Well shoot. Dylan spills some of my best gravel aero secrets

[nockee]

I found it interesting and helpful to see that using the USWe pack was potentially faster than not. For very long rides having a hydration pack on your back is ideal. Knowing that its not slowing you down makes it an easy decision to use these.

[teddygram]

so my question that I am stuck with now… for a 2hr max effort to I run my USWe and remove the bottles from my bike or do I just run bigger bottles.

This is a round tube aluminum bike we are talking about here.

Whats opinions?

Edit - Lets assume position is good and the use of an aero road helmet

[teddygram]

@Brennus

Anyhow, some of the things that Dylan mentions have outsized advantage at higher yaw angles. Some of them have moderate advantages at higher yaw angles and slight disadvantage at low yaw angles. So yaw is a big part of this story that Dylan decided not to tell you. For most, that’s nuance that doesn’t really matter…but it can really make a difference.

I think just as you have said, hes not telling us. If you watch at 12:50-12:55 on the video you will see where they are swinging/moving the platform for different yaw readings.

[grwoolf]

@nockee

I found it interesting and helpful to see that using the USWe pack was potentially faster than not. For very long rides having a hydration pack on your back is ideal. Knowing that its not slowing you down makes it an easy decision to use these.

I ride my uswe pack on most road group rides during the summer. I catch a lot of grief, but it’s good training for my long endurance events (ie - train the way you race). Yeah, it looks goofy, but I always took some pride hanging with the fast guys despite the weight/aero penalty. I guess I can’t use the aero handicap excuse anymore.

[CyclingPhotog]

I took notes.

Yes. I will have a water bottle in the back center pocket from now on. Empty even.

Crazy numbers.

[Stevie_Dee]

I can’t imagine ripping an off-road downhill section with a full liter bottle in my back pocket. That’ll bounce out faster than I can blink an eye. In fact, even on a road ride, I think the weight of a full bottle would be pretty awkward. I have been riding with slim fitting comeback and have two big bottles in the cages so I’ve got that going for me.

[KorbenDallas]

I’ve had a USWE Outlander 2L for a couple years now. Highly recommend USWE as the fit is wicked comfortable and the pack just feels like a part of you when riding. Hard to describe. For $90 it’s a no brainer investment if you are in the market…

[BillyWaldman]

Stayed in my pocket for 203 kansas miles

[sasa]

I’ve had no problems with keeping a 750mL bottle in side or center pocket for on gravel for 80 and a 120 mile race (slim fit/race cut jersey). It does tend to speed up jerseys ripping around pockets, so be mindful of that.

[Power13]

1. I hate heavy things in my jersey pockets, so no way I am putting a full bottle there.

2. I hate riding with a bottle there anyway!

3. I’m not gonna sacrifice the cargo space, either.

[sasa]

All fair personal preferences.

[CincoGirl]

This reminds me a fair bit of a little section of Krabbe’s The Rider:

“If they’d forbidden Anquetil to put his bidon in his back pocket, he would never have won the Tour de France.”

[CaptainThunderpants]

@Power13

I had seen the results about the 1L bottle in your jersey pocket earlier today, but I am still blown away by that result.

Same here. Might be my new crit setup though. Free speed is free speed.

[Mikel]

Run it empty, lolz. Maybe a 2 liter can fit if you really squeeze it in…

[MI-XC]

@Stevie_Dee

I can’t imagine ripping an off-road downhill section with a full liter bottle in my back pocket. That’ll bounce out faster than I can blink an eye. In fact, even on a road ride, I think the weight of a full bottle would be pretty awkward.

I’ve raced many MTB races with 1-2 full water bottles in my back pockets, you’d be fine as long as you have a tight fitting jersey. I’ve only tried up to 24oz bottles, but I’m sure 1L bottles would work as well.

[huges84]

There’s a woman in my city that literally wears those and a tank top and hangs with the fastest group rides.

[DavidYYC]

Often if I’m doing a longer ride and am unsure on places to refill I’ve put a frozen 750ml bottle in my back pocket. Actually I’ve decided that the extra cooling can be great on hot days (like an extra fan riding inside). I completely forget it’s there for the most part, just if I get out of the saddle that I notice the weight shifting side to side a bit.

But never once figured I was actually getting an aero benefit from it, and never would’ve done it in a race before this.

[DXR]

I tried this but was left wondering why I bothered. It only holds 18oz and I was OK with a 26oz bottle back there. For some people it seems to solves some problems, though.

Amazon.com : Fix It Sticks BackBottle : Sports & Outdoors

I now just throw on a third bottle cage with a Wolf Tooth B-RAD base.

B-RAD Everywhere Base

[The_Conductor]

@MI-XC

I’ve raced many MTB races with 1-2 full water bottles in my back pockets, you’d be fine as long as you have a tight fitting jersey. I’ve only tried up to 24oz bottles, but I’m sure 1L bottles would work as well.

I’ve long been a center jersey pocket bottle guy. Usually 750 mL but I recently did a ride with a liter there and got used to it pretty quickly. I stuff my minipump next to it. For gravel, I mitigate the loss of storage by running a top tube pack (and a storage keg under the down tube).

What clip-on aero bars do people like to run on their gravel bikes?

[AussieRider]

@Stevie_Dee

In fact, even on a road ride, I think the weight of a full bottle would be pretty awkward

Won a fondo last year with a cycling bottle in the middle pocket and a 700ml disposable in the side pocket. Never stopped.