Modern bike computers will tell you how fast, how far, how high, how long and exactly where you’ve ridden. Some will tell you how much power you’re putting out and take a stab at telling you how many calories you’re burning. Still thirsty for information? Camelbak has now come up with – and we swear that we’re not making this up – digital flow meters in the hoses of its hydration packs.

The fluid-measuring gizmos can display total water drunk, flow rate in l/hr and hence figure out how much you’ve got left and how long it’ll last you, those last two things being potentially actually quite useful. The Flow Meter will be available as a retrofittable (albeit slightly bulky-looking) add-on to your existing pack.

This is all well and good, although our inner geek is wondering when the wireless ANT+-compliant module that lets you display fluid consumption on the computer on your bars is coming along…

Also new from Camelbak is the Velobak, a cycling jersey with a built-in reservoir. It’s a development of the existing Racebak, effectively a hydration vest worn under a jersey. Certainly an interesting idea, although the “any colour as long as its white” design isn’t perhaps ideal for off-road use. We dare say more practical hues will become available if the Velobak takes off.

Elsewhere in the range there’s a host of redesigned packs and plenty of new colours, including a rather fine range of retro-inspired designs. If Evel Knievel had worn a Camelbak…