the bottle, which has been under the top, is clean. So you can cleanly pour the water out of this bottle and avoid drinking cow muck flavoured water.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Carrying water on your back's a mugs game!

step away from the darkside...

...hell of a lot of mugs out on the trails where I ride then as the only people I see with bottles in cages are on cross bikes/rough stuff tourers or lost roadies out playing at MTB'ing

 

[Bigtwin]

step away from the darkside...

...hell of a lot of mugs out on the trails where I ride then as the only people I see with bottles in cages are on cross bikes/rough stuff tourers or lost roadies out playing at MTB'ing

I think you are missing the point rather completely here. But if you want to carry that extra 7lbs plus in a bag on your back with all the other stuff for no reason day in day out, be my guest.

As they say, any idiot can be uncomfortable.

 

[02GF74]

Which leaves me with a camping mat, stove, tent and clothes in my rucksack. Which hopefully that 25L bag should be just about big enough for.

All these items are available in many forms but for lightness and smaller size, you are gonna have to unchain the wallet, there is no other way.

How light and how compact will be compromise on how much you want to spend.

Camping mat - for compactness you would be looking at self-inflating mattresses - there are quite a few brands of these so £ 30 should see you good there.

Bag - you cannot beat down bags for warmth to weight/size ratio - downside is they are no good if wet. You do not state how many season bag you are looking for so the prices can vary from £ 30 for thin summer one to £ 200 for UK winter. I have one at each end and both will compact to size of loaf of bread or smaller. The winter one is Marmot and was £££.

Stove - I believe the petrol ones are lighter than gas ones but are more £££.

Tents - if you are looking at one man tent, Argos ProAction one man tent kicks ass. I have one and it is light and effective.

here, half price at £ 25

If that is current (link found via google), don't waste a minute but get oof your fat butt and buy it.

 

[PpPete]

How light and how compact will be compromise on how much you want to spend.
....

Tents - if you are looking at one man tent, Argos ProAction one man tent kicks ass. I have one and it is light and effective.

here, half price at £ 25

.

I've just got one of those too. GREAT VALUE. But just to emphasise the first statement....

How about one of these? about one-third the weight of the Argos one and "only" ten times the price.

 

[02GF74]

just weighed mine - 1980 g - all in, it is older model, probably 4 yr old.

the weight could be reduced by not using the stow bags.

and using Ti pegs.

 

[Jonathan M]

Dump the tent, buy a bivvy bag.