Bladder Issues

[with_the_band]

Do you guys have any tricks for looking after your bladder.
Water blader that is Looking after mine is the bane of my riding experience.

I use Cowpats trick of putting dentures cleaning tables in it every now and then to clean it out. We'll I didn't ride for a while and left the cleaning stuff in there and when I pulled out the bladder it was full of mould.

So it cleaned it out as best I could and pored boiling water and bleach though it. I don't think it was the best idea as it melted a bit and now tastes of bleach.

Anyways I just thought that maybe it would be a good idea to store the empty bladder in the freezer so it won't get a chance to grow mould.

What do you do?

Cheers

PS. I like to put sport drink mix in the bladder as my bike is too small to fit a bottle cage.

[dmckiwi]

Always leave mine in the freezer, never had any issues.

[Aushiker]

Hi

I just wash mine out with water and then hang it on the clothes line to completely dry. Once it has dried it goes into the gear box.

Andrew

[with_the_band]

Awesome thanks.

I'll give the freezer thing a go otherwise I'll try drying method.

Aushiker do you fold it up or try to keep it open so air can get to it?

[Aushiker]

Aushiker do you fold it up or try to keep it open so air can get to it?

Leave it open unfolded.

Andrew

[Hud]

I use a plastic coated coathanger stretched into the shape of a tall skinny diamond to keep it seperated while drying. Ideally you don't want to put additives into you bladder, rather a bottle, but yes you have the small frame constraints.

[KiwiJohn]

I just refill it the next time I ride.

[IIITAK3NIII]

Freezer works for me.

[nuclear_powered]

Filtered water only in mine (from under-sink filtration system I installed when we reno'd the kitchen).

Only need to clean mine about every 6 months, if that often. Water never tastes funny, and no slimy feeling on the inside ever.

While OS I had to use tap water so it's had a decent clean or two in the last month. Sal bought a plastic bladder bag drier from a shop in Whizzla to go with her new Dakine bag. That works well for drying, but Hud's coathanger is an easy ghetto solution that's just as effective.

[cda 455]

Do you guys have any tricks for looking after your bladder.
Water blader that is Looking after mine is the bane of my riding experience.

I use Cowpats trick of putting dentures cleaning tables in it every now and then to clean it out. We'll I didn't ride for a while and left the cleaning stuff in there and when I pulled out the bladder it was full of mould.

So it cleaned it out as best I could and pored boiling water and bleach though it. I don't think it was the best idea as it melted a bit and now tastes of bleach.

Anyways I just thought that maybe it would be a good idea to store the empty bladder in the freezer so it won't get a chance to grow mould.

What do you do?

Cheers

PS. I like to put sport drink mix in the bladder as my bike is too small to fit a bottle cage.

I would start with new water bladders and chuck/recycle the old ones.


That's what I do with both my water bladders and water bottles. The plastic is difficult to sterilize so I just recycle them about every couple of years.

[with_the_band]

I think I get a new bladder. This one I can't get the tube clean.

Then I'll stick to the freezer or drying method rather than just leave water in there.

Cheers for the replies

[Giantknob20]

Got a Camelbak hydrotanium or whatever ******** name they have for it but it works, no plastic taste at all. I just use a tablespoon of baking soda in a litre of water and leave it for an hour or so then rinse out, cheapest antimicrobial in the kitchen next to salt so good enough.