I’ve spent the last 10 years despising backpacks of any sort after commuting by bike with one for a few years in the city.
They make my back sweat, they can hurt your shoulders, and they keep all of the weight exactly where you don’t want it.
This past weekend, though, I participated in a race (ride) that took about 4 hours and had two very minimal aid stations. The organizers recommended bringing enough water and food, so I brought a modern cycling pack. I had two 750ml bottles and 1.5L in my pack, all with the same drink mix (~110g carbs & 800mg sodium per 750ml water).
I have to say, it worked wonderfully. I wasn’t overly hot/sweaty (I think wearing cycling kit helps this, which I hadn’t experienced with a pack before), I really didn’t notice the weight whatsoever, drinking was very easy, and I knew for the entire ride that I had enough fuel and water to make it to the end.
Overall, I can’t say that there were really any downsides. Would I have been more comfortable without the pack? Maybe, but it’s hard to say. Once you’re out there riding, you kind of forget it’s there if you have a good-fitting/good-quality pack.
Where I live, it’s not common to have resources for resupply on the really scenic routes, and I think I’ll use this pack quite a bit moving forward so that I don’t have to worry about water/calories, and can venture out even further with confidence.
Go with the pack!