Gear Review: Profile Design Aerodrink
At many races that I attended recently (and in Triathlon magazines), I kept seeing people with drink bottles on their aerobars. The straws from these bottles came right almost to their faces. I thought it was rather funny. I used to call them "lazy bottles" because I kept thinking: "wow, you can't even bend over for your bottle." Either these people were so intense that the micro movement of reaching for a bottle would take off a precious millisecond, or they were completely lazy. But I became curious and bought the Profile Design Aerodrink to "tri".
Profile Design is a monolithic company in accessories, especially aerobars and the likes. Most of the aerobars and non-moveable parts on triathlon bikes are made by Profile Design. They have a wide model line up. My cockpit setup is completely by Profile Design. I would venture to say the Aerodrink and its different variants from PD are the top selling hydration system for aerobars out there. I don't have the data but I can base this off of a Google search and my observations. That wouldn't get me too far in the peer-reviewed journals but for my blog, I think it's ok.
The first thing I noticed was the price. It is relatively cheep with the bottle costing around $20 (Parvilla had it for the cheapest I've found around) and the mounting bracket for $10-$12. It is substantially larger than a water bottle so it can last for longer distance rides without having to be refilled frequently. I figured that for this price point, there was no reason not to try it out.
Right off the bat, Profile Design needs to either take a lesson from Ikea or from Apple. Their instructions are neither easy pictographs (IKEA) or super detailed step-by-step (Apple). The instructions were so confusing that I eventually just threw them away and Googled for a YouTube video. I found one and it made complete sense. The installation includes attaching Velcro patches to the bracket and the bars, securing with a variety of Velcro straps, and locking in place with two odd black rubber bands. I think this needs an engineer to work on this as it is complicated and cumbersome to put together. Plus, it really isn't that secure. This is especially true if you don't have straight aerobars.
But how did it perform? Let me say that I love the concept. As much as I made fun of it before, having the water right in front of me and not having to switch out of aero position makes a huge difference. It isn't about milliseconds or position; it is about being able to keep the darn bike straight and not have to reach below. The tri position really is different that the road position and that is where things like the Aerodrink come in handy. I do keep a bottle with power drink (Gatorade or PowerBar Perform) on the bike for when I come to a stop or need some extra electrolytes.
The Aerodrink itself did not meet the conceptual needs. It perpetually became crooked on the bike. It sloshed water out of the top. It is frustrating to put on. And I really don't like the yellow mesh sponge included in the package. Don't get me wrong, it works; that is to say it's functional. Despite all of the above, perhaps the biggest let down was that it is in no way insulated. Water becomes warm in the heat after less than 10 miles. That is really frustrating if you are on a long ride and don't have the luxury of refills. There are some positives. The straw is semi-adjustable and sits at a good height. It also is very easy to refill through the black cap. It also is not in the way. Even if it became crooked, it didn't affect my arm position or my ability to switch from aero to base bars with no problems.
If I had unlimited funds, I'd probably check out some other products on the market. But I unfortunately have very limited funds. I will probably stick with the PD Aerodrink for the rest of this season. For the relatively low price, I would say that it is worth it for those who want to try this or test the product for themselves. But if you have the extra money and intend on really using this hydration system, maybe wait for something different. PD does have some other models and there are a few others out there on the market.
Profile Design is a monolithic company in accessories, especially aerobars and the likes. Most of the aerobars and non-moveable parts on triathlon bikes are made by Profile Design. They have a wide model line up. My cockpit setup is completely by Profile Design. I would venture to say the Aerodrink and its different variants from PD are the top selling hydration system for aerobars out there. I don't have the data but I can base this off of a Google search and my observations. That wouldn't get me too far in the peer-reviewed journals but for my blog, I think it's ok.
The first thing I noticed was the price. It is relatively cheep with the bottle costing around $20 (Parvilla had it for the cheapest I've found around) and the mounting bracket for $10-$12. It is substantially larger than a water bottle so it can last for longer distance rides without having to be refilled frequently. I figured that for this price point, there was no reason not to try it out.
Right off the bat, Profile Design needs to either take a lesson from Ikea or from Apple. Their instructions are neither easy pictographs (IKEA) or super detailed step-by-step (Apple). The instructions were so confusing that I eventually just threw them away and Googled for a YouTube video. I found one and it made complete sense. The installation includes attaching Velcro patches to the bracket and the bars, securing with a variety of Velcro straps, and locking in place with two odd black rubber bands. I think this needs an engineer to work on this as it is complicated and cumbersome to put together. Plus, it really isn't that secure. This is especially true if you don't have straight aerobars.
But how did it perform? Let me say that I love the concept. As much as I made fun of it before, having the water right in front of me and not having to switch out of aero position makes a huge difference. It isn't about milliseconds or position; it is about being able to keep the darn bike straight and not have to reach below. The tri position really is different that the road position and that is where things like the Aerodrink come in handy. I do keep a bottle with power drink (Gatorade or PowerBar Perform) on the bike for when I come to a stop or need some extra electrolytes.
The Aerodrink itself did not meet the conceptual needs. It perpetually became crooked on the bike. It sloshed water out of the top. It is frustrating to put on. And I really don't like the yellow mesh sponge included in the package. Don't get me wrong, it works; that is to say it's functional. Despite all of the above, perhaps the biggest let down was that it is in no way insulated. Water becomes warm in the heat after less than 10 miles. That is really frustrating if you are on a long ride and don't have the luxury of refills. There are some positives. The straw is semi-adjustable and sits at a good height. It also is very easy to refill through the black cap. It also is not in the way. Even if it became crooked, it didn't affect my arm position or my ability to switch from aero to base bars with no problems.
If I had unlimited funds, I'd probably check out some other products on the market. But I unfortunately have very limited funds. I will probably stick with the PD Aerodrink for the rest of this season. For the relatively low price, I would say that it is worth it for those who want to try this or test the product for themselves. But if you have the extra money and intend on really using this hydration system, maybe wait for something different. PD does have some other models and there are a few others out there on the market.
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