was it made in sweden and had a belt version for runners?

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

No. It was strictly made for bikes. It was a surgical rubber bladder, and came with a hand pump. You put your liquid in a bottle, then pumped it through the tube and into the bottle. The bite valve held the pressure in the bladder and tube until it was bitten. Then the liquid was released into your mouth. On a hot day, if you wanted to cool your face, you could squeeze the bite valve with your fingers and spray water onto your face. The neat thing about this system was that you could drink without leaving your aero position. The tube from the handlebar to the end of the bite valve was rigid, so it stayed in place.

Did some Internet searches. It was called Bikestream. Nashbar used to sell it. Information on the manufacturer can be found at: http://www.delphion.com/details?pn=US05062591__ . It appears that the patent has expired.

A picture of the system can be seen at http://www2.fhs.usyd.edu.au/...on-sport-performance. Click on the link: Hydration Part II 2002. It will open a PowerPoint presentation. Scroll down to slide 20. The system is mounted on a Cannondale. The bladder bag is difficult to see. It is black and is behind the seat post. The drinking tube is white and comes up in front of the aero bars.

I know what you're talking about, and I think the closest thing to that now is the NeverReach system. Looks a little funky, but probably more aero that the one you're talking about. Works the same way with a similar bite valve. I recently bought one, but haven't installed it yet. Linda seems very responsive to questions & feedback and I'm sure you'll get excellent service if you contact her.

http://www.neverreach.com

I'm making my own system using an insulated water bottle and extra tubing and parts from Camelbak. Using a 3/8 in drill I drilled a hole at the bottom side of the bottle and inserted an L–shaped Ergo hydro lock into it. I have insulated Cambelbak tubing (tube extender kit, tube director kit) running up the seat tube and down the top tube. I purchased some zip ties from Walgreens for a 1.99. I also bought a 1/4 in (inside dia) tube connector from Home Depot for about $2. The Tube Director should keep the valve pointed in the right direction above the handlebars. I cannot use an aerobar mounted bottle because of the way my bars are taped. Since I started tris, I've been doing sprints with no water on the bike. One race had no water at T2. So I needed a solution. It should work fine for a sprint tri, and it isn't going to cost a hundred bucks. Still fine tuning it.

Ed,

I have been giving thought to making my own system as well. My thought is to use two bottles, both drilled in the bottom with a tube attached to each, and then joined using a T connector and the insulated Camelbak tube running to the front of the bike. I haven't really started looking around yet for the parts. Where did you get the L-shaped Ergo hyrdo lock for your bottle? That is about the only part that I am missing. Also, did it seal well?

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

Mike, my advice is to Google it. I found one site http://www.velotique.com/caml.htm that sells it for 11.95. I think this is too high. I think one bottle will be enough for a sprint. I spend gazillions to get lightweight components and aero wheels, then have to add water? But I have to face reality — one bike leg in July, I got real dehydrated and thought I might have to drop out. I made it, but I think my time would have been better if I could have had a drank.

thanks for the info Ed.

I am actually setting this system up for longer races (half and ful IM's). I am going to use large bottles with the tops removed and with a one inch sponge type filter in the top so that the bottles can be refilled on the fly.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

I got a Bikestream back in 1990 at the end of my first year doing tris. They worked really well but they were a pain in the butt to keep clean and I found that if you put water only in that it got a funny "rubber" taste to it. I prefer a Jetstream or Profile bottle up front for ease of use and the aerodynamics probably aren't that much worse since the bikestream was a fairly large object behind the seatpost (sort of like making your seatpost at least twice as wide as normal).

I found a very aero solution to the drinking problem. Just drill a 3/8" hole in the front of your down tube just below where it joins the head tube. Then run a drinking tube through the hole all the way down to the bottom where the down tube meets the bottom bracket, and extend the other end up in front of your face. Then fill the down tube with your drink. The water will be inside the down tube and will totally eliminate any distortion of the wind by external drinking systems. And you never have to leave your aero position to get a drink. It is definitely the most aero solution to the problem. The drink does taste a little rough at first, but after several uses, the bad taste goes away. A strong Gatorade solution will also help mask the taste until it clears up. Carbon or aluminum bikes work best for this solution because they won't rust.

Ultimate direction makes seat mounted bladder drinking system but it's not pressurized. I just built a two bottle tube drinking system with two camelback tube extensions, regular bottles with the spouts removed and a little epoxy and electrical tape. Worked like a charm in my last Olympic.

Mike,

Beth Zinkand has been using a system like that for several years. The link below has some really good photos of her on the bike that show the system. I was considering something like this also. The only difference is you were talking about mounting your bottles upright, for refilling purposes, and obviously from the photos, she would have a real tough time refilling this one.

http://www.xtri.com/...thzinkand/photos.asp

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- Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
P. J. O'Rourke

"I have been giving thought to making my own system as well. My thought is to use two bottles, both drilled in the bottom with a tube attached to each, and then joined using a T connector "

That's essentially what I've done. Works fine. For the seal I just used glue and then silocon on the outside.

Check this item out from Supergo's website... Its a saddle bag with water system and there is even enough space to stast your tools and stuff.

http://www.supergo.com/...id=24&subid=1530



Paul

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Paul..

and very cheap too, gotta love that. I don't know what the aerodynamics are like having it down under the seat, but the only problem I see with this approach is that you can't refill it on the fly like you can with NeverReach. But hey, it's cheap and might be good for training or shorter events.



thanks

Barry K