I ride a lot.. plenty of 100 milers, big climbs, and so on. Nearly 99% of the time, I carry one 'wet' water bottle. My second bottle is identical styled to carry a spare tube, single CO2, and my keys. My cheapo "flip phone" is carried in my middle jersey pocket and side pockets have a few gels. This strategy has worked well so far....

This weekend, I'm doing a single day 200 mile, low elevation (4000ft climb only) ride to the ocean. A SAG vehicle will carry my personal belongings to the finish line.

Here's the problem: the ride will be supported with stops each 50 miles. Temperature will be about 84dF (29dC) with moderate humidity. Thinking that I should carry a second water bottle, I have (with great inner turmoil) fitted a saddle bag to my bike. I hate it. I cannot even think straight right now, as I'm consumed with self-doubt.

So...

1) ride with a single water bottle, keep my tools in the second bottle, HTFU, and just stop to refill. With 200 miles on the agenda, pace will be moderate anyway.
2) fit the saddle bag, carry 2 wet bottles, and just don't post any pictures on WW or Strava.

Help!

I'm similar to yourself and rarely require a second bottle, I also recently had a similar dilemma, a saddle bag on my bike annoys me..

I also have the same saddle roll you do, except mine looks 100% better when fitted to my bike than yours as yours is upside down.

If you can bear it, the sensible thing to do is carry one 750ml bottle instead of the 550ml bottle you have fitted. - OR turn your saddle roll up the right way round and swap the 550ml bottles over to the new 'Fly Team' bottles which are considerably lighter (this is WW after all) and they have a smaller profile (more aero too!).
You should be consuming more than 550ml of water per 50miles though in that weather.

Just use the saddlebag, not really an issue now you can get good looking tool wraps. I hate having loads of rubbish in my pockets.

If it's hot and muggy you might be surprised how much water you get through.

Seriously what's wrong with a saddlebag? If you need 2 bottles take a saddlebag, it's not as if you can see it when riding is it. This is a weird issue that never arose when I started riding 30 years ago and I'm sure it's something to do with people taking the bloody RULES seriously.... Also you'll notice that most pros will have a saddle bag so they can be that bad!! I hate stopping on a training ride so If it's over 2 hrs I'll always take 2 bottles.

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Bianchi Oltre XR2 + Campagnolo Super Record 11 + Campagnolo Bora 50C
Litespeed T1 + Campagnolo Chorus 11 + Campagnolo Shamal Ultra

I also hate carrying tools/pumps in my jersey pockets as it's uncomfortable and since having a stem snap on me at 30 mph a fey years ago leading to me going headfirst over the bars and breaking 3 ribs where I landed on a multitool. It looks awful in my opinion as not that it matters much.

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Bianchi Oltre XR2 + Campagnolo Super Record 11 + Campagnolo Bora 50C
Litespeed T1 + Campagnolo Chorus 11 + Campagnolo Shamal Ultra

I use a Silca Seat Roll, a nice stylish saddlebag that keeps my pockets free for essentials and allows me to carry 2 x 750ml bottles in the heat here in Thailand, both bottles last around 30 miles before refill (34-40 degree C)





https://silca.cc/products/57c424fc56d9341100298881

Here it is 'flipped over' -- but it seems to pull the BOA wires at an unhealthy angle (even with the sheath properly positioned. On this saddle, maybe its ok. On my carbon braided saddle, I most certainly wouldn't do it.



550ml per 50 miles seems reasonable to me too -- especially with little climbing. Unfortunately I probably can't get the Elite bottles delivered in time for the ride, which is this coming Saturday (20 MAY)

I'm not sure if you know this but as we age, our bodies don't react well to dehydration. You should consume at least ~550ml of water every hour, unless you soft-pedal 12mph / 20km in zone 2.
Riding 50 miles long with a single water bottle will take a toll on your body. It doesn't mean you can't do it, it's just not wise.

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Racing is a three-dimensional high-speed chess game, involving hundreds of pieces on the board.

CBA = Chronic Bike Addiction
OCD = Obsessive Cycling Disorder

This massively depends on how acclimated you are to the temperature. I couldn't do what you're about to do. If the feel-like temp is 14 to 16 degrees C, I'm toast. Sweating buckets, needing twice as much water as usual. I ran a marathon in Tenerife a couple of years back. Was 24oC on the day. The months before I was training in -2 to 5 degrees C.

It. Was. Brutal.

Lucky I didn't die. The locals, should see them, prancing around like it's nothing.

Personally, and I was doing a lot of bigger rides last year, I just do the tools in the jersey pocket, and two of the biggest bottles I can find (1L jobs) on the frame. If I need more, I will take collapsible Salomon bottles also in the jersey pocket and go through them first. They're super light. Also - gels add bulk, you can simply add your sugar of choice to your bottles. Though that way you need to be in control of your intake - plan out exactly what you're drinking per hour and the carbs that contains.

You have a stunning machine there. Please don't desecrate it with a saddle bag

If you must then yes the Silca is a stylish option, though I think it's quite heavy.

I use only 750ml of Bottles and often both of them for my rides (often refilling them in the middle of ride).The only time when i ride with single 750ml is when in hurry climb the near mountain 1/3 which is total ride about 25 km with 500 meters of climb. Pump, spare, phone,keyes, pump and tool (Lezyne very light but effective) im keeping im my rear pockets tigether with windstopper

In 84°F heat and with 200 miles to complete, it seems entirely unreasonable to me. I've cramped *really* hard twice while cycling. Both times were when I tried to go too far on too little fluid, with both rides hovering around 50 miles on one bottle. I'll never make the mistake again if I can help it, and only did it the second time because I made multiple wrong turns and wound up riding nearly 20 miles more than planned.

However, if you regularly ride that far on that little water and feel the risk is worth the reward...well, I still say don't do it but you can make your own choice

This is what happened when Froome used a saddle bag...

Please HTFU then report back after the ride about your experience with minimal hydration.

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The New: BH http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=117760

Not to add to your self-doubt, but those white water bottles sure stand out.
I forget what The Rules say about that. Red might look better.
That low profile saddlebag looks decent. Or you can skimp entirely and mooch off somebody if you puncture. Bring mo money.
Definitely two bottles minimum for every fifty miles. Seems insufficient, tho, considering this involves completing a double century.
Call the sag vehicle up to you for replenishment!
Amusing thread that really made my otherwise dreary day! Good luck on your ride!

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Oldbie