Showers Pass VelEau 42 Hydration System - 42 fl. oz.

Comments about Showers Pass VelEau 42 Hydration System - 42 fl. oz.:

I ride miles and miles of gravel, and wanted something in addition to a couple of water bottles for intermediate rides,....30-50 miles. I've been using a Camelbak MULE for over a decade and thought it was time to get that weight off my back for rides where I really didn't a 100 ounce bladder.
Gonna get a little nit-picky, but these complaints aren't that big of a deal:
The bottle is difficult to replace if you remove it to fill. At this point I don't even remove it before a ride. I just use water bottles full of ice and water to fill it. My only other complaint is that the band that holds the magnet in place on the frame will not stay on. It has come off on every single ride. I'm not sure how I haven't lost it to be honest. I think it was designed to either fit a smaller frame, or it was meant for road riding and the bumping around on gravel roads causes it to come off.

Done complaining, and on to the good. I really do like this product! It is really nice to carry close to 90 ounces of water, (when I have two water bottles as well), and not have that weight on my back! I forget the thing is even on my bike. The system to return the hose to it's place works well, and I don't have to worry about the hose flopping around. It takes all of about 5 minutes to install.

Not only would I recommend this, I have already done so, and will continue to do so! I have received multiple questions/comments on our group rides.

Thanks!

Comments about Showers Pass VelEau 42 Hydration System - 42 fl. oz.:

I hate to give bad reviews, but I just can't recommend this product. I wanted to like this thing, I really did, it's a great idea, it just doesn't come together right in my opinion. I had my eye on it for a long time before I bought it, mostly based on the reviews here.

I am 6' 2" and have a slightly long torso and for me, getting to the tip of the drinking tube was the main problem. If I left it long enough for me to be able to reach, the mouthpiece tip was left hanging far past the headtube and therefore hangs way too far down to be safely away from the front wheel. If I trimmed it so that the tip was around the head tube, I had to arch my back like a roly-poly, and try to crunch myself down like I was trying to read something written underneath my seat in order to get the tube tip to my mouth. There's just no happy medium, the top tube isn't long enough to hold the tube in a safe position, and my bike is a 61cm.

When I do manage to get the mouth piece in my mouth, it's really hard to get much water from it, it's like trying to suck ice cream though a straw. I found that I usually only have a second or two to drink and when I do, it works better for me to take a few big sips quickly rather than try to suck on this thing for five minutes. I can squirt a heck of a lot of water in my mouth a lot more quickly and just be done with it using an average water bottle.

As another reviewer mentioned, the magnet in the middle of the tube is essentially useless, the teeny little rubber band holding it on pops off at the slightest touch or jar and I had to stop and find the pieces more than once.

I'm taking mine back, I think you're better off with a double bottle cage that mounts under the seat. That gives me four bottles for the hot summer days, plus there are some under seat cages that have a storage bag, and that would replace both features of this system.

Comments about Showers Pass VelEau 42 Hydration System - 42 fl. oz.:

Really neat product and it works pretty well. I decided not to use it long term for three main reasons:

1. The recommended mounting position leaves the bite vale at the same level as the handlebars. This means that if you turn sharply, the handlebars will hit the bite valve. I lowered the position to correct. Ideally the bite valve could be mounted flat on to the top tube, but I couldn't figure out a method to make this work without the reel inbetween the hydration tube and top tube (which could work but isn't ideal).

2. The gravity clip (magnet) popped off within the first hour on the bike (quick dismount and I bumped it off when I brushed the top tube). It uses a thick rubberband for mounting, which I just don't see holding up long term for mountain bikers.

3. Space issue- I could barely fit a spare tire and multi-tool in the bag. Likewise, you give up other bag options (e.g. top tube bag) to accomodate the hydration tube.

If you are really set on not carrying a hydration pack and cannot carry enough water on the frame otherwise (e.g. water bottle), this is probably the best option out there.

Comments about Showers Pass VelEau 42 Hydration System - 42 fl. oz.:

I also don't plan to take this off after every ride. I hang my bike up by the front tire and before heading in I do this outside to drain the water out and also blow out the hose. To refil before the ride I take a pitcher of water out and fill the tank along with ice...love cold drinking water. On long rides I do carry and extra water bottle just incase and then I pour that into my reservoir. Cool!

Comments about Showers Pass VelEau 42 Hydration System - 42 fl. oz.:

I was easily able to mount this and head out. I drank all 42 oz of water very easily on my ride when most rides I barely can get 20 in. I will be switching this between my road and mtn bikes. The other reviewer had a great idea to zip strip the extra gear bag on the bottom as this bag comes with I think 8 small loops just for this purpose it seems. I also added some zip strips to the top back so I could attach my strobe light. Easy to hang bike up and let the water drain out of the reservoir and let it air dry between rides. Great use of my 20% rebate coupon...WOW! Hubby getting one too now! Watch the video. I let the hose return a little slowly and the magnets seem to then go right back where I want them.

Comments about Showers Pass VelEau 42 Hydration System - 42 fl. oz.:

I got this for my mountain bike because the position of the bottle cage makes it hard to get a bottle in and out. Very happy with the purchase. Installation was easy and it holds a good amount of water. It's very unobtrusive while riding, although I did find that the hose slipped off its central magnet from time to time, but that is a very minor thing. It's wonderful to be freed from having to wear a hydration pack on my back!

Cons: Maybe I'm missing something, but getting it attached to the hose when full and then detaching it to empty it after the ride can be a bit messy. I ended up spraying water all over the kitchen, but hey, no big deal. The fit of the bottle inside the bag is very tight -- Don't be an idiot like me and try to pull it out; just wash the thing out with the bag still on it. Finally, there's barely any storage space. Since you're sacrificing a full seat pack, this sort of sucks. I was only able to fit tire levers and a multitool in there along with a car key and a credit card. It's probably not even large enough for one MTB tube. So prepare to store other stuff in your jersey or a bag elsewhere.

All in all, though, I'm glad I bought this thing. Especially when the weather's hot, the less on my person, the better!

Comments about Showers Pass VelEau 42 Hydration System - 42 fl. oz.:

Could only get a multitool and small patch kit in the storage area, there is plenty of room for the creators to add more storage. Had to attach my seat bag to the Veleau with locking ties to carry CO2 and spare tube.
Holds a good volume of liquid and looks easier to clean than a camelbak

Comments about Showers Pass VelEau 42 Hydration System - 42 fl. oz.:

I bought this for RAMROD and I'm glad I did.

I was looking for something more hands-free than cage mounted bottles, but without wearing a Camelback. I like to keep my hands on the bars and eyes on the road, particularly in large group rides and/or bumby roads.

The VelEau mounts nicely behind the saddle and doesn't get in the way of anything. The drinking tube is exactly like Camelback and runs up the top tupe where it is held to your handlebar with a retractable leash. Pull the tube up to your mouth, drink hands-free and then release it back to it's resting position.

I found that by making drinking convenient I consumed more water than I normally would with bottles.

I also tried clipping the tube to the front of my jersey but didn't like the way it interfered with my legs in that position. It worked just fine on the top tube.

The tank holds 42Oz which lasted me over 2 hours. It doesn't look like it holds that much, but it does.

The only down side is that I needed an extra bottle in the cage in order to refill it. I had to fill the water bottle and then transfer it into the tank. On some longer sections it was nice having the extra fluid, anyway.

Overall, this is a good solution that's made an impact on my longer rides.

Comments about Showers Pass VelEau 42 Hydration System - 42 fl. oz.:

The Veleau system is awesome!! I have to admit, I was a little bit skeptical of having the additional water weight so high on my bike. Well, I was mistaken. I barely noticed the system was there.

I decided for my first ride with it that I was going to throw nearly everything at it: downhills, jumps, berms, log rides, both slow and fast technical sections, etc. The Veleau system easily passed my tests. The system doesn't move/slide around, it stayed in place rock solid. It did not negatively affect the performance/handling of my bike.

I am really impressed with the system and think it will be an advantage for my upcoming race. It will be great to get my hydration pack off my back and also avoid the distractions of reaching below my down tube for a bottle. Awesome product!!!