I’ve tried to search for this but couldn’t find a good answer, so please bear with me…
I just bought my first TT bike and decided that the setup I’m most comfortable with (aesthetically and logically with respect to aerodynamics) is having one bottle cage on the downtube, and one between my arms when I’m tucked. I have two questions though:
What bottle cages is simultaneously light, aero in the positions I’ve described, and most importantly will hold the hand off water/gatorade bottles at aid stations well?
I see most people fix their computer to the stem and the bottle cage to the bars. Is it possible or is there a good way to do the opposite? I’d prefer to have the computer on a mount further out so I can see it when tucked.
yes half and eventually (2010?) full IM races. I’m a little worried about the aerobottles only because I have no experience with them. How difficult are they to grab and drink from and how much trouble are they to refill mid race?
the aero bottles i metnioned you would not be refilling mid race, ever
but, a half or ironman race has a bottle pickup zone every ten miles
you really dont need two cages
maybe you would want two to have a spare in case you miss an aid station pickup
or to hold “food” (like a high calorie meal replacement kind of drink)
but I think 1 bottle holder for the aid station stuff is fine
I’ve done a half in medium heat with only 1 bottle holder and had MORE than enough liquid.
yes half and eventually (2010?) full IM races. I’m a little worried about the aerobottles only because I have no experience with them. How difficult are they to grab and drink from and how much trouble are they to refill mid race?
yes half and eventually (2010?) full IM races. I’m a little worried about the aerobottles only because I have no experience with them. How difficult are they to grab and drink from and how much trouble are they to refill mid race?
I don’t like the aero bottles b/c they don’t have a wide mouth… makes them useless for long drives on the interstate!
As far as fixing your computer further out, there is a product available that is shaped like a knob that affixes to the aerobars with a zip tie and allows you to view the computer while in the aero position. Check with your local shop, they should stock them.
Yeah the aerobar computer mount was my original plan. I just don’t want to spend the money on the mount if I can’t find a suitable method of strapping a bottle cage to the stem.
I’ve tried zip ties already, but because I still have a spacer left above the stem, I either deform the cage (cheap plastic bontrager) or can only fasten down the bottom end. If I try to use the cage arms as fastening points I can already see less of a grip on a normal sized bottle.
I currently have two bottles setup like it sounds you are trying to do.
I have a Rocket Science bottle that I mounted with a trek bat cage b/t my aero bars, which relegated my computer to the stem.
I also have a Bontrager Speed bottle on my seat tube.
While I currently only race Olympic distance, and two bottles are not necessary, I like having water up front and sport drink in the aero bottle.
A few things of note:
The aero bar bottle setup is very easy & secure if you do it right. There are many posts w/ instructions. I just posted pics of mine in the immoo bike pic section over the weekend.
I didn’t like having my computer on the stem initially, after having gotten used to it up front by my hands, but I have gotten acclimated, and it’s perfectly viewable in aero position.
You can still mount the computer up front if you like, but it will have to be very close to the front, and you might have to shorten your bar-end tape to make room. It will probably get in the way of your hand grip position. You will have to get one of two mounting solutions, either a piece of pvc/carbon to put b/t your bars, or a zip-on nob to give you a mounting space outside your bars.
As far as aero bottle, I just like the way the bontrager looks, and it’s a solid gripping cage. My bottle didnt fit perfectly in the cage, so i had to doctor it up with a bit of tape to keep it from rattling, but i like it. also, because of the way the lid snaps on, refilling on the fly would be impossible. if that’s a concern you’d have to get the arundel bottle w/ the easier lid.