Saddle mounted hydration systems

[bdistel]

What is your opinion on the Hydrotail?
First used by Normann Stadler in his record setting race at The Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, demand for this new item has been unsurpassed.

The HydroTail is designed from the ground up to surpass current rear hydration systems in weight, aerodynamics and ease of use.

The 100% Carbon Fiber system has more strength, does not bounce and is 30% lighter than other rear mounted systems.

The 100% Carbon Fiber unit gives it light weight without sacrificing strength. Its properties also enable the unit to absorb some energy as to not launch your water bottle as easily as in the past. The user is also able to more easily grab their bottle by reaching to the side rather than behind them which makes drinking that bit easier.

Available at the Bike Boutique from April 10, 2007

[Juzzie]

Hi Ben

Yet to see one of these 1st hand, but from checking out images of it mounted to Norman's bike this would be the best looking design that I have ever seen. After reading about it, this product gives you a choice having a single mounted rear bottle set up or a double side by side set up.

Do you have any suggestions on what type of cage to use or does it come with these?

Juzzie

 

[bdistel]

HI, it does not come with bottle cages, but I recommend to put any 2 cages on, as long as they hold your bottles solidly.we'll have them available from April 16th.

[bdistel]

First used by Normann Stadler in his record setting race at The Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, demand for this new item has been unsurpassed.

The HydroTail™ is designed from the ground up to surpass current rear hydration systems in weight, aerodynamics and ease of use.

The 100% Carbon Fiber system has more strength, does not bounce and is 30% lighter than other rear mounted systems.

The 100% Carbon Fiber unit gives it light weight without sacrificing strength. Its properties also enable the unit to absorb some energy as to not launch your water bottle as easily as in the past. The user is also able to more easily grab their bottle by reaching to the side rather than behind them which makes drinking that bit easier.


An industry first is that the device can accommodate 1 to 3 water bottles, use straps to hold your spare tire and Co2.

The greatest benefit of the HydroTail™ is how much time can be gained in a triathlon. Tests at the San Diego Speed Wind Tunnel in San Diego, CA (www.LSWT.com) confirm that the HydroTail™ when compared to other rear mounted water bottle systems can increase your speed by 1-2 minutes per hour! That means that other comparable systems actually cost you time!

The low position of the HydroTail™, also allows easier flying transitions than ever. No more stumbling to get your leg over your bottles!


HydroTail™ is now available at www.thebikeboutique.com

[AndyM]

how does that attatch to the saddle? it is a bt unclear from the pic - is there a clamp for the back of the rails? also is there any type of saddle that it isn't compatible with e.g. like saddlewings and Fiziks (I could be wrong there just remembered something about that)

looks very pretty - wants some nice PX carbon cages on that though!

[bdistel]

Hi Andy, sorry for late reply.
The hydrotail fits well on most saddles; including Selle San Marco Aspide Triathgel and Azoto, Fizik Arione and Arione Tri, however the Arione Carbon Tri 2 is a bit challenging, it sits fairly low there.

[sambo]

Its a great system, very light and aero - and can be seen modelled on my fancy carbon bike here in borsaen - with a pair of planet x bottle cages obviously.

Come and check it out!

[johnnyha]

Sorry to rain on your parade guys, but testing has shown that, aside from hydration systems internal to the bike (a la Cat Cheetah), the most aero system out there is in fact, surprise surprise, bottles on your downtube and seat tube. The bottles which go between your tri-bars, whilst being convenient, are also seriously un-aero. I'll try and dig out the relevent data today, not like I have any work to do 

[AndyM]

yes please Mr.JHA - like to see hydrotail compared to profile front - i know that traditional rear mounts are supposed to be un-aero (e.g. profile one) though would expect the hydrotail to be more aero than front mount and the traditional rear mount.   Also I guess its ease of use etc. i.e. to drink from a bottle you have to come out of your aeroposition but to drink from a front mount you don't - now, is that saving better or worse than that given by a good rear mounted system + the time lost sitting up to get it?

as ever, nothing with bikes is ever simple:)

[sambo]

ultimately the only thing that matters is who rides fastest (and most efficiently if you want to be a trigeek)?

aka norman stadler....who uses both the front profile bottle 'seriously un-aero' and the hydro tail rear mount - which everyone says in the worst place because of some physics im far to stupid to comprehend (and cant really be bothered to until I ride like him...)

[StephenBayliss]

I'd like to see any data you can find Johnny.  I think US Postal with Armstrong tried to have an internal drinking system on the Trek TT bike, but I think it was banned by UCI.  Not sure on this, if anyone can confirm?

I was thinking maybe what would be good is, aero shaped down tube and seat tube mounted bottles with a tube system like the Camel back!!??  Maybe something for someone to come up with there!

[AndyM]

aren't camelbacks meant to be the most aero hydration? lots of people wear them under skin suits for 50/100mile TT - infact, didn't luke of TBB have one on at IM:OZ, I am sure I saw him with one though may have been someone else - if that was the case - how did that work out for you?

[StephenBayliss]

Yes I think you are right Andy, the camel back is supposed to be the most aero drinking system.  The only issue is in hot races; you lose a lot of heat from your back and so the camel back can impair this a little.

But in cooler races the camel back is probably perfect, although you will have to go to normal bottles once the camel back is empty.

[johnnyha]

Ok - this http://www.analyticcycling.com/RiderAeroStudy.html is a good starting point.

As regards the UCI situation, it seems that, for a lot of the ITT's, the focus is on shorter courses, and/or going uphill, so I guess that would make not having any sort of bottle ideal, from both aerodynamic and weight POVs.

One further issue not take account of is the change in Centre of Gravity - having a 'rear of saddle' system means that the centre of gravity is higher, so if it is a technical course, you will have to work harder to balance the bike. If, like Hawaii, its long straights, then its not so much of an issue.

More to follow...

[StephenBayliss]

Thanks Johnny.  Very interesting.  If you find anymore of these links, please put on the forum.

No need to waste money on a wind tunnel it seems, just use a powermeter and the road or ideally a velodrome.

Or even easier idea, copy what the top pro cycling teams like CSC, Discovery and British cycling are doing, as I believe they all do lots of testing on Aerodynamics.

Position-wise everybody is different so I reckon it is a good idea to test this yourself, rather than just try to set up like David Zabriskie!