Water Bottle Mounts on Silvio 2

Rposar

Member
I recently upgraded from a Silvio 1.0 to a Silvio 2.0. In all the online pics I have seen of other Silvio 2.0 owners, I have not seen anyone mount water bottles on the backs if their seats, like on Silvio 1.0. Is the back if the seat still a good mounting option? Other suggestions? Thanks.
 

trplay

Zen MBB Master
This is what I have

This is what I have experienced. The Silvio seat is 6 inches wide. This is smaller than many of the seats you see with the bottle mounts on them (bacchetta seat is about 9 inches). The narrower seat makes the bottles hard to get to while rolling but it adds a lot to that sleek pretty Silvio look when you are not onthe bike. Some solutions: Remember those back pocket jerseys you stopped wearing? Dig them out of the attic because I find water bottles fit very well on both end pockets while riding. No mess, no fuss, you dont even notice them and they are easy to reach while riding. I haven't tried it but this will most likely work. It will position the bottles farther out and easier to reach at an aero cost. The elegant solution is here. Use one side for water and the other for storage. Saw one on a Baron and see no reason it wouldn't work on the Silvio. It was very nice. I'll probably go this route at some point.
 

rich.gertz

New Member
This is what I have for a single bottle.

image(86).jpg
image(85).jpg

My set up
 

trplay

Zen MBB Master
I stay away from the mount on

I stay away from the mount on the steering for two reasons. One it adds weight to an already heavy steering component. Two the bottom of the bottle is a big air brake. A plus of the Silvio is aero, why give some of that up unless you have to?
 

rich.gertz

New Member
The bottle is mounted up near

The bottle is mounted up near axis so the weight of the bottle has little if no moment added to the steering. If it was down near the end I would agree with you since there would be a longer arm and the weight would be felt. I've ridden with a bottle and without and can't tell any difference. Even pushing bike around by hand it's not felt.

Second my body is a heck of a lot bigger than the bottle So I doubt I'm adding much aero penalty there. For me it's nice and easy to reach and don't have to fumble and work to get my bottle out and back in the cage. I would like to add a second cage somewhere behind or underneath the seat just to hold a second bottle for longer rides that I would stop and swap out to the top position when it's empty.
 

BentBierz

Well-Known Member
I like the water bottle mount

I like the water bottle mount idea and may definitely consider this for shorter rides. For longer rides, I am trying to figure out what bag to use (that doesn't require a rack) so that I can carry a CamelBak or similar. I hate the expensive trial-and-error of this so I keep checking back here to see if anyone has come up with any sure-fired ways of doing this on a Silvio 2.0. I found this link which "seems" helpful: http://blog.nycrecumbentsupply.com/2013/08/bags-and-panniers-for-cruzbikes.html
 

BentBierz

Well-Known Member
BTW...I have seen a few posts

BTW...I have seen a few posts that talked about bag interference with caliper brakes but I am running discs so I seemingly wouldn't have that issue.
 

Charles.Plager

Recumbent Quant
Second my body is a heck of a

Second my body is a heck of a lot bigger than the bottle So I doubt I'm adding much aero penalty there.

For what it's worth:

Professional riders aren't allowed to have their water bottle on their handlebars because they were apparently trying to use them as fairings. It isn't obvious to me that putting the water there helps/hurts and to what magnitude.

In other words, I know enough about aerodynamics to know I don't know very much about aerodynamics. :D
 

trplay

Zen MBB Master
Yes they were using the

Yes they were using the bottle as a fairing and if you dig a little deeper you find the shape and orientation of the bottle was a whole lot different than the photo up above. The non aero drag producer as I see it is the flat bottom of the bottle is dead into the wind. Line of sight for glass and debris is also significantly impeded.
 

John Tolhurst

Zen MBB Master
Aerodynamics is hard to

Aerodynamics is hard to visualise (no kidding!). Anyway, what I take away from testing fairings is that if the body is too far distant behind it you have two negative air regions, one behind the fairing and one behind the person. But introducing turbulent air seems to make the airflow wrap further around and reduce the negative area behind.

PS
Dear Charles, every time my forum spell checker kindly requests a z in certain words, I mutter a few words of praise in your direction, something like 'oh God!'
tongue_smile.gif
 

rich.gertz

New Member
Water bottle holder

Trplay. Boy you really hate my bottle position. You must be a whole lot faster than me. I did a 41 mile hilly ride this morning that with the drag producing water bottle that over the last year I've averaged 15.9 mph. Today I left the bottle off and my average was 15.8 mph. Didn't notice any difference . Line of sight significantly impeded ? Doubt my view on the Silvio 1.5 with water bottle is any worse than the laid back feet high position of the Vendetta or Silvio 2.0.
 

trplay

Zen MBB Master
LOL I dont hate your water bottle position

I just misunderstood your original post. I thought you asked if the seat back is a good mounting option and if there were other options. I gave my opinion with three different options based on what I thought you asked for. Interestingly no one responded to any of them. Did you look at the ADEM and 70l bag links? I mentioned the line of sight later simply because it is an absolute fact for me. I originally had my little bitty Garmin in the center of the handlebar (where your bottle is) and moved it because it impedes my vision where it is needed for pacelining. Your wind breaker bottle position would block 6-8 feet of the road to my direct front. If it works for you its a great place to keep your water. Don't change it if it's working.
 

Rposar

Member
Thanks for all the suggestions!!

I think I am going to try Ivan suggestion of the mount behind the headrest and a modified version of Rich's suggestion. I am going to mount a second (strap on version) bottle on the bottom, as opposed to the top of the handle bar shaft. This way the second bottle will not obstruct my vision and it seems like I can mount my Wahoo RFLKT in the center of the handle bars and still access the bottle.
 

Jeremy S

Dude
I mounted a water bottle

I mounted a water bottle behind the Silvio 2.0 seat like Ivan, by drilling holes in the seat back. I can reach back and feel the bottle there, but I can't take it out to drink.

Before long I'm planning to try mounting another cage to the boom where I can reach it. I'm apprehensive about adding weight to the front end of the bike, but like Rich said it should be near the steering pivot so the effect should be minimal. I hadn't thought about an effect on visibility, I'll have to see what happens. Another issue is that it may cover the silver Cruzbike badge (!) which some of you seem to have left off your Silvio booms anyway.

Another option I considered is under the seat pan. I'm pretty sure I could reach a bottle there, but I really don't enjoy drilling holes in the seat.
 

Tuloose

Guru
I have a water bottle mounted

I have a water bottle mounted on the steering boom, aerodynamics be damned!
It's easy to get at while riding.
When summer comes I will probably go back to a water bag & tubing w/bite valve in my Brain Box style bag that hangs on my head rest.
Jeremy's suggestion of mounting water bottle holders under the seat is a good one.
My Lightning P-38 has mounts under the seat and they are fairly easy to get at while riding.
 

iow

Active Member
another behind the headrest

another behind the headrest mount for me - using a topeak cage mount.
 
i know this sounds lame, but

i know this sounds lame, but a fanny pack works great. it's super convenient, you can hold water, food, cell phone, wallet, etc. all in a way that is always accessible on AND off the bike. An unexpected benefit I've found is that I am FASTER when I put stuff on my belly. When I ride with a 'backpack' on my belly I am noticeably faster. I think that filling the void that would normally be left between my thighs and chest is good for aerodynamics. So keep the fanny pack in mind. It's cheap and multipurpose. You can use it for hiking or anything else you want, too!
 

BentBierz

Well-Known Member
Although I like the idea of

Although I like the idea of having a water bottle cage mounted on the back like the picture iow posted, this is the spot where I expect to have a tail light and possibly a commuter bag of some type so I'll have to find a different area on my bike...seems kind of frustrating having to work out something as simple as how to carry water.
 
Top