Need Hydraton help

I have the BTA X-Lab system that tri sports is selling. I thought it would be the cat's meow. I'm just not that impressed with it.

First of all, it's supposed to have a 26 oz. capacity. I can never get all 26 ounces out of it, though. The bite valve makes you sip when you drink, but it's also a little like a chore to get as much as I want, sometimes.

I think it looks cool and it's probably very aero..........at least more aero than the big Profile Design bottle I was using. I still wish there was something better. Oh....the adjustable Garmin mount took some serious tightening to get it to stay put. That part's OK. For sprints, it's fine. Even for an Oly, I didn't like it that much, though.

If the bite valve is too restricting, you could put a generic straw in and/or cut the bite valve.

I tried the zip-tie-a-regular-cage approchand found it more of a an annoyance while riding than a convenience. It always jiggled around, bottle would slide out a bit and id ha e to tuck it in, and never sat right...it's worth a try if you have some zip ties around but I would go for a more formal option with features like a computer mount. Way worth it IMO.

I used an XLab Torpedo for my IM and it worked great. Having your hydration right in front of you definitely helps to remember to drink more often. My only challenge was that the bottle did not want to stay put on bumps, railroad tracks, etc. I solved this by using a Road ID slim strap which I placed around the bottle and the cage. That sucker definitely stays put that way!

Hydration is a big deal for me, because where I live and train, you can't drink the tap water and there is nowhere to buy drinks in the place where I do my outdoor rides. So my bike is set up for maximum water capacity--cage on the down tube, Profile Design two-bottle torpedo mount in back, aerobottle in front. Plus I will sometimes carry another bottle in my jersey or a small pack to switch out for an empty. Seriously. That's what it takes to get through a 3-4-hour ride!

I've noticed that it really matters what bottles one puts into the torpedo mount. The taller Polar bottles have a tendency to eject. It helps to have a bottle with a bit shorter, wider configuration. (Plus it makes it easier to get off the bike in a race if the back bottles are shorter.) Races and bike tours in Asia tend to give away the shorter bottles, I think Polar or Camelback also has shorter, wider bottle that works well in the back.