Hydration

I like taking long (8 hrs +) day trips on my krs on the weekends. I'm finding it hard to stay hydrated during the rides. I get off the bike about once an hour to pull out a bottle of water and down it, but I was wondering how other riders hydrate while on the bike. I've seen riders using camel back packs, but I really don't want to have a water bag on my back while riding.

Any suggestions? Has anyone designed a way to carry on the handlebars or fairing or tank so ou can take a sip while riding?

Thanks,
Lisa

Don't rule out a Camelbak. They work great and they won't effect your handling of the bike what so ever. You won't even know you have it on as it stays secure. The water stays ice cold for over five hours so you're drinking ice cold water whenever you want it. The filler cap is extra wide to allow for filling with ice cubes easily. The bite valve and tube hangs ready to slip under your helmet and it's real easy to drink at a fast rate if you're super thirsty. Their basic model is around $40 so it could be worth a shot. I would never do long days without one. Ask anyone who's tried them.

I do not wear my camel back. Rather I will strap it on the bike seat behind me or on another place with the hose leading where I may access it at a stop light or a quick pull over to look at a map.

I keep my Camelbak (bladder only) in my tankbag and run the hose out through the zipper. With the angled bite valve, I can stay hydrated while moving even wearing a full-face helmet.

My camelbak was great until it broke in my tankbag. I just go the old fashioned way, with a water bottle and pulling over for a sip. Doesn't seem to slow me down much........

I have a camelback as well as a bladder in my tankbag. One is filled with diluted gatorade the other with water. The water I can use in my camp area for cooking too when going out in the boonies.
If you get dehydrated your reaction times will suffer and you can become disoriented as well. Taking frequent brakes off the bike will help you stay safer. The trick that works for me is to sip water continuosly and not when you feel thirsty, by then it is too late . I'd rather stop extra for a personal break than just for gas stops. I am not riding ironbutts, so what's the rush??YMMV

Down a bottle and you'll have to pee in 45 min. A mouthful every 20 - 30 of the same amount and you won't have to go for hours. My experience (& I'm a p**sser)

I bought a platypus water bladder and put it in my tank panniers or on short trip in my tank bag. Works great I fill it with ice and water and it'll be cold all day. I was using it going from Wisconsin to Oregon where it was over 100 every day.
I have a attachment with a hose and a little valve you bite on to get water. Its much better to take sips often then to slam a bottle every stop.
Clicky Clicky

Constant Hydration is the key

If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated...

I do a camelbak strapped on to me most times, over the suit. It does not bother me. Plus I am not tangled up in anything when mounting dismounting the bike. I have also done the larger 70oz or so Platypus strapped to the rear seat.

I don't like putting mine in the tank bag, cause that is where electronics and other things I want to keep dry are. I have never had a leak, but well why risk it.

Camelback on my back. I can feed the bite valve in between the visor and chinpiece, and drink on the move. Only drawback is.. stopping every 100 mi or so to pee. I'd rather be doing that than be dehydrated, though.

I find the 100 oz ones, half to 3/4 filled, will rest most of their weight on the pilion seat, or luggage hooked to it. I wear it on my shoulders, but rarely bear any of the weight from it.

Lutkamom said:

I've seen riders using camel back packs, but I really don't want to have a water bag on my back while riding.

Click to expand...

I started using a Camelbak 50oz Hydrobak this year and I don't wear it. I run the straps through the d-rings on my tankbag to sling it facing me. I put a bungee net over it to keep it from moving and to stash the hose but it isn't necessary. Carrying it this way interferes with entry to the map pocket and, of course, opening the bag but it's a good trade off.

- Ross

I Too Use a CamelbaK

I have several (different sizes/carriers) but my favorite MC one is the TRANSALP Backpack. It holds the 3L (100oz) bladder and has two main internal pouches and three exterieror mesh pouches. It carries all the things I need for a day trip: tools, FAK, cel phone, GPS, a couple PowerBars, and I can pack my warmies/WP-liners. It fits so comfortable that after the first ten-minutes I forget it's there.

Also, I look at it like a spine-protector. The water bladder is closest to your back and the shoulder and waist straps keep it all in place.

I carry 2 One-liter Nalgene bottles for cooking and back-up in the panniers when traveling or camping.

I only put clean H2O in the Camelbaks because I got tired of throwing them away after forgetting to clean them out.

I'll stop when getting gas and down a bottle of Power/Gator-Aid as needed.

Doc

LRider said:

My camelbak was great until it broke in my tankbag. I just go the old fashioned way, with a water bottle and pulling over for a sip. Doesn't seem to slow me down much........

Click to expand...

Had the same happen to me, bite valve disappeared on camelbak in backpack...bought a $10 wally-world bladder for the rest of the trip. Have since upgraded to a Chicane canyonEX tank bag with bladder port. No problems many a miles later and tank bag is a nice fit for the GT/RS IMHO.

Some jackets like the Rally2 have the camelbak built into the back of the jacket, it works great but it does add weight to an already heavy jacket. Otherwise would just placing the camelback on the tank or tank bag work for you with a long hose to sip from? Even without a tank bag either staps or velcro could be used to secure it and if it were on top of the tank bag then it could not ruin what was inside it right?

Dehydration

If you are drinking enough water you should be hydrated.

If the good advice offered above does not solve the problem, you might also want to take a look at your medical condition. Some prescriptions are diuretics. Other related health problems can cause dehydration. Had that annual physical yet?

Easy

Big Empty, Texas


The reason why worry kills more people than work is that more people worry than work.

Robert Frost (1874-1963)

After several variations and the absolute requirement to have ice cold water available all day for hot Texas rides, I stuff a small 'pocket' ice box in the tank bag. It rests on top of my rain suit top and the bag expands enough to have some top space for the usual devices, gloves etc.

I fill the camelback bladder with just a little ice and top it off and chuck ice in the container. I have ridden 10 hours from Dallas to Lincoln in August and still had ice cold sips at arrival. The hose fits well between the two zippers and can be stuffed back into the cold environment with the left hand so there is no hot flush of heated water in the tube before the cold.

It depends on where you place your value. Tank bags serve well for many things but I ride with no electronics and Texas can bake you like a brownie before noon some days. Water is paramount in my book.

hydration

Thanks everyone for the great feedback.

Sounds like the camelback type bladder is the way to go. I think I'll try it in my tank bag and see how that works for me.

I've also started bringing fruit with me to munch on when I stop for gas or to take pictures. That seems to help with hydration and also to keep me fueled internally.

See you on the roads!
Lisa

Just make sure you waterproof around it in the tankbag. Anything happens to burst it, or if it starts to leak, and you have a lot of wet things in the tankbag.

I have been an avid mountain biker for twenty-odd years and I've been around Camelbaks literally since they were invented. Between the several I've owned, and all of my buddies combined, I have NEVER seen one fail (beyond maybe a bite-valve problem here or there). Those who are saying they've burst in their tankbags... I've got to wonder if "puncture" is a better term than "burst".

On my '03 summer trip thru Utah and Colorado, I put a 2-liter bladder right in the large vertical chest pocket of my 'Stich. That worked well. (Additional fluids carried elsewhere on the bike as well). In '05 I used a 3-liter backpack-type, which also worked well. The Camelbak and it's clones are designed for active sports like mountain biking so by design it's got to be stable and unobtrusive.

The Camelbak I use for bicycling today is equipped with a winter kit, which encloses the tube in an insulating foam sheath, and places the bite valve in a larger rubber enclosure. Intended to prevent freeze-up (it works) it also helps keep that first swallow cooler on a hot day.

My newest favorite is not a Camelbak brand, but is from REI. It uses a 3-liter Nalgene bag. A couple features make it a standout: the daypack has a light plastic internal insert which is formed into a channel to fully enclose the bladder, preventing any of the other contents inside the pack from puncturing the bladder. Also, it's got the best compression system I've ever seen, that can practically make the pack appear vacuum-formed around the contents.