Race day bike set-up - hydration??
My last race rehearsal for Vineman 70.3 is this weekend, and I'm still fooling around with my bike set-up (I know - not the best idea - but...). Done most of what I can to get free speed I think - aero helment (comfortable, but warm when I'm going slow), good bike fit, cables cut as short as practical, wheel cover, aero front wheel. But I ususally race with two bottles behind the seat, and one on the downtube, all filled with infinit. I could get away with two bottles, one concentrated inifint and one water (I used concentrated infinit for my first IM last year and am confortable with that method). I have switched the downtube bottle for a bottle mounted horizontally on the aerobars, and I can drink from this while riding. Due to my slow time, I will either need three bottles of infinit or a concentrated bottle plus one bottle of water (that I replenish at aid stations). I think my options are as follows: 1) stick with the bottles in back and one on the aerobars? 2) Use a downtube bottle for the concentrated infinit and the bottle on the aerobars for water (the issue with this is that I can't drink from a downtube bottle without sittting up, so every 15 mintes I'd need to sit up for 10-20 seconds - might actually be good on my back). I guess I could replace the bottle on the downtube with an aerobottle form Bontrager, Arundel, etc. 3) Purchase a speedfil for water, and use the bottle on the aerobars for concentrated infinit. I've never been able to use an aerobottle, I seem to get too much air when drinking from that straw - i guess I might have the same problem with the speedfil. Any thoughts on which method would work best? How much do I really lose having the bottles on back? But I guess since I've worked so hard to get as much free speed as I can, it would be stupid to leave the bottles in back of the seat (I tried mounting one high up under the seat on the rails, but the my seatpost/saddle doesn't allow that to work very well).
Comments
If Vineman can be depended upon for reliable, periodic aid stations, I would definitely try to factor that into what you are carrying on race day to minimize that weight a bit.
I also think that drinking from an aerobottle successfully can be practiced to achieve success. I like that aerobottle in that my water is always right in front of my nose, and I don't need to come out of the aero position to drink, which really helps with my drink every 15 minutes schedule.
P
Thanks for the feedback. When I carry enough normal strength infinit to last me, I need 3 bottles - 2 on the back, one on the downtube. I don't have any water until I've finished one of the infinit bottles. When I did my IM, I had one bottle of infinit concentrate on the downtube (so if it launched I would see and be able to retrieve it), and 2 bottles of water on the back - I replaced one with cold water at each aid station. Both of these have worked ok for me in the past. I guess I;m leaning toward one bottle of concentrated infinit on the downtube, and one bottle of water on the aerobar mounted water bottle. I don't think I'm unlikely to lose these going over bumps. Vineman does have reliable aid stations, so I can depend on getting new water at miles 18, 29, and 40. My thinking was that this would improve my aero profile and cut down on the weight a little. I've tried to get used to the aero bottle serveral times - even with a camelback bite valve. Tried if for as long as a month, only to have trouble in the race. Maybe it's that my stomach is more sensitive on race day, maybe I push too hard, or maybe I just need to keep at it until I get it - not real sure.
Matt - my thought behind using the infinit in the bottle on the front and water in the speedfil was that since I can't carry enough infinit in the speedfil to last me the 56 miles, it would need to be concentrated. If I have it in an marked bottle on my aerobars, then I can closely monitor how much I'm getting. I thought I'd put in about 30 oz of water in the speedfil and dump cold water in at each aid station. I know you're a lot faster than me, so maybe you can finish a HIM bike with 40 oz of infinit. Ultimately, I think that's how I'll go, but since I've never used a speedfil, I may not use one at Vineman since I still haven't even ordered it yet.
Hey Bob, you have to do what works for you... many many people like to have the infinit in a bottle where they can tell how much they are taking in so stick with that if it works for you.
I will be using the profile bottle up front with a concentrated formula (I like carbopro) and a baggie over the top to avoid and splashing. For water I have a speedfil (yes I have 2 tubes to drink from) that I keep refilling at aid stations. I do not fill the speedfil up all the way to avoid carrying all that extra weight and its amazingly easy to refil on the fly. This way I never come out of the aeroposition unless I want to stretch. I have the straws/tubes in my face to remind me to drink.
1 question I did ask myself this weekend when I installed the Speedfil is how many pros ride with it? I do not remember seeing any in the Kona pics. Not sure why other than it is a little unsightly as it is supposed to add aerobenefits.
Vince
For me, I need to have the water and nutrition THERE reminding me to drink but one of my many errors in my only IM experience is that filled the speedfil up to the brim and carried all that weight when I didn't need to. It is so easy to refill that a single 22 oz dose in there is enough and then just keep adding as needed at aid stations. My setup is a little geeky too with all the tubes and bottles but it makes it easy and you never have to leave your aeroposition.
Vince