Silvio Hydration and Mirror Solutions

[Doug Burton]

The Silvio is a very sleek package, and the bottle cages are perfectly positioned. To take advantage of this and still get a hands-free hydration solution, I used a Camelbak "BetterBottle" and the accessory "Hands-Free" adapter. Fits great and works a charm - I am adapting my tube director to work with it now.

I am also using a Zefal "Spy" mirror, which mounts well, but has poopy image quality.

Things are shaping up for next week..

 

[Mark B]

Doug said "poopy"! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I like the bottle setup. I had envisioned something like this, except with a "t" connecting two bottles. I'm a heavy drinker!

Bike looks good, Doug, except it's way too clean. I like the looks of that mirror, too bad it's "poopy".

Mark

 

[Doug Burton]

Mark B wrote: Doug said "poopy"! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I like the bottle setup. I had envisioned something like this, except with a "t" connecting two bottles. I'm a heavy drinker!

Bike looks good, Doug, except it's way too clean. I like the looks of that mirror, too bad it's "poopy".

Mark

Ahh yes, trying to clean up your language is not always a pretty thing...

The mirror is functional, it would just be better with a glass second-surface mirror like most bike mirrors, instead of the slightly-distorted metal surface it uses. A B&M Cyclestar would be a good alternative.

I second the heavy drinker thing - just can't figure out how to get the second bottle to supply fluid after the first one empties... The bottle cap and hose assembly are available separately to fit larger bottles, but I haven't found one that's taller without being wider.

Best,

 

[cycleguy]

This looks great! I am sure I don't drink enough since using my Silvio... not as convenient to do the "reach around". On my upright, I always used a Camelbak with the bite valve so I was drinking all the time..

Thanks for pointing this out..

Harold

 

[Hotdog]

Very neat and sleek hydration solution there Doug With one of those bottle cage mounted spare tube/tools/etc. containers (like these) in the other cage that'd be all you need for short-medium length rides.

I've been tweaking my own Cruzbike hydration solution recently too, I've made a few temporary mods to the FastBack Systems Double Century with a few safety pins so it sits higher and tucks in nicely behind the seat.

 

[Kamatu]

Kludgy but workable solution for double hydration reservoirs and single sip hose would be to cut and add in an elbow, T and two inline valves. Draw from one until empty, flip the valves (closing off empty and opening full) and keep drawing. A single three way splitter valve would be more elegant, but I'm not sure of how available one would be in the size tubing in your picture.

 

[cycleguy]

For switching between bottles, how about getting two hoses and bite valves, one for each, and when one is empty, use the other one...One over each shoulder... crazy but may work!

Harold

 

[MrSteve]

cycleguy wrote: For switching between bottles, how about getting two hoses and bite valves, one for each, and when one is empty, use the other one...One over each shoulder... crazy but may work!

Harold

The simplest solution is, most likely, the best solution.
Sounds good!

 

[rearengine]

How about brandy in one, water in the other, I'm from WI .

 

[Kamatu]

Beer!

 

[Robert Stewart]

For hydration, I am now using a 1 litre widemouthed lexan flask like this:

http://www.lifeventure.co.uk/htm/cookware/lexan-flasks.html

It *just* squeezes into one of the bottle holders on my radical designs rack bag, see here:

http://www.cruzbike.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=28&start=10

To turn this into a hands-free hydration solution, I added a smartube:

http://www.bluedesert.co.il/smart_tube.html

This comes with alternative sized caps to fit various bottle and flask designs:

http://www.bluedesert.co.il/smartube_caps.html

I am using the 63 mm one.

Cheers,
Rob