For those who ride long distances…20, 30 40 miles etc. How do you transport water? How often do you stop? Take snacks along?
Mike Adams
Two 20 oz water bottles and a refill or two will get me 60 miles. On some days I make 60 miles on one 20 oz water bottle and no refills.
Hey, i have no actually exceeded 14 feet… but i drink a lot of water, and i do 50 km rides on my bicycle to stretch the old legs. I HATE water bottles… they are inconvenient and a pain to use while you are riding. So i run a Fox low pro camel back with a 2 litre bladder. It keeps the water much colder for much longer, and has some storage for keys, wallet, extra tube, a few tools, and a few granola bars.
http://shop.foxhead.com/store/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=23463&categoryId=cat20150
They are not the cheapest thing but i have had mine through hell and back… (mountain biking, road biking, unicycling, snowboarding, street boarding etc) and it has no shown any wear, although the bladder got a leak and like $15 got a new one.
Camelbak Octane xct.
A backpack is really the only plausible way; anything attached to the unicycle has issues. There are many options; my current is a Camelbak Blowfish.
Distance rides vary a lot in terms of how often I stop, depending on temperatures, whether I’m alone, whether I brought a camera, what my training goals for the ride are, and how much time I’ve allotted. I would focus on time rather than distance; you’ll need a seat break based on how much time you’ve been in the saddle, not how much distance you’ve ridden.
I pretty much always have a Clif bar, fruit leather, and Shot Bloks in my pack, but I try not to eat them unless I feel like I need to. Real food is better than energy food.
When I’m not healing or in recovery, I do one or two 30-40 mile rides a week, sometimes longer than that, and a few other rides during the week that are maybe 15 miles.
For water, I grab my Camelbak. It keeps the water cold (especially if you also put ice in there), and the added weight is unnoticeable. I have a 2 liter CB that I take on most of my rides, and I have no complaints. I used to use water bottles and I would store them with other things in a backpack, but this is much more convenient and enjoyable.
I only take food on the longer rides of +30 miles. I might take granola bars, fruit (if you can figure out you to store bananas properly without friction causing them to open up, please tell). I also tend to take gel just in case, but I hardly ever use it. Gatorade can also be very good if used properly. The electrolytes are valuable.
Camelbak with a frozen Gatorade next to the bladder. Keeps the water cold and becomes a nice slushy treat when mostly thawed. I carry a few granola bars and a few $$ for hunger emergencies.
I almost always ride similarly equipped to tholub. He didn’t mention camera as standard equipment, but it is for him as well as me. 
My Camelbak Mule is my faithful companion, with its 3 litre/100oz. bladder. You don’t have to fill it all the way (I usually don’t). Then, depending where you ride, you can always buy something along the way, or bring a filter and drink from natural sources.
Awesome idea! I’ve got to try that. I never put anything but water in the Camelbak, but on very long rides I like to also have some Powerade or similar.
I always have my camelbak for water, and i put the elixir tablets in for electolytes. The tablets are nice becuase it wont gunk up the bladder(no sugars)
I also take a clif bar and some money.
I usually take my camelbak even on shorter trips in this warm weather I need to hydrate also a powerbar or two. My camelbak has a little room so I can carry a few things like camera, spare wrench, my keys and a little cash
Nice suggestions. I just got:
off amazon.
I suspect they inflate the price, then cut it down to dupe suckers like me into thinking it’s an awesome deal. I decided it was cheap enough to swing over the name brand and it got decent reviews. It’s got a larger profile, but I wanted some storage area so I’m willing to deal with it.
I lost 4 pounds due to sweating on my last ride, and I had about 60 oz of water with me in a back pack. Figured this was the best option since I sweat a. lot.
Looks like a good alternative.
I wish my Camelbak had more storage space outside of the bladder pocket. Sometimes I’m pressed to find space after I pack in a bottle of gatorade (next to the bladder, frozen, as previously said), my wallet, camera and various food items. Depending on the food items I have to cut out other things (usually the camera).
Theoretically I could just adapt a backpack to accommodate the bladder, but I’m lazy.
I find it more important for pre ride prep then taking the kitchen sink.
A good night sleep, protein shake, and through stretching.
I am limber and loose, not hungry (for about 5 hours) and basically ready for an olympic triathlon.
I tend to ride as light as possible, only the basics when i go.
Gatorade is the best thing i don’t take with me… It does not satisfy my thirst… it makes it worse… Water is the only fluid i travel with.
I wear a 3 liter camelback; nearly always full. I mean, why not? It hurts more to have too little water than to have too much.
One can easily ride 20 miles non-stop. I think I did 40 miles non-stop one day when riding by myself. However, you don’t have to stop at 40 miles…you can probably ride until something makes you fall off, or fatigue. It’s really up to you.
I always bring snacks. Usually a few bars. I usually always eat one if I’m riding 20 miles or greater.
corbin
I also carry a honey bear and will regularly eat half the honey on intense rides (i.e.: I did a 20 hilly mile ride in 1hr 18 mins a month or so ago, and ate a lot of honey).
cant beat a few packs of these
Are those sugar tablets?
YEAH MAN!! seriously cant beat them a few packs of those weigh virtually nothing ( lighter than a jar of hunny :P) and are 80% sugar which is released straight into your system for a tasty little kick :)( take with water though or thell suck you dry:P )
They’re not going to be fueling though. I figure they would just give you a quick burst of energy and then you would use it up rather quickly.
IMO truly nutritious food is the way to go.
but you fuel before a ride not during so yeah thats what there for quick boosts of fast acting energy
i bet even you cant fit a nutritious meal in you bag they tend to be quite big, thats where these little beauties come in