Today I raced vail Lake and had a recurring problem. when I ride just for fun I always take a Camelback full of water, tools, and first aid supplies. However, when I race I strip down to the bare minimum. I would carry a tube, multi-tool, and waterbottle in my jersey. I would mount a C02 cartridge to my bike. Lately, I grew tired of filling my jersey pockets so I put my bottle in its frame mounted cage. Well. I lost a bottle at Southridge but I did not learn. Today at Vail I lost my bottle again. It was on one of the first decents, only a couple of miles into my first of three laps. I thought of how I would finish the race with no water. Then I thought of the others as I saw half a dozen other bottles on the course. Finally I thought of how I would pick it up somewhere on my second lap; which I did. Point is I lost a bottle again, I worried about racing without water again, and I relied on picking it up later, again. Solution -- I am not ready to race with a Camelback, but I will carry my bottle in my jersey, and resurrect the seatbag for my tube and tools.
Better cage is all you need. A good thick stainless cage or one of the Specialized cages and you'll be fine. On the stainless cage before the start pinch the cage closed a bit so it's tough to get the bottle in so it won't come out inadvertently.
+ 1 Better cage is the way to go. ..... until.... a couple months back I read about the latest the pro roadies will be using on the Tour this year. Its a special camelback bladder that is integrated into the fabric of the jersey and sticks to your body with the feed tube sticking out of the shoulder. You basically wear your hydration. Don't have the link to the article. This way the time trailists don;t have to get out of the aero position to grab their water bottle.
Is this what your talking about? http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=26817&subcategory_ID=4340
Wow, didn't know Performance was already selling it. Yep, this is it. Only issue is what temperature effect it may have on your lungs. Too cold or too warm....
These work great! I haven't lost one yet. http://www.kingcage.com/Home.html As for the beer...... Try this. :beer: http://www.thebeerbelly.com/?Click=46
They are already using those but actually they are as much an aero device as the are for hydration. I'm betting the UCI puts a stop to those pretty quickly.
Or you could go this route: Or perhaps this!! Just sayin'... (I know we've all seen them before, but it's just too good an opportunity to pass up showing them off again!) - shud
That's awesome... "Can I have a sip from your...?" "Weren't you a little bigger at the beginning of the ride?" Definately a new meaning of jugs... Oh wait...you wanted to 'show them off again'? What? :lol: