You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
To be honest, I'd sworn off 'proper' bikepacking a while ago in favour of ho(s)tel hopping, which worked fine for the sort of riding I wanted to do.
This year I think I need to be ready at a moment's notice to take advantage of restrictions easing etc. but also need to be prepared for a scarcity of accommodation, hence dragging the tent back out of the cupboard, evicting the moths and trying to figure out how to carry the least amount of gear necessary for potentially several nights.
I think I've got it all sussed except water, I can't use the bottle cages, the frame bag will be virtually full, I don't fancy putting it on the downtube in the way of all the filth and inaccessible while riding, so that leaves:
1) Stem cell bag
2) Headset mounted bottle cage (using that wee Alpkit headset cap doofer)
3) Hydration pack?
1) and 2) don't appeal as I wonder how good they are over bumpy terrain, plus the stem cell seems a bit clumsy and not very aero (one of my trips is predominantly road) but then I'll probably also have a sleeping bag lashed to the bars to aero is out the window anyway I guess.
3) doesn't appeal as I've gotten used to nothing on my back for the last few years!
Bumbag perhaps? Or is there something you could secure to the top of the saddle bag maybe? (although am conscious of the pair of flip-flops I left in my wake last time I tried this method...).
I guess I could leave the tent at home in favour of a bivvy bag but I do like some respite from the midgies and weather...
Ta
Stem cell works well with a bidon over rough ground. Bladder in a frame bag?
I've used a stem cell with no problem - the Alpkit ones take a 500ml bottle and still cinch up so it doesn't bounce out.
I tried that Alpkit headset thingy - fine for road but it's no good off-road as you can't do up the bolts tight enough to deal with the forces of the water in a nearly full bottle bouncing around.
I'd just try a bumbag, like a bladder one from camelbak or perhaps one with a pair of bottles like...
https://www.e-outdoor.co.uk/p/montane_featherlite_6l_waist_pack/?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=directory&utm_content=GBR¤cy=GBP&country=GBR&SelectedBundle=196241&SelectedItem=820974&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3smABhCjARIsAKtrg6JNgu52uBIaMdtQQXoiGqCyp51IWZlE_Pr1N8SlENF2A5aOeSZmqlYaAvudEALw_wcB
Bearbones is a fine forum for this stuff....
I can second the bladder in a frame bag, that works well for me.
Have you seen the cages that fit onto fork legs? They would let you carry water too. In the uk you arent really ever very far from water, even if you drop into a Spar to buy a big bottle...
I've used a headset one for years. No problem.
But, get a filter and you don't need to carry so much.
APF
...actually I've just had a possible brain-wave, a stem cell could be used for the little lightweight bits and pieces that are taking up almost precisely a litre of space in the frame bag!
Moves the lighter stuff up to the bars and means I could maybe cram a bidon or a bladder into frame bag after all (I think, I'm currently just experimenting with a cardboard template before I send to WeeCog).
I think stem cell is in the lead so far, thanks for suggestions.
But, get a filter and you don’t need to carry so much
I'd be carrying bare minimum anyway and am hsppy drinking from mountain streams, have done so for years. Currently not planning to cook dinners but buy them en-route (depending how many cafes and restaurants survive lockdown that is...). This was supposed to be a road cycling holuday so am clinging to some luxuries! 😁
This is another application for the Zippomatic 3000.
Originally invented to easily carry 2 litres of water on an Orange 5.
It's a plastic chopping board cut to the shape of a large crud catcher. Then holes are drilled and bidons fitted. It worked a treat with easily reached water with no rattles or anything.
Anything cages or passport lug-cages?
I’ve used the huge (3 bolts) bottle cages that attach to the forks, when riding they are totally unnoticeable, all the weight is firmly attached and close to the steering axis.
I’ve also tried the water bottle in stem cell method, worked fine.
And big water bottle inside a frame bag, also fine.
Other suggestions would be, normal cage with a shitproof bottle, or bladder in a frame bag/mini frame bag.
I will add, my bottle cages attached to the forks via the 3 bottle bosses, I’m not sure I’d be so confident if they were attached via jubilee clips or the like.
Really depends on what length of trip / how far between water stops. I've used a bladder in a frame bag for my long rides in summer, in hindsight I should have just filled it with water as it can end up a bit of a sticky mess with powders / tabs etc. I used an Osprey 2 litre bladder which meant I was good for 4-6 hours in hot weather - hose secured with magnetic bite valve to stem meant easy to find/stow.
I've used the love mid headset thingy bob bottle cage holder several times off road and it's been fine. Obviously needs to be tight, which is doable.
Stem cell is fine too, but I'm generally seated riding unless and stood freewheeling so I've not had any issue with knee knocking.
Fork leg mounted cage?
I have a soft plastic bottle with filter nozzle - Befree, which is good not only for filtering, but having an additional 600ml or so when I know I'm a long way between water sources when I need a bit extra. It's soft enough to roll up tiny when empty, and slot into whatever space you've got available when full.
Bumbag with bladder would be the only other one I could think of, or top-tube mounted at the seat-tube end.
I'm sure I've seen a saddle bag stabiliser that also holds bottles. Remember seeing it and thinking it was a nice simple solution
I use a bum bag with bladder then usually one bottle in my frame bag plus a water filter. To up as I go..
Pretty sure I've seen something like scotroutes posted there but with bottles clearing the saddle a bit better. I could be wrong, maybe it was the same thing, but it seems a good solution to me, from an aerodynamic view as much as anything else.
Katadyn Befree filter. Rolls up to bugger all, takes mere moments to filter water and can be used as a soft bottle if you need to carry extra water.
Depends how far I'm going, but if I've got my frame bag then the top bit of it has got water bladder in it.
If I'm doing that, then I'll have a bottle with sugar drink or hydro tabs in a stem cell
Couple of stem cells worked well for me - easy to reach when riding in summer.
You can get a rubber strap bottle mount form Decathlon for a few quid and put it under the down tube to carry a water bottle. Hard to reach when riding, but good for carrying water for camping?
I've also got a few soft silicone water bottles. Fill them up in the morning, stash in rear pockets or stem cells. Volume reduces as you drink them so can be replaced in stem cells or pockets with food for later/camping.
LOVE the saddle bag stabiliser/bottle cage thing, glad I asked, wouldn't have found that otherwise!
That stabliser thing looks good, but it definitely looks like the bottle placement would interfere with actually being able to pedal.
Yeah it's a bad photo, but photos on Wiggle look fine, bottles are further back.
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/woho-saddle-bag-stabilizer