Losing waterbottles....

[BikeGary]

Hi,
I have the behind the seat headrest dual water bottle holder with two Zefal plastic cages (like the and on my last two rides I lost a 1/2 full water bottle. Never heard it go. I suspect it was on some bump in the night and since I'm riding alone there was no one behind me to say "hey!"

Anyone else found a solution to this? I can barely pull one out when I am riding, so I don't mind if the cage sticks enough for me until I stop. But I'd rather like to stop littering bottles along my route.

 

[Ross Jantz]

Yeah - lost two bottles before I found a cage that works. They're really tight, but the bottles don't pop out. Look on Amazon for "Think Top Lightweight Full Carbon Fiber Bike Light Drink Bottle Cage Holder Brackets."
I've recently stopped using the mount as I've also broken two of the mounting bolts (just snapped off at the mount). Its fine on nice roads, but the single bolt carrying all the weight of two full, large size bottles plus my Fly6 camera just can't cut it over some of the serious washboards that pass for roads here. Both times the holder unit landed on top of the rear rack bag so I was able to save them, but for now I'm just going with hydration pack mounted behind the seat of my S40.

I'd have posted the link to the cages on Amazon, but the forum won't let me.​

 

[BikeGary]

Yeah - lost two bottles before I found a cage that works. They're really tight, but the bottles don't pop out. Look on Amazon for "Think Top Lightweight Full Carbon Fiber Bike Light Drink Bottle Cage Holder Brackets."
I've recently stopped using the mount as I've also broken two of the mounting bolts (just snapped off at the mount). Its fine on nice roads, but the single bolt carrying all the weight of two full, large size bottles plus my Fly6 camera just can't cut it over some of the serious washboards that pass for roads here. Both times the holder unit landed on top of the rear rack bag so I was able to save them, but for now I'm just going with hydration pack mounted behind the seat of my S40.

I'd have posted the link to the cages on Amazon, but the forum won't let me.​

Thanks for the warning about the mounting bolt! I'll put a zip tie on the rig so it stays with the bike if it breaks!

 

[Black Hawk Down]

I wound up using Velcro straps to hold the bottles in place. I tend not to drink while driving anyway.

 

[BikeGary]

Good idea! I picked up a pants strap velcro strap. That should hold it in place.

 

[BikeGary]

I bought nice wide two Jandd Velcro straps from my LBS looks like they will do the trick. I was able to thread them behind the water bottle cages so that they will stay in place when the bottle is removed. And they are stiff enough to allow the water bottle to slide in and out. I doubt I can put a bottle back in while riding but at least I'll still have the bottles with me.

 

[Pollock]

I have been trying to find a hydration solution I like on my S40. Over the years of riding different recumbents, I have used both bottles and water bladders. I am going to try and fit a bladder to the seat as I think that will be easier for awhile. It does mean I need to make sure to wash the bladder well if I mix something other than H2O in it.

The benefit is hopefully no loss of bottles while riding.

 

[cranky cyclist]

Topeak has a water bottle holder that is adjustable. I use it on my Silvio and it works great when i remember to tighten it. Have not had to tighten it once I found the right resistance.

 

[paco1961]

Elsewhere on this forum I’ve documented my very successful S40 under seat bottle/cage set up. Have not lost a bottle in 3000 mi with that arrangement. But as pointed out there, it is not a good solution for wet or grimey roads. The slider cage mount is too far forward to be useful - I’m 6’1” and 190 lbs so don’t carry a paunch- so needed an arrangement that would limit getting poked in the gut. Now have my cage w top hole secured to the back mounting boss and the bottom of the cage zip tied around the slider. I use Nashbar short bottles - 500 or 600ml, can’t remember - and it works prtfectly. Nozzle does not stick out beyond the handle bar, completely secure and easy to reach for a drink at Speed. When I drain that one I switch it out for a spare from under the seat. No Velcro needed.

 

[Ross Jantz]

I have been trying to find a hydration solution I like on my S40. Over the years of riding different recumbents, I have used both bottles and water bladders. I am going to try and fit a bladder to the seat as I think that will be easier for awhile. It does mean I need to make sure to wash the bladder well if I mix something other than H2O in it.

The benefit is hopefully no loss of bottles while riding.

As far as I have been able to find, there are no standard hydration bladders that fit neatly behind the s40 seat. I've run a TerraCycle pack with a 3L Camelback bladder attached to the headrest frame and with the two bottom attachment points fixed to the lower water bottle cage mounting holes on the seat. Works fine, but I've always wanted something tucked in a bit better. Although it seems like there should be more, there is surprisingly little room back there when you actually measure things. I just finished a prototype pack that fits tight against the back of the seat and holds two Platypus Hoser 1L hydration bladders (one on each side). It looks very much like a tiny pair of pants. It mounts to the bottom cage mounts on each side of the seat and to the two holes at the top of the seat (don't know why they're there, but they were convenient and I didn't have to drill them!) There are three Velcro tabs on each side that pull the pack tight to the edge of the seat (with reflective tape 'cus, why not?) and a connection at the bottom to hold the two "legs" together under the point where they split around the seat stays. The bladder "pockets" have a 1" bellows pleat built in so they can open up to fit the bladder in, compressions straps to hold it all tight against the back of the seat and adjustable 1/8" bungee cord to even out compression across the width of the pack (and holding random stuff). The bit where the compression strap is attached at the bottom also make a pocket to hold the bite valve. (I'm going to say that was a purposeful design decision rather than happy accident - that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Even when full, the pack doesn't extend beyond a line from the outside rim of the seat across the top of the frame rail. I might make a few more modifications after testing this on the bike for a while, but this is pretty close to what was in my head.

Can't upload pics at the moment, but I've posted pics on my Facebook page here: /ross.jantz.35/posts/2386271991603350
(Ok, the forum won't let me post a full URL, either. So just copy, paste into the address bar and add the prerequisite "facebook" stuff to the beginning)

 

[Pollock]

That looks nice and snug!

 

[Mathew Fy]

As far as I have been able to find, there are no standard hydration bladders that fit neatly behind the s40 seat. I've run a TerraCycle pack with a 3L Camelback bladder attached to the headrest frame and with the two bottom attachment points fixed to the lower water bottle cage mounting holes on the seat. Works fine, but I've always wanted something tucked in a bit better. Although it seems like there should be more, there is surprisingly little room back there when you actually measure things. I just finished a prototype pack that fits tight against the back of the seat and holds two Platypus Hoser 1L hydration bladders (one on each side). It looks very much like a tiny pair of pants. It mounts to the bottom cage mounts on each side of the seat and to the two holes at the top of the seat (don't know why they're there, but they were convenient and I didn't have to drill them!) There are three Velcro tabs on each side that pull the pack tight to the edge of the seat (with reflective tape 'cus, why not?) and a connection at the bottom to hold the two "legs" together under the point where they split around the seat stays. The bladder "pockets" have a 1" bellows pleat built in so they can open up to fit the bladder in, compressions straps to hold it all tight against the back of the seat and adjustable 1/8" bungee cord to even out compression across the width of the pack (and holding random stuff). The bit where the compression strap is attached at the bottom also make a pocket to hold the bite valve. (I'm going to say that was a purposeful design decision rather than happy accident - that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Even when full, the pack doesn't extend beyond a line from the outside rim of the seat across the top of the frame rail. I might make a few more modifications after testing this on the bike for a while, but this is pretty close to what was in my head.

Can't upload pics at the moment, but I've posted pics on my Facebook page here: /ross.jantz.35/posts/2386271991603350
(Ok, the forum won't let me post a full URL, either. So just copy, paste into the address bar and add the prerequisite "facebook" stuff to the beginning)

That looks like an excellent location for water bladders, tucked in the slipstream, with good weight distribution. I would “T” the two hoses together if possible. Is it easy to access the bladders for quick refill?

 

[Ross Jantz]

That looks like an excellent location for water bladders, tucked in the slipstream, with good weight distribution. I would “T” the two hoses together if possible. Is it easy to access the bladders for quick refill?

I probably will tee them together at some point. I originally thought I'd use one for water & the other for sports drink, but it's way cleaner to keep them just water. I may get a couple of the quick disconnects so I can go back & forth if I want.

Unclick the compression strap buckle, untuck the cover, pull out the bladder. Easy when it's empty! To put either one in when they're full I also need to unhook the top two velcro side straps & loosen the cord lock on the bungee on that side. Its not going to win any pit stop challenge, but its acceptable for a first road-worthy prototype. There are a couple of minor changes that I think will ease that a bit but there's a always going to be some degree of design compromise between ease of bladder change & fitting tight to the space.

If I add the quick-disconnects the bladders can be filled in place using a spare bladder with matching connector. I've done that with other bladders & it's a lot faster and easier than wrangling a big water balloon into a bag!

 

[Ross Jantz]

That looks like an excellent location for water bladders, tucked in the slipstream, with good weight distribution. I would “T” the two hoses together if possible. Is it easy to access the bladders for quick refill?

Update on testing: I made a minor modification to the bag (didn't even have to take it off the bike) and now the bladders are easily pushed down into the bag. It doesn't seem to take any more time than other pack/bladder combinations I've used and is faster than some because there's no side zipper to contend with. It'll never beat handing a bottle off to a rider as they go by, but its as fast as any other bladder change.

I tee'd the two bladders together and that works great. It also occurred to me that the tee didn't care which direction it was facing so I flipped it over and routed the drinking tube down instead of up over my shoulder. Made a small pocket for to fit the bite valve into when not in use mounted under the seat at the front. So now I just bring the tube up when I want a drink & put it back into the pocket when I'm dine - no more clipping the tube to my jersey (which I've always found a bit annoying)!

I put quick disconnects on both bladder tubes and another on the drinking tube, as well as a shut-off valve (keeps water from draining out of the tube when changing bladders). So I can either take the bags out and refill them or I can connect an old spare bladder to the disconnect and fill both bags at the same time without removing them from the pack.

I'd post pictures, but that's still not working (although I see a number of other people are having the same problem while, strangely, others are able to post fine).