# pros wear camelbaks!



## shaq-d (Apr 19, 2004)

i didn't see the hose, but paul and phil were commenting about how ullrich was using a camelbak to keep hydrated on the TTT.. woohoo! about time camelbaks became cool for roadies.. i think ullrich had it under his jersey..



sd


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## p lo (Sep 26, 2002)

*cool?*

Ulrich may have had one on, but i doubt that they will ever become cool for roadies. they aren't even cool for mt bikers


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## bigdeal (Jul 24, 2002)

One of the CSC riders was wearing one too...maybe Bobby J?


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## cyclist1969 (Jun 25, 2004)

*wrong rider.....*



p lo said:


> Ulrich may have had one on, but i doubt that they will ever become cool for roadies. they aren't even cool for mt bikers


Actually, it was Julich and not Ulrich who wore the camelback. He used one in the TT in 1999 as well and always has. If it works for him.......


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

You can see the lumpy back (camelbak) in this pic of #64 = Bobby Julich (USA)


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## lnin0 (Apr 8, 2002)

Jullich was clearly wearing one under his jeasey and in the close up at the finish line you could see the hose. However, I think aside from the TT events they are against Tour regulations.


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## xcmntgeek (Aug 24, 2002)

*There's a reason they're not "cool" for roadies*

Aside from the obvious style problems you can't refill them during a race and they end up being simply dead weight. 

Didn't lance try to put a hydration system IN his frame? Not sure if he still does- don't think so.


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## Matno (Jan 19, 2002)

*Depends*

Depends on your definition of "cool." If you're talking about temperature, then no, they will never be cooler than a water bottle. 

If you're talking about "COOL" as in what looks good, works well, is a great idea, etc., then they've been cool on mountain bikers for years. Any mountain biker who uses a water bottle is a Fred. No really cool MTB ride would be complete without a camelbak, the bigger the better (to a point). 
As for road rides, I've only used mine on centuries where there was no place to refill bottles. I would have died with only two water bottles. On the other hand, it did make my back and neck a lot more sore than it ever does on the (more upright) mountain bike.


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## p lo (Sep 26, 2002)

*def cool as in temp....*

i agree a camel back is needed for those epic rides in the mt. but i laugh at the guys at the local trail (that you can be back at your car in 20 minutes max) that have huge camel backs? what do they put in those things anyway?


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## ctxcrossx (Jul 8, 2004)

*hmm....*



Matno said:


> Depends on your definition of "cool." If you're talking about temperature, then no, they will never be cooler than a water bottle.


Actaully, I've heard that for temperature they actually are better. I'm sure you are referring to water temp. I am referring to something more important. I've heard that studies were done that show that using a camelbak (or similar) can lower your core body temp a few degrees by having cold water against your back. This would definitely help in an all out effort like the TTT. 

Chris


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## Nat (Feb 22, 2004)

p lo said:


> i agree a camel back is needed for those epic rides in the mt. but i laugh at the guys at the local trail (that you can be back at your car in 20 minutes max) that have huge camel backs? what do they put in those things anyway?


That's okay, they're probably laughing at you too.


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## Inspector Gadget (Apr 5, 2002)

*Been using them for years...*

with great results first off road, now on the road. I got hold of a used CamelBak Razor for $6 on eBay for my road riding. Filled with 70 oz, I got through a 75 mile MS 150 leg ride with only one partial refill. Plus, with the semi-rigid hose, I pretty much don't even have to use hands to get a drink. For non-racing, I find it far superior to bottles. I hardly ever race, so I have no verdict there. But I can easily see using something low-profile under a skinsuit for a time trial. It seems to me that too many roadies are too quick to pounce on others who don't conform to their elitist standards of what road riding should look like. I will continue to wear a CamelBak for most riding situations, regardless of what others think. 
Those who wouldn't be caught dead wearing a CamelBak are probably the same ones who long refused to switch to threadless stems for fear of looking too MTB.


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

p lo said:


> i agree a camel back is needed for those epic rides in the mt. but i laugh at the guys at the local trail (that you can be back at your car in 20 minutes max) that have huge camel backs? what do they put in those things anyway?





Nat said:


> That's okay, they're probably laughing at you too.


Hahaha...  

...well what if those people dont want to go back in the car... and who the hell cares what they bring on their ride... theyre not bothering you are they...


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## cyclejim (Mar 31, 2004)

p lo said:


> i agree a camel back is needed for those epic rides in the mt. but i laugh at the guys at the local trail (that you can be back at your car in 20 minutes max) that have huge camel backs? what do they put in those things anyway?


water....hydration is good. Who cares who uses what on the trail anyway Im more concerned with my ride than what everyone else is using/wearing, etc.


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## tkavan01 (Jun 24, 2004)

cyclejim said:


> water....hydration is good. Who cares who uses what on the trail anyway Im more concerned with my ride than what everyone else is using/wearing, etc.


well when i mtn bike in my camelback i have to carry a pump a spare tire, an alien, tire wrenches, spoke tightener, sometimes a map, and a patch kit(bc sometimes you get more then one flat) also carrying around 3 liters of half frozen water is great, it just about finishes thawing at the end of a four hour ride... also i ride a little on the rough side and have lost bottles, which suxs, esp when you are thirsty and lost...


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## pedlfoot (Feb 3, 2004)

*I use one...*



p lo said:


> Ulrich may have had one on, but i doubt that they will ever become cool for roadies. they aren't even cool for mt bikers


...on all my long rides.The extra water means I don't have to worry about refilling.Whether you or some other style snob think it's "cool" is irrelavent.Now run along, I think you're late for study hall.


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## plus_vite (Feb 3, 2004)

*Camelback necessary for MS-150???*



Inspector Gadget said:


> with great results first off road, now on the road. I got hold of a used CamelBak Razor for $6 on eBay for my road riding. Filled with 70 oz, I got through a 75 mile MS 150 leg ride with only one partial refill.


Uh, don't the MS-150 rides have a SAG stop about every 8 miles? Use of a camelback seems redundant.

But, hey, if you want to "win the stage" in a charity ride, the camelback is the way to go!

 

-PV


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## tamjam (Jul 12, 2002)

plus_vite said:


> Uh, don't the MS-150 rides have a SAG stop about every 8 miles? Use of a camelback seems redundant.
> 
> 
> 
> -PV



Who wants to stop every 8 miles on a 150 mile ride??


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## Steve-O (Jan 28, 2004)

*Maybe just for TT's?*

The only stages where I've seen Camelbak's used is on the TT stages. Perhaps it's an aerodynamic thing. A slim Camelbak under the jersey would seem to be more aero then a water bottle and cage on the frame (IMHO)... 

I also remember reading something about the water bottles used in the TdF and the fact that riders usually go for a new bottles every day. This avoids the risk of a poorly cleaned bottle getting the rider sick (or even the whole team if they were washed together). This would get a little more difficult and spendy with Camelbaks where you would be replacing the bladder, hose, valve, etc. every day...

Thoughts?


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

Wrong. 150 mile ride for *2 days.* Still about 1 stop every 8-10 miles or so. You could do one of those things with 1 H2O bottle...(and a small one at that).


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## haiku d'etat (Apr 28, 2001)

several riders were wearing them on yesterday's stage, though i can't name them.


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## Tig (Feb 9, 2004)

*Function over form*



p lo said:


> i agree a camel back is needed for those epic rides in the mt. but i laugh at the guys at the local trail (that you can be back at your car in 20 minutes max) that have huge camel backs? what do they put in those things anyway?


For technical trail riding, I'll never go back to bottles. Bottles are nearly impossible to drink from when riding the majority of the trails I frequent, even if they are 20 minutes from the car. Constant roots, rocks, drops, and climbs make reaching for a bottle a bit risky for those of us who drink enough to keep properly hydrated. Even during MTB races where you can get a water bottle hand up, it makes more sense to keep hydrated with clean camelbak water than mud crusted bottles. 

As for road riding/races, (or anywhere) who cares what people think? Leave that for the shallow plastic surgery crowd. I have yet to really need a camelbak on a road ride. By the time I empty 2 big bottles, I'm ready for a break anyway. Still, why should we care if someone else uses them? 

When I saw Julich with a camelbak hose sticking up out of his jersey, I thought of how Lance suffered so much last year when he didn't drink enough. That dangerous situation could have put him in the hospital instead of riding the next day.


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## lonefrontranger (Feb 5, 2004)

*that is precisely correct*



Steve-O said:


> I also remember reading something about the water bottles used in the TdF and the fact that riders usually go for a new bottles every day. This avoids the risk of a poorly cleaned bottle getting the rider sick


A rider in top form for a 3-week tour is an unbelievably fragile creature. These guys are on the bitter edge of overstress at every moment, and their systems are extremely touchy. They take no risks whatsoever using anything that might carry any sort of bug. You're always reading about the riders getting sick with "GI distress", meaning the cramps, the pukes, the runs, etc... - this is often caused by something as simple as a minor change in food regime or a salad that's not been properly washed. These guys live on bland pasta and chicken for weeks at a time. Jonathon V. also told me that during pro stage races, you end up so exhausted at the end of each day that you don't even have the energy to eat, and you get to the point where just the sight of food nauseates you. He claims everything tastes like you're trying to stuff down wads of cardboard, but you do it anyway because you have to get through 5-6,000 calories per day just to survive.

Steve-O is dead on the money. A hydration system is okay for a one-off use in a TT, aero, legal and convenient, so you'll see the pros using them in those situations. However, they are too difficult to keep clean / disinfected for multiple days - this is why the riders always use 'bidons' otherwise. They only use brand new, "sterile" bidons, and they THROW THEM AWAY after one use; generally they toss them to roadside fans as souveneirs. Aside from being illegal to use in mass start (not certain why, but they're considered aero equipment) the simple fact is that a bladder system is prohibitively expensive / wasteful to toss after a one-off use, and too complex and risky to be reliably cleaned and used on consecutive days. Hell the soigneurs are up until 2AM as it is taking care of these guys, you think they need more stuff to do?

All that being said, I personally use a small 50 oz Camelbak Razor *under my jersey * in long RRs. I put it underneath the jersey so it doesn't block my number, something that drives the officials nuts with the real "Camelback freds", the MTB crossover riders who tend to just cluelessly toss some gigantic crap-hauler hydration system on top of their race number. Anyway, I'm not a fragile 5% bodyfat razor's edge of survival D1 pro trying to suffer through a 3 week stage race, I'm a fat, happy middle aged female weekend warrior with a cast iron stomach. Besides which, I only put water in my pack and disinfect it regularly with bleach. In a long, hot road race, using the CB allows me to carry electrolyte drink in my cages. Best of both worlds, meaning I don't have to depend on the often sketchy feed zone process here.


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

*something else*

Drinking from a Camelbak is probably a lot safer than reaching for and replacing bottles, particularly in a team time trial following a wheel at 35 mph, and even more so in the rain. With some hoses, you don't even need to use your hands, but even so a quick hand movement to insert the mouthpiece (which you can just drop with your mouth after) is allows your hands to stay on the bars much more, stay in an aero position, and eyes always up front. I think it would be stupid not to use one in a TTT.


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## Nat (Feb 22, 2004)

lonefrontranger said:


> you get to the point where just the sight of food nauseates you. He claims everything tastes like you're trying to stuff down wads of cardboard, but you do it anyway because you have to get through 5-6,000 calories per day just to survive.


I could see it getting unpalatable pretty quickly. I remember visiting my relatives overseas years ago. It had been a couple of decades since we'd gone there, so ALL of the relatives wanted to host us. That meant they'd sit us down for a meal. We were eating eight to ten times per day, and it was getting completely unappetizing after awhile. Too much of a good thing.




> a bladder system is prohibitively expensive / wasteful to toss after a one-off use, and too complex and risky to be reliably cleaned and used on consecutive days.


I don't think that the expense is an issue. Considering how much money the teams put into their bikes, salaries, support staff, etc., a few hundred bladders would be relatively cheap. It'd be expensive for mere mortals such as we, but not for a pro team. The other reasons sound reasonable though.


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