Cleaning Old Camelbak

[944fan]

I dug my old camelbak out which hasn't been used for years. The bladder was quite clean but the bite valve and tube were black in places. I got a cleaning kit and scrubbed the tube and valve then soaked it in milton for 15 mins.

Is this going to be ok to use now or am I going to contract some horrid disease if I use it? It looks clean now.

[CoolC]

Sounds like what you've done should mean it's fine to use.

It's just the taste of Milton to contend with now

A trick I was told is to store the bladder in the freezer when not in use. It stops mould from growing and means you can use tasty drinks rather than plasticy water.

[cidersurfer]

Sounds okay. Other half has just informed me Blacks are doing 3 bite valves for a fiver at the mo...

[944fan]

I used it earlier and am not dead yet so the cleaning must have worked

[Happy Eater]

944fan said:

I used it earlier and am not dead yet so the cleaning must have worked

If you are still alive and reading this..

Sports Direct have all their Karrimor stuff on offer inlcuding bladders - I got a 3l one for £10 and the bite valve is the same as the one on my camelbak

[theshrew]

Milton it a few times to be safe.

Keep it in the freezer stops it going mouldy etc. just don't go on a last min ride and de frost it in the microwave only takes a few seconds to melt them. Not sure how I found that out lol

[littleandy0410]

Storing in the freezer is definitely the way forward. Also, after washing out, I keep a few of those plastic practice golf balls with holes in inside it to allow it to air dry thoroughly. They're only pennies each from Sports Direct.

[alfa145uk]

Try and get as much water out of it before so it doesn't freeze up. To defrost I just run it under a tap for a couple of minutes. The current bladder has lasted over 3 years like this of twice weekly use.

Before I did this a previous bladder got neglected and grew the black mould - a few soaks in mildew and then a scrub with near boiling water and a brush and it lasted for ages after that.

I found just sticking to water and not putting in squash/lucozade/beer helps them not develop the mould!

[robpearson]

Run 1/2 a bottle of vodka through it to be sure. Use your own discretion as to whether you do that whilst cycling or not

[944fan]

robpearson said:

Run 1/2 a bottle of vodka through it to be sure. Use your own discretion as to whether you do that whilst cycling or not

Capital idea. Can you be charged with being drunk in charge of a bike?

[IroningMan]

944fan said:

Capital idea. Can you be charged with being drunk in charge of a bike?

I hope not.

[Smartboy]

Haha... reminds me of punching myself in the face and giving myself a black-eye after a few beers... long story but basically...

Few games of pool after school in the local country pub, realising I still had to do my paper-round (on my bike around my village), big sack stuffed full of papers which were difficult to get out, tugging on the first paper and slipping, only for my face to get in the way of my slipped hand!

Evidence of a mis-spent youth perhaps? Maybe, but the paper-round did pay for my first Claud Butler Oracle, with 21 gears no-less! Awesome bike!