Making a round tubed frame (more) aero, one water bottle at a time

Triathlon Forum
1

The other thread on aero v round tubes has me experiencing round tube frame inferiority and shame. But seeing as I have no plans to move over to an aero frame, I 'm looking for workarounds.

I remember the MIT article in Bicycling (?) noting that a round tube frame with water bottle tests in the wind tunnel better than without. Is this true?

If it’s true, Would “arundel” type aero frame bottles be even better, the same, or worse than regular bottles on the frame? Better, same or worse than a behind the seat XLab unit?

Is there an optimum bottle configuration for round tube bikes? Or does it matter?

2

FOR ***** SAKE!!!

You NOT need aero tubes, and it probably will not make ANY difference where you put your water bottles!!!

The only time this makes any diffence is in Short time trials and at the very highest level of triathlon OR IN A WIND TUNNEL!

Unless you are doing sub 91/2 hr IM, save your money.

A $5000 bike will NEVER compensate for $5 legs!!!

OK Rant over… :slight_smile:

3

save your money

Are you telling him not to buy water bottles?

Chris

4

The tests said that the bottle on the downtube was better than no bottle at all. I think this has a lot to do with filling in the area within the main triangle, ala the old Trimble. In that case, I would think the aero bottle would do better than a round bottle. But remember, that’s just my impression, and I have no data to back it up.