Is anyone using a system they like?
What are the pros and cons of sticking your hydration behind you, other than it being somewhat more difficult to get to.
Veronica
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Is anyone using a system they like?
What are the pros and cons of sticking your hydration behind you, other than it being somewhat more difficult to get to.
Veronica
Best pro I've heard: you don't get body fluids on it during the raceQuote:
Originally Posted by Veronica
Veronica,
I've used a seat post mounted doohicky that has 2 water bottle mounts on it, that I affix regular water bottle cages onto.
Are you thinking that you would use this [B]in place of [B] bottle cages on your frame, or in addition to those bottle cages?
I haven't raced with the seat post mounted setup, but it's an awesome option for long distance touring when it's really hot and/or there's loooong distances between towns/water supplies. I drink alot, so I'm pretty paranoid about having enough fluid.
One of the gals in the office had a setup very similar to this: http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodPD_ACRM1.html SHe never launched a bottle out of it. She switched to a carbon version of this, and her bottles started launching. :eek: So, she put sandpaper tape on the inside of the carbon cages to keep the bottles in place, and that seemed to fix the problem. (Personally, I"d have gone back to the non-launching setup, but she likes the look of the carbon....)
Hope that helps,
Susan
I had that set up on my second road bike. Compact frame for shortie like me left room for only one bottle cage mount. Riding in NC summers - one bottle of fluid wasn't going to cut it.
I bought a metal extension thing from Minoura that attached to the base of my saddle (not to my seat post since I hardly had any showing!) and had two standard sized cage mounts on it. It worked great!
The only problem I had was that on really rough spots (you know, those spots you shouldn't ever hit on a road bike when doing 30 mph? yeah, those :o), the bottles might bounce out.
Ha! Found a link:
http://www.amazon.com/MINOURA-WATER-.../dp/B001N5EJPI
I also have a photo of it on my bike while I'm riding it at home. I can post it later if you want to see how it looks.
I just remembered another potential 'con'. You can't really sit back on your saddle for decending if that's something you regularly do.
Here's a couple of pictures of the setup I had:
http://static.teamestrogen.com/templ...s/IMG_0212.jpg
http://static.teamestrogen.com/templ...s/IMG_0813.jpg
Susan
I have the Profile Designs system. I haven't launched a bottle yet, but I have a hard time getting the bottles back in. If I stop, it's great to have the extra water, but I can't get it on the move.
Currently I use 2 (short) bottles on my frame and an aero bottle, but I'm thinking about getting one of those refill systems that sits in your frame and has a drinking tube that winds up like a camelbak. I am afraid I may still want separate water from sports drink... so I'd probably use that for water and bottles for drink (I can't fit the on-course water bottles in my cages), or the aero bottle and that (which seems kind of silly), or the seat post mounted bottles which does seem interesting. I guess my seat post isn't exactly... round... but I'm sure that's not a huge issue. ;)
I'm carrying my tools (cartridges, tube, patch kit if desparate) on my seat post now but some of those (nicer) seat post mount systems have a place for that stuff, too.
I have the Minoura seat mount with 2 Profile Designs cages. I've never launched a bottle. I don't think I've tried to get a bottle out while riding. I use the two frame mounts, too, and rotate the empties to the seat mounts at rests.
Oh, one bit of caution, when you swing your leg over the bike to get on, make sure you clear the bottles! I've missed and made an awkward fall.
In Vineman last year I saw the judges stop several riders and make them go back and get their bottles that flew out, which seemed to happen a lot.
Yeah, I'm leaning towards putting one of those funny aero bottles on the new bike instead. The behind the seat stuff just seems a little too ... something. I need to be able to drink while racing. :D
Veronica
I use this bottle http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodPD_ACARDRK.html with this bracket http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodPD_ACUDRKBK.html for triathlon. The only trouble I have with it is that I don't use it often enough in training, so it always feels a little awkward to me in a race. I need to train with it more. I wish it held a little more fluid, though. I drink alot. I'm thinking of switching to this one: http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodPD_ACAQUACELL.html It holds 44 oz (yes, I see that there's an add error on our page (it says 34..). I've asked someone to correct that ASAP :o )Quote:
Originally Posted by Veronica
I don't think I'm going to put aerobars on the bike this year. I think I'm just going to be more diligent about staying in the drops.
Veronica
I use the Aerodrink bottle but it has a terrible tendency to splash when full, even using the yellow poof+the new top. I want to give the Sip Stream a try, I just wish it cost less.Quote:
Originally Posted by Susan Otcenas
I finally remembered to post these - I was able to drink from these bottles even back then when I was a fairly inexperienced cyclist. And the 'launch factor' varied greatly depending on bottle and cage combination (which can be readily changed with this setup).
http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/u...1968/dolce.jpg
And while riding:
http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/u...968/dolce2.jpg
If you are interested, I'm pretty sure I still have the bracket and I'd be happy to give it to you. :)
Thanks for the offer, but I'm going to stick with them in the "normal" position. Apparently wind tunnel test show that behind the seat offers no less drag. :p
Veronica
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veronica
Perhaps not behind a professional athlete - but behind my rear? There is plenty of eddy space in which to hide all kinds of non-aero stuff! :p
If anyone does buy a rear carrier, make sure it can handle the weight of the bottles (with full water) and be able to absorb the shock of a bumpy road. I witnessed a cyclist launch his bottles after the bracket broke. I don't think either bottle escaped destruction. It happened at a bridge contraction joint at about 40 mph. Cannot say what the bracket material was.I would guess reinforced plastic?