Bike hydration set-up?

docjeter

Just wondered what everyone else is using....I've been battling a front mounted Profile bottle for a few years now, but I'm tired of all the slushing/splashing.  I like the convenience of having it right in front of me, but other than that, I hate the thing.  I've tried covering the hole with other things than that #$#*!*! net thing, but I think its time for a change.  What are you using?  As far as rear mounted systems, is there a definite one to go with or one to avoid?  Figured the OS was a good time to get use to something new. 

Thanks in advance   -Andrew

Wiseman

Andrew,
The more races I do, the simpler hydration/nutrition gets...Go with a frame mounted nutrition bottle ( big Infinit advocate) and grab water on course for hydration. I'm finding the less I have the better, plus, theoretically, you're more aero.
Bill

michaelgasser17

For short stuff (all I've done.. Moving to long this year), I use one bottle in a cage zip tied between the aerobars. It is great because i can drink or pour on my head barely leaving aero. For long I plan on going with a Speedfil with infinit in it and the same aero bar cage for water picked up on the course.

michaelgasser17

For short stuff (all I've done.. Moving to long this year), I use one bottle in a cage zip tied between the aerobars. It is great because i can drink or pour on my head barely leaving aero. For long I plan on going with a Speedfil with infinit in it and the same aero bar cage for water picked up on the course.

graham_m_dunn

I'm also experimenting with this. I raced two HIM last year with an XLab behind the seat setup, a downtube cage, and Profile Aerodrink. I just kept water in the Aerodrink (the mantra for the Aerodrink is "Don't put anything in there you don't want to wear"), had a concentrated bottle of nutrition on the downtube, and flatkit + any extra water to refill the Aerodrink from the bottle exchange in the XLab.

I think that's too much stuff to carry, so I'm going with a between-the-bars bottle in front, and nutrition on the downtube. I'll keep the XLabs setup for flat-kit/tools, plus holding extra water on training rides, though might take it off for racing and just move the flat-kit to a saddle bag.

I'm also looking at less concentrated nutrition and a gel flask on the top tube just behind the stem.

I'm thankful that I'm doing the EN plans, because if I spent all this effort on bike setup and was still slow, I'd be pretty PO'd

Mike Hedman

Andrew,

You might want to give a try with a good sponge.  The yellow scrubby is junk - I remember seeing about 7 on first mile or two of a particularly bumpy road.  I use one made for the Jetstream bottle and have basically zero problems: www.tri-zone.com/Details.html.  I say "basically" since I do periodically get a slight spritz, generally right after it's been filled and I hit some serious bump.  But I only ever use it to hold water, so it's no biggie for me.

Mike

Kitboo

Bontrager makes a between the aerobars hydration thingy. The lid prevents a lot of splashing---.even on the roads at IMWI: http://bontrager.com/model/07189
The new Profile design Aerodrink comes with a similar " no splash cap". I've not seen one sold separately as I'm sure the PD folks want us to buy a whole new aerodrink.
I switched to a Speedfill last year and really like it. No splashing at all unless you lose the lid.

Scott Alexander

Sprint: Profile aero bottle only, with water.
Oly: Profile aero bottle only, with diluted Infinit.
HIM: Profile with water, refilled at every aid station (if needed). 2 bottles in cages with diluted Infinit.
IM: Profile with water, refilled at every aid station (if needed). Speedfil with diluted Infinit (refill at special needs).

BTW, I use a CeeGees brand 'sponge' in my aero bottle. It's black and I hardly get any splashing from it.

docjeter

Thanks all...may have to try the sponge. Looks like the newer Profiles have an "easy refill no splash cap"...wonder if they work?

graham_m_dunn

Yeah, I have one of the Aerodrinks with the "no splash" cap. It still splashes, but much less than just using the yellow scrubbie.

Rich_B

I also go with a front mounted Aerodrink. The little splashing is the least of my worries considering the gallons of sweat all over me and my bike. I' have little interest in screwing around with behind the seat bottles.

William Jenks

Andrew- I agree with Graham. Big improvement, but still not splashless. However, it takes the thing from an object of hatred to something useful that you don't mind having water in. :-)

HayesSanborn

Sprint and Oly: Profile design in front only. I use a shower poof as my splash guard. I've never had issues with splash. I recommend using a new one

Half/Ironman: Profile Front and use a feed bottle on the seat tube. I use that to spray into my aero bottle and I top it off at water from aid stations to keep it cool and cut it. I don't like sipping on the jet fuel concentrate.

 

GMAN 19030

People way overthink hydration and nutrition issues. It's one thing to load up your bike when training since you're supporting yourself but you don't need all that stuff on a race course with aid stations.



I adopted the KISS approach (Keep It Simple Stupid): One bottle torpedo-style between my aerobars and another on the frame.



Sprint: Torpedo bottle with half water/half sports drink

Olympic: Torpedo bottle with about 250 cals of Infinit

HIM: Torpedo bottle with water, frame bottle with 3 hours worth of Infinit (800-900 cals), swap out water at each aid station

IM: Torpedo bottle with water, frame bottle with 3 hours worth of Infinit (second Infinit bottle in SN bag), swap out water at each aid station



IMO, the PD aero bottle is piece of plastic crap. Great theory, horrible execution. If I wanted to wear half my drink, that's the way to go. I'm not sure how any of you deal with the splashing. I may give the new Speedfil torpedo bottle a whirl for short course racing so I don't have to break aero to drink.



I don't see a need for behind the seat holders on race day. I carry a little saddle bag that can only hold a tube, two tire levers and two CO2's (w/chuck). Another tube is stuffed under my seat.

mattsull

I also have nothing on the back. I use a horizontal bottle between the aerobars and a bottle on the downtube. I put my spare tube/CO2 in a Bento-style box. I'll probably use a Speedfil for Wisconsin this year.

CNIDog

I've used a Speedfil (with Infinit) and PD bottle (with water) between the bars for the longer races. Two straws and very convenient to drink while staying aero. Pre-new PD bottle with splash guard I used a bath poof with no splashing issues. Cheap fix... 3 for $2 at Walmart. Since I only used water up front if it splashed so what. Liked the Speedfil although the only issue I have with it is the ability / inability to see what's left and get some feedback as to whether I'm drinking enough and taking in enough cals. Takes me some practice gauging how much I take in with sips. A few rides (including LP in '09) where I learned too late that what I thought were big enough sips on the straw weren't big enough.

Last year raced shorter distances and went with the zip tied cage and bottle mounted horizontal between the aerobars. Really liked this. Easy access, easy to drink. Able to see how much I was drinking. Like Matt, I put spare stuff in Bento-style box so I've gone to a clean rear of the bike.

Docmartin

I've used a Speedfil for water and concentrated Infinit in two rear cages, but while I never had ejections during a race, I have chased down many bottles on training rides. Someone suggested a King Cage Top Cap Cage Mount (http://www.kingcage.com/products-waterbottle-cages.html) for IMFL, and it was great. I just used the Perform on the course and put it in the cage and had water in the Speedfil. Really simple, clean look, this is my new go-to setup.

David R

I use Profile Design with the splash cap and don't have any problems.  I only carry water in it and use the water bottles on the back to cary my infinite.  This past summer I tried the Bontrager bottle for a few weeks.  I didn't realize how much it splashes out of the hose until my first ride on a cool morning.  I didn't notice it while it was 120 degees out.  I went back to the Profile Design.

MattAaronson

The "between the aerobars" bottle has never worked for me, and I have tried both the Profiel Design Aerodrink/Aquacell and the Bontrager version. I use bottles on a seat-rail mounted cage. Personally I use the Profile Design one, but the xlab seems pretty popular. This year I may try out the 'torpedo style' bottle mount up front.

gsadleriii

Hey Bob - This is a nice idea.  I just recently learned about Infinit and that it's a custom solution mix.  What mix do you use and why?

stevekw

I've used a NeverReach Pro for years and love it...carries 64 ounces behind the seat, drink tube runs up between the aerobars, and easy enough to refill at aid stations without stopping, and doesn't splash

- when racing I carry one water bottle on the frame and use the NeverReach for whatever the racing endurance drink is.



Website:

http://www.neverreach.com/NeverReachPro.html

 

GMAN 19030

Posted By George Sadler on 04 Jan 2011 05:44 AM

Hey Bob - This is a nice idea.  I just recently learned about Infinit and that it's a custom solution mix.  What mix do you use and why?

I use a custom solution.  I started out with their base Ironman formula and tweaked some stuff (added more cals/carbs/electrolytes) and lessened the flavor and protein. 



My formula looks like this: 

Supplement Facts: 

Servings Per Container (25) 

Serving Size: 2 Scoops (71.46 g) 

Amount Per Serving 

Calories: 270 

Calories from Fat: 0 

Total Fat: 0g - 0% of daily value 

Saturated Fat: 0g - 0% 

Sodium: 500mg - 20% 

Potassium: 145mg - 4% 

Total Carbohydrate: 66 - 22% 

Dietary Fiber: 0g - 0% 

Sugars: 13 

Protein: 1.11 - 2% 

Vitamin A (Beta-Carotene): 0 - 0% 

Vitamin C: 0 - 0% 

Vitamin E: 0 - 0% 

Selenium: 0 - 0% 

Calcium: 40 - 4% 

Magnesium: 30 - 7% 

Joe Matchette

 @Andrew:  I am in my third season of IM, first season of EN, so take this all with a grain of salt.

I use a SpeedFil mounted on the downtube.  I have sufficient room inside my frame to also put a cage and waterbottle on my seattube.  I used this setup for IMAZ in 2009 and IMWI in 2010.  The SpeedFil is water only and my other bottle is 3hr of nutrition (right now Accelerade, but probably switching to Infinit) which is replaced at Special needs.  I keep the straw pretty long so that I can bend it down towards me and flush with my aerobars.  That way I don't have the drag device sitting up in the wind.  I only have to 'break aero' every twenty minutes or so for my nutrition bottle, and not at all to sip some water.

During training, I also have a seat mounted system with two holders.  I use that for extra water so I can go longer between store stops.  I take off the seat mounted system for races.  With the 'keep it simple' philosophy, I have gotten rid of my saddle bag for races and just put tube/CO2/tire levers in my bento box.

If you want pictures, let me know and I will send you what my bike looked like for Wisconsin.

Joe

Chris M.

I use the Bontrager aero race pack, a seat tube cage, and two more Bontrager tri cages mounted on a Minoura behind the seat for training.  Those rear Bontrager tri cages are bombproof and I have never launched a bottle from one.  For an IM distance race, I start with just the aero bottle full, then grab two bottles at each aid station, stashing them in my cages until I can empty them into the aero bottle.  

I enjoy the convenience of the aero bottle so much that I am going to start using it on the trainer.  It is just so much easier to take a drink from it than to get your bottle out of a cage.  I will drink twice as much if I have that straw in my face as without it.  I will give up whatever microscopic bit of aero I'm losing to know that I will be properly hydrated.  

kurshing

I just changed bikes and moved towards simplicity as well...I have a bottle on my down tube and a torpedo mount on my aero bars. My though process is that I would like to be able to grab the on-course nutrition and this setup supports that calling.

Previously, I had an aero bottle like you and an x-Lab kit behind my seat. I DO like the x-Lab kit, and MAY end up with it back on my new rig for IM CdA, but, it isn't there at the moment.

docjeter

I experimented with a regular bottle btw the bars (torpedo style) this past weekend. Although it was on the drainer, it worked pretty well. I think I'm going to give it a try full time and do away with my hated Profile. Probably add in a down tube bottle at some point.

William Jenks

@Andrew - I've used both. Do make sure you practice using the torpedo bottle a bit at an easier pace before you start trying to use it while really cranking. There's just a little trickiness about the manipulation of your position while messing with something on the bars, etc. Nothing very hard, but you don't want a scary moment. :-)