Bottle cages for Vendetta

[Dave Arnold]

Hello everyone-- I'm a happy new owner of a 2015 Red Vendetta V20. Still practicing and getting used to riding a MBB/front wheel drive recumbent, but so far so good. Not going out in traffic yet!

I was having trouble getting a bottle cage on the top boom mount. All of the cages I tried cause the top of the bottle to hit my chest. I was just about to give up on putting a cage there when I found the Arundel Mandible. The Mandible has two sets of mounting holes allowing it to be mounted lower on the boom. This one doesn't hit my chest when using a standard bottle like the Camelback Podium.

Hold on to your helmets though--this cage has a MSRP of $69! But, it's carbon and beautiful. The cage is designed to hold the bottle tightly--very tightly, which could be a drawback.

Here's the link:

http://www.arundelbike.com/product/mandible/

None of my cages work on the carbon seat--I think the Cruz Bike recommended Zefal Spring is the only one that will work there, but I haven't tried it yet.

Happy riding.

Dave Arnold
Anacortes, WA

 

[BentAero]

Profile Design cages have high-low mounting holes as well. $8
Example: http://www.treefortbikes.com/product/333222338830/553/Profile-Design-Nylon-Kage.html
Many other cages are similar.

Any waterbottle cage will work under the seat; just use longer bolts and some spacers.

This is overkill, all you need is some lightweight spacers (such as nylon) about 15mm tall with a hole big enough to get the bolt through.

 

[LarryOz]

Just remember you give up some aero-advantage with the bottles under the seat! Probably at least 3 minutes per 100 miles!

 

[RojoRacing]

If you run a drink mix in your boom bottle the road bumps may agitate the mixture and the pressure will cause it to leak on you.

 

[super slim]

If the bottles were higher up the seat with the bottle bottom level with the seat bottom, then this should have no aero drag????

 

[trplay]

Just remember you give up some aero-advantage with the bottles under the seat! Probably at least 3 minutes per 100 miles!

Can someone please splain this to me? The water bottle position causes drag while the Scarab bag description on this site says this: Its placement does not distract from the aerodynamics". Just saying.

 

[LarryOz]

I think its just way better to drink everything you need for the ride before you head out. Then you just don't need any water bottles!

If the bottles were higher up the seat with the bottle bottom level with the seat bottom

Maybe it's just me, but I have terrible difficulty in removing and put the bottles back when they are so high up on the back of the seat.

 

[LarryOz]

My comment about loosing 3 minutes in 100 miles was mostly a joke; being that unless you are in "major" TT mode trying for the absolute best time, it probably doesn't matter.
I rode with them way at the bottom all year and just took them off for my record attempt. I was still able to go quite fast on a track with them in that aero drag location.

 

[jond]

My comment about loosing 3 minutes in 100 miles was mostly a joke; being that unless you are in "major" TT mode trying for the absolute best time, it probably doesn't matter.
I rode with them way at the bottom all year and just took them off for my record attempt. I was still able to go quite fast on a track with them in that aero drag location.[/QUOTE

you can fit some aero bottles under the seat too for minimising the drag. work on the bar too.

 

[ratz]

Can someone please splain this to me? The water bottle position causes drag while the Scarab bag description on this site says this: Its placement does not distract from the aerodynamics". Just saying.

Without actually taking the bait there I believe it mostly about laminar flow reattachment. Big long smooth surfaces good; like small jagged nooks and crannies are back. The bottom of the seat looks to have really good air flow along it's surface.

In seriousness I think moose pockets have the scarab bag beat ; and the scarab bag probably has side Painers beat; meanwhile my water bottles are cooler than all the rest If I win the lottery I'm renting time in a wind tunnel as a gift to the tribe.

 

[jond]

Without actually taking the bait there I believe it mostly about laminar flow reattachment. Big long smooth surfaces good; like small jagged nooks and crannies are back. The bottom of the seat looks to have really good air flow along it's surface.

In seriousness I think moose pockets have the scarab bag beat ; and the scarab bag probably has side Painers beat; meanwhile my water bottles are cooler than all the rest If I win the lottery I'm renting time in a wind tunnel as a gift to the tribe.

why rent when you can buy ratz

i reckon the cage bottles whilst making a difference and noting our speedy Larry's exhaustive scientific experiments are not much to worry about. i have read repeatedly that it goes body position on bike 40 watts and we are there already with the TT marvel of the vendetta position and with zero discomfort. then its aero wheels and helmet at 16-20 watts surprising me with the helmet for sure.

sure it all adds up. as long as the addition equals fun. soon i am going to try a 100mile time trial for fun self supporting. i have a brand new seat unused with zero attachments and that will be going on the bike for an incremental gain and so i can say to my wife "see i use it." then after christmas i will have a new aero helmet to try out. zoom zoom.

i hear that the colour purple is very fast and smiling increases speed too. lets have some fun. vendetta now fully re-assembled and ready for a test ride. yippeeee. lets ride.

 

[super slim]

If you add silver pinstripes it will go even faster!!!