Water Carrier

[captain offensive]

Not sure how technical this(!) is but I'll give it a go anyway.

Does anyone have any suggestions for carrying extra water whilst touring? I've got the regulation two bottles but I tend to get through a lot and will be in some remote parts of Scotland soon. I'm doing B&Bs rather than camping so only taking two rear panniers. Was therefore thinking of some sort of water bladder bottle thing that I can strap onto the top of the rear rack. I've been looking around but can't find anything obviously rack sized.

Any suggestions or alternatives? Nice web operator at Wiggle suggested an extra bottle rack to fir behind the saddle which might do but I don't really want to carry too many fixed water bottles - was after something light that shrinks down as it empties.

Cheers

CO

[meic]

I am a fan of old 1, 1.5 or 2L "pop" bottles. I did have a 5L bladder which was supplied to my friend in Belgium by the water board during an interruption to supply. It lasted almost two tours before it wore a hole in the side.

How about this for a balance of weight to durability, you can tie or bungee it on top of the rack using the handle.
http://www.campingworld.co.uk/en/Easy-C ... -3448.aspx

[robc02]

Would a long slim drinks bladder, bungeed to the rack, do the job? Something like this:
https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/hydration-c34/water-bottles-bags-c35/platypus-2-0l-water-bottle-p450

[captain offensive]

Thanks both.

Meic - bop bottles (or even just water bottles i guess) not such a bad idea and might be worth looking at. The bottle you linked to looks useful but might be a tad too large.

Rob - that's the sort of thing I was thinking of and looking on the platypus website it looks as though there's might be more suitable dimensions - most other I looked at were too wide to fit on rack sensibly. So cheers - I might just go for one of those - I do have a huge stack of bungees at home read for such occasions!

Cheers v much both

[Tangled Metal]

One point. It's possible to get various hoses and fittings that can be used with drinks bladders. If you were so inclined you could set up any number of hose setups with those flexible bladders. Possibly not practical.

[iandriver]

Depending on your frame clearances, you can got some cages for 1.5 litre standard lemonade style bottles like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/352040258418?c ... 541&crdt=0

I use one on the seat tube mount, but I ride a 64cm frame.

Perhaps one and a 1L standard cycle bottle for a second cage might be a start, which is my rig. With a couple of light aluminium 1L bottles, one in each pannier, I have 4.5 litres with me. Add a four pack of beers, I'm generally OK overnight.

Doesn't fit your shrinking criteria, but it might be an option

[hodge]

A shallow frame bag, ie one which hangs from the top tube but which doesn't extend so low that it restricts access to bottle cages, could hold a decent amount of water in a hydration bladder with a hose/mouthpiece arrangement exiting thru a hole at the front, tie wrapped or velcroed into a suitably accessable spot.

You would have good access this way and it would keep the extra weight more central.

Frame bags can be quite expensive but cheaper versions are available which would suit this purpose ie waterproofed seams and materials of the bag wouldn't need to be so high on the agenda .

Might be useful to look at bikepacking and mountain bike bag manufacturers for their take on hydration options.

This company also make 'stem cells' which attach to the handlebar/stem and will fit an additional bottle:
https://www.alpkit.com/bike-luggage

[9494arnold]

Bottle Cage under the down tube? (Assuming there's one on the down tube on top and one on the seat tube)

You can get a bracket to mount 2 bottle cages behind the saddle if you don't have a Saddlebag or a rack pack in the way ?

And you can get brackets to fit bottle cages on the Handlebars (again if Lights/Cables/Bags permit)

[meic]

It was something like this that the Flandres water company gave my friend his water in.
http://www.bridgat.com/buy/portable-wat ... l-10l.html
I couldnt find a link in the UK.

They can be folded flat in your pannier and filled with 5L near to your destination to give you luxurious quantities of water at your camp.

[simonhill]

Have you looked in a camping shop? I have often seen roll up water carriers. Some have wood dowel as handle at top and bottom, thick polythene type bladder. Sometimes with a tap. Usually about 10 litres.

This would fit on a rack or on top of your pannier, but you would have to be careful of wearing a hole due to vibrations.

Just found this http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/hi-gear-rol ... lsrc=aw.ds

[axel_knutt]

I carry nearly 4 litres: three of these on the bike, and one of these in the pannier.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
1L folding bottle 30 grams, £1.96...........had a dud (manufacturing fault) so bought several, at that price you can afford to, used several times so far and OK, cap does not leak.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1L-Foldable-P ... 2749.l2649

One of these too, not used yet but looks similar to others posted, 5L, 70 grams £1.50.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5L-Portable-F ... sqWKpkWadg

Add some extra bottles, frame mount plastic bottle bosses, £3.99, not used yet but older design was very sound.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5L-Portable-F ... sqWKpkWadg

[rualexander]

Ortlieb 4l water bag is what I use, https://www.cyclestore.co.uk/ortlieb_wa ... lsrc=aw.ds

[captain offensive]

Hi all - thanks for all your replies. Some great options here. I think I can definitely find a solution amongst this lot. You're all ace! Cheers

CO

[softlips]

You can get mounts for bottle carriers for the handlebars and rearvof seat.