I just bought one of these things... at $45, I hope my results are better than yours... we'll see if the stars ever align so I can actually ride my bike again...

If you want style points, there is really only one answer.


https://www.ahearnecycles.com/flask/

Tri geek.


( Don't say you won't warned)

Very funny, but those people are STUPID.

I can't swim but I am prepared for the stigma that comes with such equipment. Truth is, I bought it b/c I am too cheap to pay for nice bottle cages and too vain to use cheapi aluminum cages on my bike

I thought about those, but there's no room left on the bars with my big squeeze-bulb horn and pinwheel there.

Vain? I'd rather rock alum cages than a "butt rocket" any day. One is "old school" and the other is fredtacular. If you need more H2O maybe you should get bigger bottles. For really long rides, I use two large podium bottles (25oz) with a 3rd small bottle in my back pocket.

And when that's not enough?

What? You don't ride far enough and hard enough in places where it's hard to refill your water bottles to need more than two and a half bottles?

I have one of those and never launched any bottles. I've gone over railroad tracks and various other bumps thinking it may launch them but they are still there.

no.

I can usually do 60 fast miles in hot weather with that. Pretty hard for me to go that far without passing a spot or two to fill up since I sensibly plan my routes to include water stops. Riding decked out like a water truck smacks of poor planning in my book.

I had some cheap Nashbar bottles come out.
Regular size 24 oz and Polar bottles have stayed in even with the rubber band gone.

I plan to ride some mountain passes this summer. Pretty remote places at times. It would be poor planning to NOT have extra water in the mountains.

me too

One difference is that I'm using the seat-rail-mount version. I contacted PD customer service and asked about use of the seat-tube version with carbon seatposts - their reply "it can be done but I would recommend the rail-mount version".
The rail-mount version gives an even longer spring arm consisting of the seat stays, seat post, saddle rails and rail mount arm.

Then again, you're from MA, where it's hard not to run into a town every few miles, and it's not really hot. There are other parts of the country where heat and/or distance between towns are both much greater.
The only possible stores on my routes are on highways that I avoid and are not comfortable places for spandex-clad cyclists. I'd rather carry my own supplies and avoid the highways and the stores.

And you have your cages mounted on the hanger as high up as they will go.

There should be another set of holes in the cages that will allow you to lower the cages on the hanger about an 1" or so. That might be the difference - my cages have always been in the lower position and I've never lost a bottle.

Also FWIW I prefer not having to stop at all until I start getting over 70-80 miles.

I don't need nor want the rest stop. It's pretty much impossible for me to go that far in 90-plus-degree heat with only 2 water bottles and no stopping for refills.