Hi guys. I use a BTA bottle for my fluids during a race but also a BTS bottle for all my gels (l slightly water down a GU 15 portion pouch) but find during the heat of battle l often waste time fumbling the get the bottle in and out and always have to come off the aero bars, so l am looking for something easier, but still BTS. Any suggestions?
Cheers AndyA
This is my current set up…
And one that caught my eye; an old Dash prototype l think?
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This may sound stupid, however, how about flipping your water bottles upside down and running a hose from the cap to the aero-bars? I may be able to snap a photo of something close to what I am talking about tonight when I get home. You may have to change strategy with where you put your GU, but it should work.
I had a single bottle behind the seat. Due to the rack hook on my saddle, it had to be at an angle similar to the picture attached above. Maybe not quite as angled. I could barely manage to get it out and and back in from the base bars. Switched to a 2 bottle system now that I’m doing a full distance and want a 3rd cage for insurance (other is a BTA). The mount allows for the bottles to be more vertical. I can get them out in aero easily, even with gorilla cages. Can’t do a flying mount anymore though. You may not need or want 2 cages, but it makes it easier in my experience.
And one that caught my eye; an old Dash prototype l think?
I have that saddle. Besides doing a stellar job at ejecting bottles, it’s also impossible to reach.
I use an 8oz soft gel flask down the top of my skinsuit. Easy to grab as well as not impacting CdA.
Thanks for the advice l will stop looking for that one then! Maybe back to back BTA’s is the way to go…
The easiest solution that comes to mind, practice. It’s definitely the cheapest solution, and I’d say the most aerodynamic considering that’s the ideal spot to have your bottles. There’s a 2 miles flat stretch by my house with no wind cover at all, just a big field and a road right through it. I ride out there once in a while and practice grabbing my BTS bottles, drinking, and reloading while being destroyed by the wind.
Sorry to derail, but that’s the first REAP I’ve seen out in the “wild”…nice ride!
Yes it’s too good for me really; an incredible machine that carried me to a 7th place IM last year and onto the World’s this year. Happy days 
Why not use an aero bottle on the down tube, for much easier access? That where I put my calories, in an XLAB Aero TT. I have a single cage BTS but it’s just a spot for spare water from aid stations.
Your probably right l am sure there is a technique to it, l just keep missing the hole… 😂
No bosses on the frame for that, as the maufacturer belueves it destroys the aerodynamics and l tend to agree.
Destroys the aerodynamics but you loose them each time you sit up and fumble with your bottle? Makes sense… I have the dash you have pictured but it is no different sometime you fumble getting your bottle in and sometimes it slides in easy. I would have thought the setup you have would be easier to get your bottle in.
Thanks for the advice l will stop looking for that one then! Maybe back to back BTA’s is the way to go…
I carry a bottle with the gels, a bottle with plane water to drink with the gels (i think you shouldn’t drink electrolyte with gel), a bottle with electrolyte just for drinking (i do not want to drink plane water) and a bottle with spare parts.
So 4 bottles. I also am indeed to clumsy to grab a BTS bottle, so I use the BTS spot for the spare parts bottle. Further I have a downtube position (which you seem to lack) and a pair of back to back BTAs. I like this set-up and use it for some years now. On the other hand, it is funny that everyone seems to run a different system.
I’m too clumsy for flying mounts too by the way and run in the transition zone with my cycling shoes with spd sl.
Good luck!
I might give double BTA a try as l don’t need spares with tubeless and have no bosses
Cheers guys
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On my old bike, I would zip tie the cage to my seat and run a smaller zip tie around the front of the cage to “snug” it. With the bottle in the picture, it fit like a glove, in fact you could almost feel the bottle snap into place once you dropped it back in the cage. The angle was perfect, never launched a bottle. I just bought an IA10 and I’m planning to do something similar, though I want to try to DIY my way to 2 bottles instead of 1.
I got the idea based on Rinny’s setup, she ties a cage to her seat as well.
Maybe grab some zip ties and see what you can come up with? Especially since it sounds like you run a single bottle BTS, should be easy. I used a 7 dollar cage from my LBS and drilled out small holes in the cage where needed to run the ties.
Cheers l will let you know how l get on ðŸ‘
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