karterjimm

Somewhere I have seen a conversion for a standard water bottle to add a bladder style of drinking tube. Has anybody seen such a thing? As I remember, it comes with a lid and tube with a bite valve. I have searched 'til the cows are in the barn to no avail. Am I having a senior moment? I just want to be able to drink from the bottle without stopping and/or removing it from the cage.

Thanks............jim

aikigreg

It's caled smart tube, but I can't see why anyone who would spend the money on one wouldn't just go ahead and get a bladder.

joelw135

I have one of the Prototypes and am very glad I have it. It is easy to put two bottles of cold water with ice and just switch bottle location as needed. I even have adapted it to work with my Polor bottle.

dbg

Ooo. I like it. Just attach the bladder pack to the back of my seat. Most excellent.

joelw135

The bag I used is from https://www.fastbacksystem.com/page35/page6/page6.html
It works real well and it too has insulation.

jeff-o

You're in luck, I sell SmarTubes: https://www.rebel-cycles.com/smartube.html

Normally I wouldn't be so blatantly self-promotional, but there really aren't many places to pick one of these up in North America...

joelw135

Nice that you got them in Jeff!

BlazingPedals

I've got the fastback LS for my lowracer, although it isn't a 70LS it's more like a 100LS. It's rare that I need or even want to carry more than about 50 ounces, but the extra capacity is always there.

jeff-o

Yep, they arrived a while ago. The SmarTube fills a need that many people may have; needing a hydration system but not wanting the added complication of a bladder. It's easy to just pull a fresh bottle of water from the fridge, hook it up, and toss it in a seat bag or backpack. When it's empty, just recycle the bottle.

Wheelchairman

Youse all pay money for that stuff ? Its probably cheaper converting a drink bottle. Just snip the seal on the inside of the lid, insert a PVC tube into the hole, usually after the lid has been soaked in boiling water to make it expand. Then drill a very, very small hole (2mm-ish) into the top of the lid to allow air into the bottle at all times. Snip the PVC tube to your desired length, then buy a device for the end so the tube doesnt leak all over whilst you're riding. I use Camelback's hydrolock equipped big bite valve on my tube-end. Most bikeshops sell Camelback parts, and bite valves are not hard to find.
If you've got a drink bottle lying around, you may only have to part with around $15AUS for the tube and the bite-valve. Thats small change for something that does exactly the same thing as the above items.

Sandwarrior

I have modified my backpack so that it fits on the back of my seat. It carries all my tools, food, extra clothes...etc and my Bladder. I will attach a picture when I get home tonight. My wife has a Rans Tailwind, so I am looking for something that will work on her seat. JOEL135 the URL you posted may be just the thing. Thank you.

joelw135

The great thing about the Smartube system, is the varity of bottle adapters they sell. There is one for every type of bottle made. The Polor bottle I use I made the cover adapter myself in about ten minutes.

jeff-o

It's not quite as simple as cutting a few holes and feeding in a tube. The SmarTube has two one-way valves that prevent the liquid from flowing back into the bottle, and from leaking out of the end of the tube. For some people, just the water bottle is fine. Others need a 100oz camelbak. The SmarTube fills the space in between.

Zero_Enigma

Don't own a 'bent and coming from #commuting forum. I like the water bottle setup. I've tried the bladder before and while it's nice for shaping and moulding around inside the bag to all the tight spaces tho I find it also rather a hassle on the upkeep. I mean cleaning it was a hassle for me. I somehow lost my bladder in the house ( ) so I've been going on bottles and liking it.

I find bottles are easier to clean then a bladder so if I'm riding or walking around I can just (I hope that lid will work with 500mL - 2L bottles) sip and go without opening up the bag to take out the water bottle. I get the odd stares from time to time on the subways when I had my bladder.


Zero_Enigma

jeff-o

The SmarrTube also comes with two different caps for the most popular narrow-mouth plastic bottle sizes...

karterjimm

Isn't this wonderful? You ask a simple question and it develops into a major decision! Bladders? Smart tubes? Build my own? Stop and drink? All this data is putting my brain 'puter into overload. I have used a bladder and I thought that it would be a bit more convenient using regular bottles and just throwing them in the dishwasher for cleaning! I am inherently lazy after a ride! When I make a decision I'll contact Jeff-o for the different lids for the Smart Tubes to fit my bottles and maybe try bladder and bottles at the same time for a biased review!

Thanks everybody. You never can have too much data!

...................jim

Dchiefransom

The Rans seatbag should work.