RE: [IM Tri Club] Rear Double Saddle Water Cages

[John F. Fleming]

Thanks for this info, Jef.  I have been meaning to ask about the best set-up as well.  I know that at about mile 90 at IM Lou I really, really wanted/needed liquid and sorely regretted that I did not have at least one behind the seat bottle (and for those doing IM Lou this year, I am not sure if it would help or work, but I also wished I had frozen a bottle of something to carry on the bike during that event, in the anticipation that it would not be body temperature by the middle of the bike.)

 

Also, for the rest of you 2012 IMers, I am doing different swim workouts than what is scheduled in the IM training programs out there, and this coming week I am planning to do the crazy-number-of-100s workout that I have described to a few of you.  For motivation, I will need some company (and persons with different paces can still swim together; the send-off times for each 100 are different for those swimming at a different pace.)  The workout takes a little longer than 90 minutes to complete.  If interested, please let me know and we can try to meet up somewhere to get this in (like this weekend at a Lifetime or maybe next Tuesday at Lakeville High.)

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From: infinitemu...@googlegroups.com [mailto:infinitemu...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Jef Mallett
Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 8:06 AM
To: Infinite Multisport Triathlon Club
Subject: Re: [IM Tri Club] Rear Double Saddle Water Cages

I've used three different ones: The cheapo bare-bones Minoura, the Hydrotail and an X-Labs one.

 

The Minoura holds your bottles nice and solid where they're easy to reach. Downsides: For some reason the screws like to work themselves loose over even a few miles, so be sure to use Loc-Tite on them. It leaves very little room for a spare. And it holds the bottles fairly vertically, which is an invitation for them to bounce out on rough pavement.

Speaking of that, whatever you get, buy the grippiest cages you can, something like the X-Labs Gorilla or the Arundel. That boosts the price of the assembly considerably, but compare it against losing water bottles during a $600 Ironman (which, if you're not doing half-ironmans and up, I'm not a behind-the-seat setup is worth the hassle.

The Hydrotail claims to be super aero, but I can't believe there's that much difference between any of the assemblies, especially at most people's ironman speeds. It holds the bottles low and angled, where it may be hard to reach them. It's a bit flexy and fairly pricey. It may not fit certain saddles, like my newest one, which is why I have ...

 

X-Labs makes a bunch of different models. They're very solid, very adjustable and can be customized enough to tempt you to carry way too much crap. It's probably the best setup for carrying a spare, and you can buy attachments so your CO2 inflator sticks out like a couple of porcupine quills. They're also kind of the standard, so they and their parts are widely available.

 

But consider how bad you want to mess with carrying bottles behind your seat. It's less aero than standard frame cages, and they're a pain to get bottles out of (while being easy for bottles to bounce out of on their own) and an even bigger pain to put them back -- you'll want to be very confident in your bike-handling skills. But if you're doing long-course races and don't trust or care for what's in the bottles they're handing up to you, they're a pretty good way to go.

 

jef

 

From: Lindsay <lmthom...@yahoo.com>
To: Infinite Multisport Triathlon Club <infinitemu...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 9:51 PM
Subject: [IM Tri Club] Rear Double Saddle Water Cages

Any recommendations? I'm looking on Amazon and prices range from
$14-230. I don't need anything super light or fancy, but do want a
decent one that won't break!
Thanks
Lindsay

[jacquelyn mondani]

I bought this one last year and Stephanie did as well.  They will order it for you at ACF and apply our discount.

 

It's the Bontrager: Race Lite Rear Cage Holder - http://bontrager.com/model/07758

 

I got creative and actually have my rear bag attached in the middle of it, and it can hold 2 threaded CO2 cartridges.  Between that and my bag in the middle I'm able to carry 2 tubes, tools, and 2 CO2 cartridges and the 2 extra water bottles.