they didn't fit in my gorilla cages...i used a speedfil for my ucan and a torpedo in the front to refill from the aid stations. enjoy!

I've got normal cages which I equipped with elastic bands. The bands are trapped under the cage between the two attachment screws. To avoid damage of the bands I put washers under the cage around the screws.

Routine at aidstation:
-Put bottle in the cage
-strap elastic band around bottle.

Worked perfectly 2 years ago in Kona.

Get some at the local grocery and practice. You can always get a cage like the looney bin (below) to secure the bottle, or go with one of the bungee cord hacks. Some folks use a metal cage and bend it down.

https://www.amazon.com/...569390067&sr=8-1

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I use a similar setup (aside from the BTA being the Profile Design HC mount and cage) and it worked fine the last time I was in Kona. The cage held the bottle OK and my forearms did the rest to keep it secure. It was something I was concerned might be an issue but while proper bike bottles would be better, worked fine. I'll be doing the same again this year.

The same for me, I had no issue last year, I use specialized bottlecages and had no problem.

Can someone explain this question to me. Are the bottles at Kona different than the bottles at every other WTC race I've done?

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The bottles in Kona have a smaller diameter than normal bicycle bottles.
They are bottles you buy like that in the supermarket. If you do not prepare for that you can get in deep shit.
Most other triathlons/IMs take up the effort and fill up bicycle bottles. Do not ask me why they do not seem to find that necessary at the WC.

What races have you done where you get standard bicycle bottles at aid stations??

I have never done a WTC/IM branded race where they handed out standard bike bottles at aid stations (but I have only raced in NA).

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In my experience (NA WTC races), no there is zero difference.

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I think you're right about it being a NA thing.

The races I've done in the US the hand up bottles have been standard soft plastic bottles with sports caps. Everywhere else in Europe, races of any significant size the hand up bottles have been proper bike bottles that actually fit in bottle cages. In my experience this is for both IM and non IM branded races.

Ah ok that explains it - Europe/North America thing I guess. I’ve never raced outside the US, so....Nothing unusual for me in that case

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Yeah the only race in NA I've done was in Kona. I did not know the same practice is always done in NA.
I'm from Europe and I only know from once there that they had smaller diameter bottles. I all of the other races I did water and electrolytes are offered in bicycle bottles.
So it seems indeed a NA/Europe thing. Did not know that,

Off topic: There is another thing which is done differently in NA, or at least in Kona, in Europe you have to carry your race number not only during the run, but also during the bike on the back.

I have standard gorilla cages and I had no issues with the bottles last year. Did not stress one bit about the bottles.

I didnt realise it was standard for NA races - explains why I couldnt find any other threads on it.

Thanks all

I didn't realize it was different in other locations. I guess that's what happens when you primarily race in one area. Good to know.

Here are some photos from the race. IIRC the water is Arrowhead spring water and the Orange stuff is Gatorade Endurance.





The spring water bottles are quite flimsy and prone to folding/crumpling when not full (see below), which can make them harder to get into the cage. Blowing air into them before closing the cap helps. The Gatorade bottles are a bit stiffer.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
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No. They are the gatorade bike bottles that are sold in convenience stores and the same at every other IM race in north america.

To OP, you should not have an trouble with gorilla cages. Also, there are no bumps or terrain that would cause you to launch bottles like so many other courses. You will be fine.