Because of this, we recommend that you use the Speedfil as a practice hydration system rather than for competition.

This is also another self-contained hydration system that is mounted on the front in a torpedo position. While not the flagship model, the FC System offers more than enough value, though it is a bit more expensive than most. Convenience DesignedRear – This is the original mounting position for bike fueling systems and is almost always a cage type of hydration system. This is mostly due to the fact that snaking a feeder tube along the entire length of the bike is not an efficient design. Still, this is one of the lightest hydration systems that we saw regardless of the mounting position. Taking these results into account, it would actually be much faster for Jess to carry two 500ml bottles on the bike, placing one between her arms and one behind the saddle, as this would only create a 1.9w (40kph) / 0.8w (30kph) total penalty, compared with behind the saddle for the 900ml bottle which was 2.5w (40kph and 1.1w (30kph) slower. When it comes to frame mounted aero water bottle, XLAB once again takes our top spot, though the competition is a bit more fierce.

It can also be mounted in a variety of arrangements, though this hydration does not come with a cage. Rear Hydration Systems Aero bottles are banned under UCI regulation since 2013. Bottles can only be located inside of the frame: on the down and seat tubes. The dimensions of the bottles are regulated: 4 to 10cm in cross-section and 400mL to 800mL in capacity. Integrated water bottles are also forbidden by the UCI.

Since the RZ2 has to compete with the XLAB, it might seem like it falls a bit short, but this is still an incredibly capable hydration system. A better location was the seat tube - only resulting in a 3.6w penalty at 40kph or 1.6w at 30kph (1min30sec over an IM bike leg). Remember, they will likely be using a fueling system as well, so it is more important that your hydration system feel as comfortable and natural as possible. While technically there are three primary mounts, the front mount actually has two different sub-mounts. For one, this hydration system can support up to 2 bottles but is just as effective and aerodynamic when supporting only one.

Still, the Torpedo Versa 200 makes room in an already crowded market by providing pretty much everything that the Torpedo Versa 500 does at a lower cost. Give and Take You may not think of SOTO as a bottle manucaturer, but as the famous saying goes, "they''re big in Japan". SOTO is one of the biggest outdoor brands in Japan and they manufacture all sorts of products there, not just the amazing stoves that we've had in the UK for the past few years now. So, as more of their products come across from asia we get to experience their exceptional design skills in the other areas in which they are succesful. The Speedfil might be a more budget-friendly option, but it still provides most of the features that you expect from a front mounted torpedo position hydration system. For most people, there is no point in buying an aero bottle. It only provides a marginal gain while making hydration more complicated. It can even prevent you from refilling. If you are a fast cyclist (25mph or 40km/h average speed) it can give the extra gain you need to cross the finish line first! Between the arms was 1.2w slower at 40kph and 0.5w at 30kph, but the fastest location was behind the saddle at 0.7w (40kph) and 0.3w (30kph) - 20sec over an IM bike leg.A 500ml round bottle is very common especially in triathlon events where you may get a bottle handup from an aid station. A smaller bottle like this can also be placed in multiple locations around the bike. In this test we found that the worst place to keep a 500ml round bottle was one of the more convenient: on the downtube! This cost 5.0w at 40kph, or 2.1w at 30kph. Over an Ironman bike leg at 5hr30min speed (32.7kph) this would be a 2min5sec penalty. Torpedo – The torpedo mount is actually just a modified front mounted hydration system and are always a contained system. In fact, the torpedo mount is how the first contained fueling systems were made with contained frame mounted hydration systems coming a bit later. For one, it has an aerodynamic design that reduces drag, though it is not quite as effective as XLABs or Profile Designs in this way. Still, the Speedfil A2 does allow for Garmin integration which definitely puts it in the “serious contender” market.