On Thu, May 31, 2012 at 12:10 PM, PATRICK MOORE <bertin...@gmail.com> wrote: > I made the mistake of setting out just now with just one 28 oz water > bottle
That's a lot of water, but everyone's needs are different. When I lived in dry, hot (though likely not ABQ hot) Missoula, I'd drink half a bottle, do a 17-mile evening loop, and then have the other half on the porch when I got back. I carried the half bottle, but only in case a mechanical or something delayed me. I never much felt like drinking on a short, hard ride like that. I should mention that was a flat course. Didn't mean that as admonishing you for drinking, just thinking back to similar rides. > My main concerns are, (1) do they feel icky (that's a technical term) > on your back on a hot day? If you start with ice in the bladder, it feels marvelous for the first 10 miles or so. I eventually added some closed cell foam for longer rides so I wasn't heating up my water supply. I used a really light combo: REI Flash 18 pack + 2L (I think, or is it 2.5L?) MSR Cloudliner. It carried well enough that I forgot it after a while. The nice thing is it gets lighter as you drink. > 2). Do they mold up? How do you clean them to prevent mold? Mine never did in two years of continuous use. I just rinsed, drained, and hung it up with the cap off. Always tasted better than bike bottle water. Again, that was in a dry climate. I haven't used it much since moving to Oregon. > 3) What brand and model do y'all recommend, if any? I liked the combo I had, although to be honest I just grabbed both off the "scratch and dent" table at REI. The combo is only a pound and the pack is useful for unexpected roadside produce and such. Camelbacks I've handled seemed way overbuilt for road biking to me. > Gnashbar has several on sale (tho' they're damn'd expensive compared > to water bottles). Is the cheapest, at $40, the "Camelback Fairfax" > fer God's sake, 50 oz, decent? Or the (gad) "Blowfish" 70 oz at $60? I > can't see carrying more than half a gallon on my back. I ended up loving the little Flash pack with and without the bladder. I'd pay full price to replace with the same when mine finally gives out. > Or am I just better off putting a second bottle in my rear pocket? Probably, but the bladder is different and kind of fun. It's also come in handy on a couple of bike camping trips when I've wanted to load up on water before a dry stretch to camp. I wouldn't have tried it except for the good deal (think it was $30 total), but now I think they have their place. Still not sure I'd want one for an evening fun road ride, though. Best, joe broach portland, or -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
