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- Time Trial Tip - always carry a water bottle!
Time Trial Tip - always carry a water bottle!
- By David Heatley
- Published 05-Dec-08
- Time Trialing
-
Rating:




David Heatley
David Heatley is the director
of Cycling-Inform and co-creator of the RaceRight Cycling Camp. He has
medalled at national and regional events in
Drink fluids, Always Carry a Bottle (even if empty)
The top riders usually always carry a bottle and drink during a time
trial, this allows the body to stay hydrated and cool, and enables the
rider to be more comfortable and more focused. The bottle also acts to
improve aerodynamics of the seat and downtube on most frames, as tested by John Cobb.
|
Ave. Drag |
40 km |
112 mi |
|
| base bike, no bottles |
7.537 |
1:07:26 |
5:56:48 |
| down tube bottle only |
7.370 |
1:06:58 |
5:54:29 |
| seat tube bottle only |
7.433 |
1:07:09 |
5:55:22 |
| bottles on both tubes |
7.598 |
1:07:36 |
5:57:38 |
| Profile bottle only |
7.337 |
1:06:53 |
5:54:01 |
| Hydropac w/40oz. only |
7.556 |
1:07:29 |
5:57:01 |
| Never Reach only |
7.561 |
1:07:30 |
5:57:07 |
| behind-seat low bottles |
7.658 |
1:07:45 |
5:58:27 |
| behind-seat high bottles |
7.578 |
1:07:32 |
5:57:27 |
Source: http://www.socalttseries.com/Training/Top10SpeedTips/tabid/196/Default.aspx
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1 Response to "Time Trial Tip - always carry a water bottle!" 
|
said this on 09 Dec 2008 1:21:56 PM EST
Interesting that the "down tube bottle only" has more drag than the "seat tube bottle only". I guess that comes to the diameter of the bottle vs the angle of the bottle on the bottom tube. I would have thought the bottom tube would have more drag because it's at an angle to the direct of travel, much like the wings on an aeroplane, so the drag would tend to try and lift the rider, as opposed to rear spoliers like in cars that "push" the car down onto the road more and hence reduce friction and loss of power through being too light!
I wonder if the same amount of fluid could be dispensed from a narrower bottle and reduce the drag even further! But I am not sure it makes any difference to sprint riders though. |

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