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Hydration Systems for Long distance courses
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Hi, I am new to Slowtwitch (been lurking for a while) and this is my first year of triathlons, I previously been in to ultra running and cycling. I am signed up for the Ohio 70.3 and the Louisville full distance and recently purchased a Speed Concept. I am a little lost for what kind of hydration system to buy for my new ride since there are so many options. My brother has done a lot of long course tries and he has tried the saddle mount water bottle holders but has gravitated toward the torpedo style mount. He doesn't use one of the bottles with the straw built in because he says he doesn't want to have to worry about refilling it, so he just put Gatorade bottle with twist top right into the mount, no refilling required, just toss a bottle and get a new one.

What are folks preferences? The straw seems convenient but refilling seems like it would be difficult.

I admit that I have not spent time handling a bunch of different systems.
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Re: Hydration Systems for Long distance courses [Bandade] [ In reply to ]
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Bandade wrote:
Hi, I am new to Slowtwitch (been lurking for a while) and this is my first year of triathlons, I previously been in to ultra running and cycling. I am signed up for the Ohio 70.3 and the Louisville full distance and recently purchased a Speed Concept. I am a little lost for what kind of hydration system to buy for my new ride since there are so many options. My brother has done a lot of long course tries and he has tried the saddle mount water bottle holders but has gravitated toward the torpedo style mount. He doesn't use one of the bottles with the straw built in because he says he doesn't want to have to worry about refilling it, so he just put Gatorade bottle with twist top right into the mount, no refilling required, just toss a bottle and get a new one.

What are folks preferences? The straw seems convenient but refilling seems like it would be difficult.

I admit that I have not spent time handling a bunch of different systems.
A lot comes down to personal preference.
I find drinking from a standard bottle in a BTA cage clumsy. Maybe I just need practice?
Whereas a straw system is the most convenient to drink from. I've been using a Profile Design FC-25 but I don't really like the mount and find it annoying to wash, so I'd probably go for the Speedfil BTA if I was buying again. The FC-25 is easy to refill, takes under 10 seconds and keeps me going for about an hour. I expect the Speedfil or similar would be easy enough too.
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Re: Hydration Systems for Long distance courses [Bandade] [ In reply to ]
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Keep it simple. there is an aid station every 20 or so miles. 1 tall or 2 small bottles should do, and that is pretty much what they will be giving you anyway.
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Re: Hydration Systems for Long distance courses [Bandade] [ In reply to ]
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I am just 15 months into triathlons and have done two HIMs and a sprint. I am starting to reevaluate my hydration and nutrition plan and am minimizing a bit. My past attempts have been a bit clumsy and have probably hurt me aerodynamically.

For HIM, I had two bottles behind the seat with double-density Infinit mix for both hydration and nutrition. Then, I had a XLabs Versa 500 BTA that I refilled with just water during the race. The clumsy is that I raced with a down tube cage that held the bottles I picked up at the refill stations until I could toss them without penalty. The first HIM, I probably drank way too much... I think I need about four bottles during HIM ride to set me up for a good run.

This year I have the Torpedo bottle, but I ditched the extension mount. I am OK drinking from the straw, but I hope to improve the ease of drinking with possibly a different hose/valve setup. Also, I am ditching the down tube bottle cage. I will continue with the two bottles behind the seat.
Last edited by: exxxviii: Apr 27, 17 6:31
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Re: Hydration Systems for Long distance courses [Bandade] [ In reply to ]
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Awesome picks for races. Sad I cant do Ohio this year since I am moving but good luck at both!

I have tried about almost everything so far and it is all down to preference. I would recommend finding some stuff used on here and trying it before you spend money one it since these systems can be a lot. Based on what I have used... One thing I do recommend is not loading your bike down with water or sports drink. I understand you might prefer something but I was always told to use what the course offers and reload on there. I only really carry about 3 bottles tops on my bike.

Rear cages - Perfect for spare storage and hydration. I usually keep a back up bottle in the back for an ironman and then a spare kit. Like I said, I usually keep three bottles on my bike so I rotate this. Sometimes the bottles do fly out but I have been told it all depends on the cages.

Aero system with a straw - Felt a bit dangerous when using it. I stopped after someone I rode with tried to drink out of it and crashed hard. I am sure others have other opinions but again this is my preference.

Aero bottle mount - I picked up an xlab kompack right before my ironman last year. Loved it. Easy to get water in and out and felt safe while doing it. (selling it now since I wont need it for awhile, only doing short course for the next few years).

2020 Team Zoot MTN
Last edited by: tsdogma: Apr 27, 17 7:05
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Re: Hydration Systems for Long distance courses [Bandade] [ In reply to ]
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refilling is easy, go with the Torpedo

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Re: Hydration Systems for Long distance courses [Bandade] [ In reply to ]
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I've used a decent number of front hydration options over the past few years. I keep going back to a simple cage zip-tied to the aerobars and a regular water bottle. Easy, cheap, and in my opinion quite versatile since I'm just tossing old bottles for new.
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Re: Hydration Systems for Long distance courses [tsdogma] [ In reply to ]
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tsdogma wrote:
....Aero system with a straw - Felt a bit dangerous when using it. I stopped after someone I rode with tried to drink out of it and crashed hard. I am sure others have other opinions but again this is my preference....
If you think a straw is more dangerous than reaching for a bottle, especially when in the extensions, then you must have the straw positioned very badly.
The main advantage of a straw IMO, is that you can have a drink at any time without having to get out of position or do anything complicated.
Taking a bottle out of a BTA mount, drinking and returning it is much more clumsy/dangerous. And grabbing a bottle form a frame mount of behind the saddle mount is far more time consuming, draggy and/or dangerous too.
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Re: Hydration Systems for Long distance courses [Ai_1] [ In reply to ]
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Again, this is my preference and based on my experience. I tried it for a year with different positions and didnt like it. I personally feel more comfortable sitting up for a second and grabbing a drink. Besides, I dont think im losing that much time/ im that good that it makes a difference. As for the safety, not sure you can really justify that an aero system with a straw is 100 percent safer than grabbing a bottle. There are too many factors that come into play like the skill level of the rider or the state they are in. If there is a study that proves me wrong then please present it. Knowledge is power.

2020 Team Zoot MTN
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Re: Hydration Systems for Long distance courses [Bandade] [ In reply to ]
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I ride with my calories and sodium in a bottle behind my seat and I have a BTA cage. I start the race with a water bottle with a closeable top like ice mountain and take a new bottle every aid station.

I generally have a bad habit of over complicating things, but this is a simple solution that has worked well for me.

If it's REALLY hot (I sweat a lot) i'll put an extra cage on my frame and take the aero penalty in exchange for the ability to grab 2x bottles every aid station and a chance to still run well.
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Re: Hydration Systems for Long distance courses [tsdogma] [ In reply to ]
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I'm not basing what I said on any studies, just basic logic.
A straw system is designed to be right there in front of you so that you don't have to move out of the extensions. Depending on where the straw is positioned and how rigid it is, you'll either just move your mouth a few cms so your lips can reach it or shift your elbow back and bend your wrist to put the straw to your mouth. Neither compromises control of the bike or view of the road appreciably, even for a second or two. This is not he case if you have to sit up and reach for a bottle. I'm not saying sitting up is a big deal, especially if you're not worried about very small time losses. I'm just saying that I fail to see how the straw method could possibly be dangerous by comparison given it's the one that leaves you in full control in normal riding position and most likely with both hands on the bars.

I've thought of a possible danger for some straw systems. Some systems look to have relatively short vertical straws, if these are too rigid there is perhaps a danger of the straw causing facial injuries in a crash or, say, if you hit a pothole while drinking. I don't know if this is a real risk having not examined or used one of these systems. However, a longer soft flexible straw with a blunt CamelBak bitevalve as I use, poses no such danger.
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Re: Hydration Systems for Long distance courses [Ai_1] [ In reply to ]
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No that all makes sense but again it all comes down to the preference of the rider. For my fit (I am tall and lanky so my arms are longer than normal) and my experience, I couldn't get the straw to sit high enough off my bars. I would have to either bend down to drink from it if it was a fixed straw or I would have to grab the straw. Either straw I used, I would either have to take my eyes off the road or remove a hand to make sure the straw got to my mouth. I just wasnt comfortable enough staying aero and doing one of those things. It makes more sense for me to use a bottle in the aero without a straw and pulling it to drink.

If I had a better system then maybe it might work but based on the ones I tried I didnt like it. Like I said, way too many factors come into play that can make one more dangerous than the other. It obviously varies for each person.

2020 Team Zoot MTN
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