On board catering

[Andybg]

First of all I must admit that keeping hydrated and fueled while cycling is one of my weak points.

I am a roadie of the 80's and along with pushing big gears (and most of them eliptical) came the habit of never eating and rarely drinking. I think a 500ml campag aero bottle was seen as overkill for anything less than a day ride.

Anyway back to the present. As I push my rides over the 100km mark, I am finding hydration and fueling a bigger and bigger issue. I dont particularly like to stop but dont really enjoy drinking on the bike (I am getting there though but just need to fing some bottles that dont make the water taste like plastic) but eating has been an ongoing project.

I have been trialing both trail mix and jelly babies which I find palatable (not at the same time) while riding but have trouble with the whole bag in the back pocket malarky.

On my ride yesterday I came up with an idea which worked for me and may either be well known to others or considered idiocy.

I emptied out one of my waterbottles and filled it with jelly babies.


Leaving the top off the bottle gave me an easy way to get them to my mouth rather than all over the road.

Just an idea to put out there and maybe get some further ideas.

Am thinking of two handle bar mouted water bottles and then I can have a pic and mix lol

Regards

Andy

[Danneaux]

Some good ideas, Andy!

For extra water capacity with your existing cages, you may wish to look at the Zefal Magnum series of 1l bottles. I've been very pleased with mine (see my Danneaux's Sherpa and Danneaux's Nomad) galleries, where I have a pair mounted in CatEye nylon cages attached to the steerer. I run three 1.5liter bottles in Blackburn Bomber cages in the usual frame locations, for a total of 6.5l on the bike. They are tasteful in appearance, but tasteless in use (at least for my black ones). The trick to avoiding leaks is to get the screw-lid tight. You do this by holding the lid in one hand and the base of the bottle in the other. Done. See: http://www.zefal.com/en/bottles/68-magnum.html

You may also wish to explore the various "tool bottles" intended to carry um, tools in bottle cages. They come in two sizes -- about equivalent to .5l and .75l bottles, and have watertight screw-top lids. Soma make some, and the essentially identical tool bottles are available in the UK and Eurozone. I'm about to step out the door so am running short on time, but a link to the Somas is here:
http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/stash-bottle
...they'd be ideal for carrying on-the-go food, even trail mix or energy bars. I have a set on my Folder project and like them very much! They make an ideal holder for cell phones and such that really should be kept dry when riding.

All the best,

Dan. (...who should have been in Yachats, digging a ditch, more than an hour ago...and it'll take me an hour forty-five to drive there!)

[Andybg]

While surfing I spotted these which look just the job.

https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=store.catalog&CategoryID=2&ProductID=12

Along with some other interesting items so well worth a gander

Andy

[Danneaux]

This is a really intriguing product, Andy, and would serve much the same function as a handlebar bag (for snacks and day-trip food) at a fraction of the size and weight. I sometimes put a little stuff sack or my tool bottle in my steerer-mounted bottle cages for much the same purpose -- really handy for eating on the fly, and keeps one's back jersey pockets from getting unduly strained carrying too many energy bars, fig bars, nuts, and such. I like how this one is stabilized in two places so it doesn't wiggle away from probing fingers.  I do wish it had a little flip-up rain cap, but the drawstring should do a reasonable job keeping the contents dry. It would be easy to detach and empty out the little debris that always collects in the bottom of such containers, keeping it neat and clean.

Their other products are interesting as well, and I love the names they chose -- "Gas Tank" and "Jerry Can" -- all designed to hold things and fill you up when you're feeling empty!

Nice find!

Best,

Dan.

[Andybg]

Certainly interesting products and there may even be a standard frame bag that may suit some of the thorn sizes. Strange to note though that they were not offering the bag for the Long Haul Trucker which you would think would be the biggest customer for extra storage.

I know these are targeted at those without pannier racks but I dont see that having panniers makes the principle obsolete.

[Andybg]

I have bought one of these as a cheap interim solution to see how I find it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110914582783?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

I am not expecting much on the quality side but I will give a review on its practicality


Cheers

Andy

[Danneaux]

I am not expecting much on the quality side...

Dunno, Andy; sometimes those sorts of things last and last, despite all expectations. Or are "good enough" for the purpose and never get replaced 'cos for the money, they can't be beat! I've found such items grow to become favorites, and then I put way too much time and effort into repairing them years later 'cos by then they're Trusted Friends and I'd be lost without them! If it looks like this is headed that way, quickly grab another, as such things go off the market as soon as they become Favorites.

I like the idea of the "dual pannier" design; it allows for a choice of foodstuffs on either side. I'm guessing a person could even stuff a light wind jacket in one compartment. Looks like there's a top pouch made specially for a small phone and some mesh envelope side pockets as well. Can't go wrong with that for the price. It's made of nylon, and if the stitching ever lets loose, there's always SuperGlue. Should be fine.

These and similar little bags that ride atop the top tube and have a loop that goes 'eound the stem/steerer are increasingly popular with the bike path crowd I see passing my window daily. Same reasons, too -- they carry house keys, some billr or change, ID, 'phone, and some gel-food or a few dry snacks. Pretty hard to beat for that purpose. I hope this works well for you.

Looking forward to your review!

Best,

Dan.

[honesty]

I use a topeak Tribag http://www.topeak.com/products/Bags/tri_drybag_2

holds my phone and all my snacks right in front of me as I hate fiddling round with the back pockets in my jersey.

[Danneaux]

I use a topeak Tribag...

My! That's a fine-looking little bag! All neat and nice, and with sonically-welded seams for waterproofness, and only 65g. I like the cap-top; reminds me of my Ortlieb handlebar bag.

Thanks for sharing!

Best,

Dan.

[jags]

yeah thats a nice bag i have  a snack bag something similar .
mind you most of my snacks are in my saddle bag its a good excuse to stop to take a well earned break.
my days of rumageing around in the jersey pocket at 25mph for a snack is well gone 

[Andybg]

I looked at that one but I was "sold" by having a seperate place to keep my phone. I am a keen fan of eating sour sugary chewy confectionary on the bike and it does not mix well with phones.

Cheers

Andy

[honesty]

Yes the divider within the bag is very useful actually as it cushions the phone really well in one side whilst leaving the other side more open and with a larger area. Its also nice in that its lined/padded so your phone doesn't get scratched up!

Depending on the length of the ride Im going on, I usually use either that bag and a saddle bag http://www.topeak.com/products/Bags/AeroWedgePack_large_velcro (though I thought they did an XL version which I had... maybe I'm wrong) which is enough room for a light rain jacket, spare inner tube, multitool, and puncture repair kit, or the tribag and pannier which'll have a coffee flask, sandwiches, crisps, waterproofs etc. in.

[StuntPilot]

Andy

On the tasteless water bottle front, the MSR Alpine is pretty good.

http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/water-treatment-and-hydration/expedition-water-treatment-and-hydration/alpine-bottle/product

Its made of stainless steel, has a large opening that I can attach to the Miniworks Water Filter and the cap itself has a closable water spout to drink out of.

You could also certainly fill it with trailmix or any other snack with the lid off (smooth roads only of course!) The bag idea looks better for off road/rough roads.