Can confirm the Gorilla 🦍 bottle cage is worth every penny if you can get one Great video Harry! You seem to be in a great mood recently 🙌🏻 I have every faith you can turn this moment in to a great result in Swansea 👊🏻💪🏻 🏴
Your PH bottle is particularly vulnerable as it has a huge, heavy top section. If you use standard 750ml bottles in both positions, I think the best way is to secure the rear one with a (maybe more robust) band, drink first from the between-bars one, then switch over when empty. Obv only works if you don't need both bottles on the go at once.
I bought a 2nd hand felt and it had been round a few uk courses with the previous owner - the bottle cages had some stick velcro ( soft side ) on the inside, and he'd drilled two small holes in the tips of the claw of the cage, and put some elastic through and knotted to add extra grip onto the bottles, its been brilliant!
I use hair ties as they are thicker and less likely to break, I also make a tab on them from electrical tape so it’s easier to find the band and pull it over the bottle
I just tied the ribs of the bottle cage with hair ties. The cloth stitched around the rubber band let's the bottle slide in easily, then the hair tie pulls the ribs together. Makes for a secure fit of the bottle.
I did Staffs 70.3 this year. My gorilla cages behind the sadlle were fine, but I lost two bottles from a regular cage between the arms - now replaced with a gorilla cage. I also put velcro on my gel bottle/cage (elite cronos) after seeing Lionel Sanders do the same after losing his earlier this year.
Hi Harry. I am racing Swansea. I recc'd the course the other weekend. I share your views about the course. Very challenging to be diplomatic. Some interesting 'roads' and disturbingly on the descents too.
After having my bottle jumping out of my aerobar cage (using a very good quality BlackBurn bottle cage), I started using velcro. I put one vertical bar of velcro along the bottle cage and a horizontal bar of velcro on the bottle. Job done, impossible for it to come out
@@Harry-Palmer It's not as smooth as without the velcro but as long as you put one bar of it on the cage and on the bottle (initially, I thought about covering it with a lot more velcro) it can be taken out and put in without a worry. Putting in is almost the same to be fair, to pop it out you just need to put a little more emphasis, but almost unnoticeable. Give it a try if you feel like it!
While those are all good tips, the actual problem is that the inside of cage and the outside of a bottle are both slick. I use the exact same bottle cages. Rub that coarse sandpaper on the inside of your bottle cage. Then rub coarse sandpaper on the outside of your bottles. This will make both surfaces a little rough, which in turn allows the bottle cage to grab the bottle better. I do this on every new bottle that I get. I have never had a bottle rocket while doing this and have never lost a bottle.
What's wrong with the profile design bullet, an oldy but a goody, so long as you can refill it on the go 😎 The clip keeps it locked. Notch the base of the straw to prevent it sir locking.
Hi Harry, thank you very much for the heads up. Just a quick one, it’s my first 70.3, will the roads be clear in terms of which direction and road I should be on or do I need to scramble for a bike computer? Cheers
To make your bottle more secure and basically have it grip a lot more you can use a slightly strong elastic (raid your girlfriend’s stash?) around the bottle cage such that it pinches together a bit more
you think swansea is bad? wait til you see the Wales course! my recce the other day ended with a broken collarbone because of sand on a sharp corner. 3 days after the deferral deadline 🤪
I did a different event this past weekend and the same roads that the Swansea 70.3 will be on and they are so rubbish. Potholes and sand all over the roads.
First 8 to 10 miles of the roads in Stafford 70.3 are far worse imo.......the Gower bike will certainly test energy levels......Enjoy the views and good luck.
Ed Laverack also did a Swansea course preview as well - worth a view ruclips.net/video/oeOoA2D10s0/видео.html you have to skip to about 1:13 until he manages to sort the mic out 🙂
Skateboard grip trick is awesome! thanks
ive used double sided sticky velcro beofre, stick one side on bottom of bottle, other on bottom / lip of cage, just adds a bit more resistance
That’s a great idea
Can confirm the Gorilla 🦍 bottle cage is worth every penny if you can get one Great video Harry! You seem to be in a great mood recently 🙌🏻 I have every faith you can turn this moment in to a great result in Swansea 👊🏻💪🏻 🏴
Your PH bottle is particularly vulnerable as it has a huge, heavy top section. If you use standard 750ml bottles in both positions, I think the best way is to secure the rear one with a (maybe more robust) band, drink first from the between-bars one, then switch over when empty. Obv only works if you don't need both bottles on the go at once.
I bought a 2nd hand felt and it had been round a few uk courses with the previous owner - the bottle cages had some stick velcro ( soft side ) on the inside, and he'd drilled two small holes in the tips of the claw of the cage, and put some elastic through and knotted to add extra grip onto the bottles, its been brilliant!
Another option is a metal bottle cages. much cheaper, slightly heavier but you can bend them in to get a tight fit as required.
I use hair ties as they are thicker and less likely to break, I also make a tab on them from electrical
tape so it’s easier to find the band and pull it over the bottle
Adding some bar tape to the inside of cages helps quite a bit! And doesn’t ruin bottles either!
I'd imagine one of those cooler wraps people put around their can of beer to keep it cold would help as when as keeps drink cold
I just tied the ribs of the bottle cage with hair ties. The cloth stitched around the rubber band let's the bottle slide in easily, then the hair tie pulls the ribs together. Makes for a secure fit of the bottle.
I did Staffs 70.3 this year. My gorilla cages behind the sadlle were fine, but I lost two bottles from a regular cage between the arms - now replaced with a gorilla cage. I also put velcro on my gel bottle/cage (elite cronos) after seeing Lionel Sanders do the same after losing his earlier this year.
Hi Harry. I am racing Swansea. I recc'd the course the other weekend. I share your views about the course. Very challenging to be diplomatic. Some interesting 'roads' and disturbingly on the descents too.
Good luck for the race man! When done drinking those, do you throw those bottles away at water stations to put gatorade bottles in your bottle cages?
After having my bottle jumping out of my aerobar cage (using a very good quality BlackBurn bottle cage), I started using velcro. I put one vertical bar of velcro along the bottle cage and a horizontal bar of velcro on the bottle. Job done, impossible for it to come out
That is a beast of an idea, what’s it like trying to get that bottle out to drink?
@@Harry-Palmer It's not as smooth as without the velcro but as long as you put one bar of it on the cage and on the bottle (initially, I thought about covering it with a lot more velcro) it can be taken out and put in without a worry. Putting in is almost the same to be fair, to pop it out you just need to put a little more emphasis, but almost unnoticeable. Give it a try if you feel like it!
I used a thin cable tie to add a bit more tension to the bottle cage, that keeps the bottle snug.
Bottle Rocket got me! 🤣🙈
While those are all good tips, the actual problem is that the inside of cage and the outside of a bottle are both slick. I use the exact same bottle cages. Rub that coarse sandpaper on the inside of your bottle cage. Then rub coarse sandpaper on the outside of your bottles. This will make both surfaces a little rough, which in turn allows the bottle cage to grab the bottle better. I do this on every new bottle that I get. I have never had a bottle rocket while doing this and have never lost a bottle.
Awesome tips there! Makes a lot of sense and not something I’ve done but might give that a go 👍🏻
You should try the Gorilla XT cage, it got much more grip. It has been the end of bottle rockets for me :)
What are your thoughts on littering the course with snapped elastic bands?
Good tips Harry!
Thanks mate
Would getting some grippy gloves and taping that to the cage or bottle be an option, or would it make the fit too snug?
Which bottle cage holder are you using? Is it proprietary Argon18 or an aftermarket purchase?
There is a really good RUclips video from Ed Laverack analysing the whole bike course. He’s a local.
What's wrong with the profile design bullet, an oldy but a goody, so long as you can refill it on the go 😎 The clip keeps it locked. Notch the base of the straw to prevent it sir locking.
Hi Harry, thank you very much for the heads up. Just a quick one, it’s my first 70.3, will the roads be clear in terms of which direction and road I should be on or do I need to scramble for a bike computer?
Cheers
It’ll be very clear mate. There will be signs everywhere and a marshal at most junctions and roundabouts.
@@slaughter950 Awesome, thanks mate.
To make your bottle more secure and basically have it grip a lot more you can use a slightly strong elastic (raid your girlfriend’s stash?) around the bottle cage such that it pinches together a bit more
great tipps!
Uh oh lost my bottle 5km in at challenge Wales, would you say these roads are even worse?? 😬
Ahhh no sorry to hear that Gabe. Uhhhh they are very similar mate
@@Harry-Palmer we love Welsh races😂
@@gabedellar588 don’t know why we do it 😂
you think swansea is bad? wait til you see the Wales course! my recce the other day ended with a broken collarbone because of sand on a sharp corner. 3 days after the deferral deadline 🤪
I did a different event this past weekend and the same roads that the Swansea 70.3 will be on and they are so rubbish. Potholes and sand all over the roads.
is there a start list for the pros racing swansea?
Let the innuendo's begin...
First 8 to 10 miles of the roads in Stafford 70.3 are far worse imo.......the Gower bike will certainly test energy levels......Enjoy the views and good luck.
How many times did you say bottle?😂
Bottle
Ed Laverack also did a Swansea course preview as well - worth a view ruclips.net/video/oeOoA2D10s0/видео.html you have to skip to about 1:13 until he manages to sort the mic out 🙂
You don't want to put anyone off ? I've already decided not to sign up for this race in 2023 😅