Re: MotoJug Hydration System (20% Discount)
I recently got one of these for an LDR ride. Here is a quick review.
Cliff notes: it works. Drinking is good.
Mounting: simple and straight-forward. There should be a 3rd peg strap on the bottom to make attachment more flexible.
Use: mostly good. It can't be overstated how important it is on a long ride to be able to drink on the go, and the fact that I have an entire gallon means that I don't have to screw around with it at all, all day. I can still get drinks at gas stops, but if I only use the jug while moving a gallon is enough, even if I do 1100 miles in one day (as I did).
General conclusion: For me the real value in this thing is that you have a ready-made way to have a gallon of cold drink accessible throughout an all-day ride. What I mean is, the price might seem high for a cloth bag, 3' of hose and some straps, but it accomplishes the job much more effectively than any home-built solution I'd ever come up with would, and the utility of having the ability to drink on the move is invaluable.
Idea for improvement:
Instead of just sticking the hose into the spout, use a steel tube that fits into the spout and is cut to make it to the bottom while sticking out a couple of inches, with instructions to bend it for each individual installation such that the hose can stay straight. The hose on mine was quickly squished nearly flat by hanging out of the spout, making it more difficult to draw from.
I lost the bite valve early on day two of use. I'm not going to replace it, as the hose hangs in an upside down 'U' on the back of my tank bag, so as long as I blow the liquid back into the jug after drinking, no mess.
I'm not sure what else is available, but the $.30 name badge retractor thingy is not robust. Mine failed about 60 miles into my first ride with it. For a total of $80 surely there is a better alternative. I stopped at an Office Depot I happened to ride by and bought a better one for $2. Even still, this solution has room for improvement. The concept is sound I think; it just needs a more robust retractor piece.
The black cloth covering the hose needs to be attached to something, so that it doesn't slide up and cover the end of the hose.
IMO the strap system would work better if you could peel it all off of a velcro base and position it as desired, then strap it up.
Overall rating: I give the motojug a solid B+. It's a little spendy, and not perfect, but it does accomplish the task and provide a very important function. It's amazing how a couple of sips of cold drink while sitting in stopped traffic in 95f +humidity can change your whole outlook.
