Hey there everyone,
Newly registered, but have been reading on here for over a year.
I need to know which Aero water bottle system everyone recommends. The Bontrager aero race pack seems like a nice fit for my Trek TT, but I’m hearing that they aren’t available anymore as everyone has been searching since 09? If anyone knows where I can get one, I’d be grateful.
Any recommendations? How bout the Profile Design version? It doesn’t look as nice though…
Standard bottle and cage mounted horizontally between your arms. Cheapest and most aero solution.
I found a couple on EBay… One used and one new. Should I try to bid on them?
x2 for inbetween the extension horizontal bottle.
If u wanted to sip water; wouldnt you have to get out your aero position to do so? Is this the most efficient method though? Also looking for a way so I can stay aero for longer periods of time.
Negative, most people will put either Perform or water from the race course in the cage on the bars. They are squirt tops so you just snag it with your dominant hand, squirt a bit and put it back in, other arm stays on the aerobars. They are more aero since the bottle stays hidden behind your hands/arms while you are in the aero position. Unlike an aerodrink or similar that has it’s lower half dangling in the wind and a very unaero straw sticking straight out of the top. However, you will notice pro’s using both systems with good results so take any of this advice with a grain of salt…
I have a Bontrager Aero Pack and an XLAB Torpedo mount. I prefer the later.
torhans aero20 or 30… =)
I have a PD aerodrink but I prefer a horizontal bottle–no splash and no tooth/gum/nostril stabbing straw.
Just like need4speed said. I am quite comfy riding one handed and sipping water. I think maybe for a iron leg then a PD would be nice. Def skip on the bontrager. HIM and shorter its a perfect set up. At the aid stations ditch the water bottle for a re-fill. No messing around. If you want to see a example search for my P1 thread. I put up alot of pics of the set up.
Gotcha Need4speed. I’m debating on whether I should bid on that Bontrager aero race pack on eBay. I need to know from actual users of this unit what they actually think of it.
damn… i just bought an aerodrink but now i’m thinking of the horizontal bottle idea. what is the best solution? i didnt look into it much but i did notice that some mount the bottle lower than others
The best solution is the one that you will actually use enough and easily so you don’t dehydrate. I use a PD aerodrink b/c I drink a large amount of fluids during an IM and like the fact that it is right there when I need it. Mine never splashes. I just buy a 99cent loofah (sp?) sponge from Target and jam it in the top.
Jamie
If you are happy to drink the provided energy drinks the horizontal bottle will work well. However, I have a bottle of concentrate on the frame, and then add a squirt of that into the profile bottle, and top up with plain water. That way makes sure that I know what I’m drinking, can keep to my planned intake and nor be at the mercy of the random flavours / strengths that you get at aid stations. What I lose in pace from 1kg of added drink on the frame at the start is offset by the confidence in knowing that I’m going to consume absolutely the same that I’ve used in training.
As for splashing, I never reall struggled with the original profile bottle. Only filling to the 500ml mark (top of the narrowing), spiking the straw through the scrunched up yellow mesh and not aiming for massive pot holes I was fine. Of course I did make the obligatory doofus mistake of tipping out the bottle when I laid the bike down to help a damsel in distress with a puncture on a HIM ‘race’. That’s the biggest disadvantage of the bar mounted aero bottles from my personal experience.
As for the horrendous time penalty that comes from the straw, then given that the air is about to hit 95kilos and 6’4" of prime yorkshireman 45cm later then I reckon that may only account for half of of the difference between the kona slot and my 12 hours.