Carrying water during a 100 mile desert mtb ride

[nmrt]

I am thinking about doing, in one day, the 100 miles White Rim Trail in the Canyonlands National park in early May. I have done the ride before, just not in a day. Since it will be hot in the desert, I need to carry water with me because there are no places to source it along the way. I will have a 3 L Camelback bladder with me in my backpack. Additionally, I will have two water bottles in the down tube and seat tube of my mtb bike.

So, my question is: how else can I carry more water? Do they make frame bags where I can store more water bottles or just a bladder full of water? I'd rather have a surplus of water than just enough.

Any advice from people who have done this in a day? While I did it in two days last year, water was not an issue because we had a sag vehicle.

Thanks!

[papa bless]

I went through a bit over two gallons of water during a 200 mile gravel race. I had a 3L bladder, but also I carried a 48oz Nalgene bottle in a Velo Orange bottle cage:

https://velo-orange.com/products/mojave-cage

I refilled at sag stops, but I would image if you had two 48 oz Nalgenes in cages with your 3L bladder, you should be good. That's 1.5 gallons of water.

Edit: Also use a ski strap to strap your Nalgene bottle to your frame while it's in the bottle cage

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/skis/ski-strap-BD1021360000ALL1.html

[Spaghetti Legs]

Another Camelback and wear it on your chest and you can also get one of those aero mount seat post bottle cages like the triathletes use. Another option is zip tie a bottle cage to the underside of the down tube.

[mmfs]

Pipe clamp, electrical tape, or zip tie cages to your fork legs!

http://www.bikepacking.com/index/add-cage-mounts-bike/

[AngryScientist]

i wouldnt overthink it.

big nalgene bottle(s) in any regular bikepacking bag that you can cinch down tight to prevent too much swinging should be good to go.

https://cdn3.volusion.com/gfuzm.kvemm/v/vspfiles/photos/2178-0048-2.jpg?1461926778

[zambenini]

How much in toto do you need to carry? (I always used body weight as a guide then add some ... backpacking in hot weather, I plan to carry or source on the trail usually one ounce per pound of body weight per hot day. I'm 6'2", 200lbs, so I shoot for 200 ounces, usually winding up a few short. 180 ounces, something like that. That's backpacking. On a hot bike ride, I seem to plan for one bottle 20 oz. per hour, but that's when I can tank up before I go and know I'll be home in a few hours.

If you could manage a second 2L bladder in your pack, then that's almost 1.5 gallons, 160 ounces. You can cycle it into your bottles to take weight off your back as you go. Between 5L on your back and two 20 ounce bottles, you would have around 200 ounces, which would theoretically get the job done for me (how I try to drink while backpacking) unless my math is off (I'm not a STEM person, so entirely possible. I don't know if that would feel good on your back, but that number would go down over time. Seems like a frame bag could hold a 2L platypus instead of on your back, too.

Whatever you do, down a liter before starting. I feel like I drink that much coffee every morning so shouldn't be hard to pound 35 ounces of water to get a head start, right?

Edit: if you're willing to wake up at 3:30 and start riding by 4 or 4:30, you'll need a lot less water, but you'll need arm/leg warmers (which are a lot lighter than water!). I did this when riding the Western Express part of the Trans-America trail. The desert rules at all times of day, but especially dawn and dusk.

[joosttx]

I would recommend oveja negra chuckbucket which attaches to your handlebar and stem. You can put two on each side of your stem. They can hold a 1L Nalgene bottles securely. So two you have 2L of water without giving up any space traditionally reserved for storage on an MTB. Very well made. I love mine.


https://www.ovejanegrabikepacking.com/collections/handlebar-bags/products/chuckbucket-handlebar-bag

[Ken Robb]

Buy or borrow a big saddle bag from Carradice/ Rivendell, Acorn and others.

[kppolich]

I am thinking about doing, in one day, the 100 miles White Rim Trail in the Canyonlands National park in early May. I have done the ride before, just not in a day. Since it will be hot in the desert, I need to carry water with me because there are no places to source it along the way. I will have a 3 L Camelback bladder with me in my backpack. Additionally, I will have two water bottles in the down tube and seat tube of my mtb bike.

So, my question is: how else can I carry more water? Do they make frame bags where I can store more water bottles or just a bladder full of water? I'd rather have a surplus of water than just enough.

Any advice from people who have done this in a day? While I did it in two days last year, water was not an issue because we had a sag vehicle.

Thanks!

Can you drop some spare bottles along the route?

[nmrt]

Dropping water is a possibility.
thanks for all the suggestions. looks like the stem bag is a good idea as well as the bottle cage that holds nalgene bottles!


Can you drop some spare bottles along the route?

[gdw]

I've done it in a day and used a day pack and full frame pack for the ride. The day pack was large enough to carry two bladders, 100oz and 70oz, and the frame pack carried an extra 100oz bladder. 270oz was adequate for a fast ride in 70 degree weather. If It were in the 80's or higher I would carry another 60-70oz bladder in the frame pack.

I try to ride White Rim every year and always try to schedule the trips in April or October. The weather is more predictable and the temperature lower than what you'll encounter in May.

[Ralph]

I've driven it in a Jeep in September. And I also drove into that town one July when it was 114.

I'm not sure it's possible to carry enough water on a bike for that ride in May. It can be very dangerous.


BTW....With the Jeep....we took all day to do the trail. 4 of us. We had about 20 gallons of water in 1 gal plastic jugs from the City Market. Busted about 1/2 of them due to rough terrain (didn't rent the jug holders for back of Jeep), and drank every drop of the rest. Be very careful doing this. Most bike groups we saw on the trail were well supported, and taking several days.

I reread your post....and see that you are experienced. So you are aware of the challenge....thus your post. Folks who have never been there in hot weather...really can not comprehend the challenge.

I always wanted to ride the Slick Rock Trail in Moab. But after visiting it, realized it was way too technical for me. So I decided to just walk a couple miles on the practice trail….one July. It did not take long for me to realize I could not physically carry enough water to do this in about 115 degree temps. My face turned white with salt from sweat.

[nmrt]

Would you be able to send me a link for the full frame pack you used?
Yes, April would be ideal and so would October. I can unfortunately get away only around May 12th or 13th. If it too hot, I just will have to postpone it. No use suffering in the high desert temperatures.

I've done it in a day and used a day pack and full frame pack for the ride. The day pack was large enough to carry two bladders, 100oz and 70oz, and the frame pack carried an extra 100oz bladder. 270oz was adequate for a fast ride in 70 degree weather. If It were in the 80's or higher I would carry another 60-70oz bladder in the frame pack.

I try to ride White Rim every year and always try to schedule the trips in April or October. The weather is more predictable and the temperature lower than what you'll encounter in May.

[gdw]

One other thing, it's better to carry more water than not enough. On the last three supported trips I guided we encountered one day riders who were out or just about to run out of water. Two had run dry at the midway point, Murphy's Hogback, and the others were encountered at Potato Bottom.

[fishwhisperer]

I do a lot of riding in Central CA and have faced this a lot. Dropping water is hands down the best approach. Keeps your bike nimble and your back free from weight and extra sweat. Plus I like how it paces out my hydration so I don’t have to worry about it.

If you’ve got to carry lots of water, my first choice is a frame bag (if you’ve got the space in your frame) with a big bladder in there. I rig mine so you can grab the hose right from the bag. Second choice is a pair of stem bags with some Nalgene bottles.

Sounds like a great ride.

[Louis]

The Park Service web site says that "potable water" isn't available on the trail.

Does that mean that non-potable water is available? If so, could you take the appropriate treatments and turn the bad water into drinkable water?

[nmrt]

I thought about that too. There is the Green River that comes at about 60 miles or so doing the loop clockwise. I have wondered what if i carried a water filter and drank the Green River water.

Anyone done that? I know that the water is very silt-y so maybe it clogs the filters really fast?

The Park Service web site says that "potable water" isn't available on the trail.

Does that mean that non-potable water is available? If so, could you take the appropriate treatments and turn the bad water into drinkable water?

[charliedid]

Which bike are you riding?

[gdw]

The Green has too much sediment in it to be a usable water source for a one day adventure. It will clog your filter if you try to get water directly from the river. The only people I know who have used it filled up a tub and let it sit overnight so that the sediment could settle before they ran it through their filters.

[MattTuck]

How is it to mountain bike this trail? it seems that people also take dirt bikes, ATVs, 4x4 trucks, etc. Does mountain biking feel like you're constantly getting passed by motorized vehicles?

[gdw]

The riding is great. It generally isn't crowded. There is some traffic, 5-10 vehicles, on weekends on the initial decent into the canyons but it thins out quickly. ATVs and 4 wheel drive cars without 4 low aren't allowed so most of the yahoos go elsewhere. The folks you encounter while riding are polite and no one on any trip I've been on has ever had an issue with any of them.

[charliedid]

The Green has too much sediment in it to be a usable water source for a one day adventure. It will clog your filter if you try to get water directly from the river. The only people I know who have used it filled up a tub and let it sit overnight so that the sediment could settle before they ran it through their filters.

I was going to say the same thing....minus the bathtub

[joosttx]

The Green has too much sediment in it to be a usable water source for a one day adventure. It will clog your filter if you try to get water directly from the river. The only people I know who have used it filled up a tub and let it sit overnight so that the sediment could settle before they ran it through their filters.

I am rereading Cadillac Desert at the current moment. The amount of silt the Green carries is off the charts.

[Louis]

I thought these were interesting:

https://www.nps.gov/cany/learn/nature/waterquality.htm

https://www.nps.gov/articles/ncpn-cecs.htm

(the thought of someone jumping into a desert pool covered in sunscreen was disturbing, given all the animals that rely on the little water that is available)

[jtakeda]

I would recommend oveja negra chuckbucket which attaches to your handlebar and stem. You can put two on each side of your stem. They can hold a 1L Nalgene bottles securely. So two you have 2L of water without giving up any space traditionally reserved for storage on an MTB. Very well made. I love mine.


https://www.ovejanegrabikepacking.com/collections/handlebar-bags/products/chuckbucket-handlebar-bag

Similar to above ^
https://fatcatbikebags.bigcartel.com/product/double-barrel-custom

Fits 2 1 liter nalgene plus stuff in the middle pocket. Can attach to the handlebars

[nmrt]

Not sure. It will be one of the three:
1) Moots RSL rigid single speed
2) Sonder Transmiter Carbon Hardtail with 120 mm fork
3) Trek Fuel EX Full suspension

I think I am more than likely to go with the Trek. It will me more comfortable. But if I am in hardcore shape by May -- very unlikely, I may go out with a bang and take the single speed. :)

Which bike are you riding?

[charliedid]

Not sure. It will be one of the three:
1) Moots RSL rigid single speed
2) Sonder Transmiter Carbon Hardtail with 120 mm fork
3) Trek Fuel EX Full suspension

I think I am more than likely to go with the Trek. It will me more comfortable. But if I am in hardcore shape by May -- very unlikely, I may go out with a bang and take the single speed. :)

I was going to suggest adding some Anything Cages or the like to the fork for more water option. Maybe you should just pull a trailer and bring a chair and an umbrella for a lunch break!

I'd be trying to get most of that water on the bike but I hate riding with backpacks...though it might be a necessity.