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Salomon SpeedCross–Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:34:15 +0000

Duration: 8 months
Usage: Trail Running and occasionally on pavement…although I wouldn’t
Price Paid: $110
Comments:
Lacing system is awesome, it has a draw string that you simply pull and tuck into the tongue and it tightens down properly across the top of the foot. Comfortable when wearing thinner socks. When wearing my injinji socks it was sustainable for a recent 21 mile trail run with multiple stream crossings. Soles are a gummy sort of rubber with “hooks” that dig into softer dirt and surfaces…I like! The show is not intended for running on pavement because from my experience it wears too quickly. Some weeks I am running 20 miles, some 60…it depends upon training. I would state that rotating them into your schedule will prolong the life, as with and shoe.
there are some comments on the web about the lacing breaking…this has not been a problem for me.
Negative: there are not a lot of local retailers that carry this brand…so I had to gamble and purchase them on the internet. My first shot at it yielded a pair that I had to return because I purchased my typical size 9 and the toe box was too tight. Possible suggestion is that the shoe be purchase a size larger…or perhaps my toes are just gaining weight.

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RUEZ Performance Underwear Review-Slightly NSFW

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:12:30 +0000

Ok folks, this might be one of the more unique reviews we’ve ever done. Today we’re going to take a look at the RUEZ Performance Underwear. These unique underwear provide a ‘performance pouch’ to store your “man parts” during exercise.

We received two samples, one boxer and one brief. We have tested these underwear in the pool and during runs.

Overview of RUEZ Performance Underwear:

RUEZ is the produce of years of development and fitting to solve the problem of certain body parts sticking to other body parts during athletic training and competition. Actually, let’s dispense with the silly allusions to body parts: these underwear are designed to keep your penis and balls from sticking to your legs when you’re running or swimming.

The underwear are available in boxers or briefs and both versions feature a personal pocket to hold your ID or your key.

Testing RUEZ Performance Underwear:

We tested these underwear during short to medium distance runs and also in the pool.

During the runs, we noticed that the underwear performed as designed, providing a physical separation between our body and our wedding tackle. Of course, the weather is quite nice for running this time of the year, so excessive sweating and stickyness isn’t a huge problem, but it’s clear that these underwear provide a nice solution to the problem.

We did notice that occasionally the seams in the boxers can cause a little discomfort on longer runs. We noticed this most on the first run with these and in successive runs the seams were not a problem, but some people that are susceptible to chafing might want to look at the briefs versus the boxers. At the end of the day, these underwear performed quite well and did exactly what they advertised, that is, kept a physical separation between our body parts.

We tested the boxers a few times in the pool. This did require that we wore a different pair of swim trunks that we weren’t used to, so that threw us off a little. But, as with the run, the underwear performed as designed. They stayed in place and maintained a separation between our parts and the rest of the body. Even during long swims and hard swims, the boys stayed in the pouch and didn’t stick to our legs.

Finally, the personal pocket also worked reasonably well. We only tested it in our runs. We carried a standard drivers license and also a single key. Both stayed in place and didn’t cause discomfort or rubbing.

RUEZ Underwear Final Thoughts:

We believe the RUEZ underwear are a elegant and simple solution to a common problem. Unlike sprays and other topical solutions, the underwear provide a physical separation for your penis and scrotum. Unlike these other options, the RUEZ underwear won’t wear off after time. The pouch is comfortable and doesn’t pull or stretch your man-parts, so there is almost no sensation to using these underwear.

Once the weather warms up here, we’ll provide an update on performance in high heat and humidity, but we expect our final thoughts to be similar. The physical separation either works or it doesn’t and our experience has been that it works.

Almost NSFW-Ultra Runners

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NeverReach Go! Hydration System–Final Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:49:14 +0000

You’ve seen a few reviews recently on NeverReach products. We did a final review on the NeverReach Pro Rear Mounted Hydration System. Our final opinion on the Pro was that it’s a great product and very useful for Ironmen and distance riders. The NeverReach Go! is a smaller version for sprint or Oly distance tris or for your average recreational rider. We did an initial review in July and have completed the final review.

About the NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

The NeverReach Go! system is the little brother of the Pro System. The Go holds 38 oz. of liquids compared to 64 oz. for the Pro System. The Go! is a basic sphere shape, not as aerodynamic as the teardrop of the Pro. Both NeverReach systems feature the same tubing and ‘Easy Flow’ mouthpiece. The Go! releases easily from the mount for cleaning.

Mounting the NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

Please check out our initial review of the NeverReach Go! for details of mounting or head over to the NeverReach site.

Final Thoughts on NeverReach Go!:

As we mentioned, we used our standard test bike for this test. We mounted the Go! on an old saddle because it didn’t fit our Adamo seat. The mounting was simple. We removed our aerobars to simulate a recreational or short tri bike setup.

We didn’t have any trouble adjusting the mouthpiece to work without our aerobars. We have ridden numerous times including hills, flat stretches, and other various environments. We didn’t know what to expect on hilly rides, both uphill and downhill, but we never experienced a problem accessing the water or with the water leaking.

The entire system is well made, feels good when mounted on your bike, and seems to be without design flaw. There are no leaks, not gaps, no problems at all with the mounting and usage of the Go!.

We have ridden about 150 miles with the Go! mounted on a test bike. This represents a few months of recreational riding for most people, so we feel we can speak well of the durability of this product.

We believe NeverReach has created a well made and usable product and recommend you consider the NeverReach Go! if you’re in the market for a hydration system that’s more glamorous than your standard bottle cages. The Go! costs about the same as two cages, two bottles, and the cost of mounting the cages, so price-wise, it’s a wash.

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Nathan Quickdraw Plus-Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 10:50:33 +0000

Here’s a quick review on from our newest writer.

We’ve been using the Nathan Quickdraw Plus handheld water bottle for about three years. We purchased the product for about 15 bucks.

The Quickdraw Plus features a moisture wicking hand strap with a 22 oz. hydration bottle. The Quickdraw Plus features a zippered pocket and has a waterproof card holder.

What we like about the Quickdraw Plus:

The Quickdraw allows you to carry a gel or two, S-caps if desired, and a key in the small pouch on the side. There is a small clasp that will clip onto your key…just in case you worry it might fall out. We like this because we have lost our solo key while on a run…no more tying it onto our shoelaces.

You can go for 1-2 hours with the liquid contained in the 22 oz. bottle depending upon your consumption rate/sweat rate. The adjustable strap fits over the rear of your hand and has a nice foam filled pad. Reflective portions of the system keep you visible when out for a late run. The bottle has a screw top and a nice “nipple” on the top that allows you to bite and pull open to get at the liquid. Some other manufacturers use a hard nipple (think your average bike water bottle) and that can suck. The bottle breaks down into three pieces for cleaning. You can wash the holder with regulate clothes, but I suggest air drying.

What we don’t like about the Quickdraw Plus:

The Quickdraw Elite (for me) was a better product. Of course, it costs a few bucks more, but it’s worth considering.

The adjustment strap will slip to a less tight position if you get it wet. Sometimes it rains, sometimes you are splashing through crossings, and sometimes you get the liquid from the bottle all over, so you have to be careful about keeping the strap tight.

Buy it Again?

Absolutely. Great value and very functional. We prefer the Quickdraw Elite, but wouldn’t hesitate to purchase the Plus again.

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NeverReach Pro-Rear Mounted Hydration System–Final Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:22:26 +0000

It’s been quite a while since we’ve discussed the NeverReach Pro hydration system. We wish we had a good excuse, but we’ve honestly been busy with marathon training and not spent much time on the old bike. The good news is that in the past month or so we’ve had more time on the bike and have now wrapped up our final review. Our apologies for the delay.

If you haven’t seen the previous review, take a moment to check this out.

As we mentioned in the first review, we had a few struggles mounting the system to our Adamo seat. We’re happy to report that Linda at NeverReach is very responsive and soon got back to us with updated mounting instructions. After reviewing these, they seem to be much more useful. You have to love a small company that responds quickly to customer feedback.

Our final thoughts:

Since our initial review, we’ve used the NeverReach Pro on every ride we’ve taken. Most of them have been in the 30 to 40 mile range, but a few have been north of 50 miles. Nothing approaching a full IM course, but decent distances here. During these rides, we spent some time in aero position and some time in a regular riding position. In both cases we could adjust the mouthpiece of the NeverReach Pro to allow easy access to our water, but it was certainly easier in the aero position.

We didn’t have a chance to test the Ironman splash guard, at least not in a real competition setting. We did practice refilling while riding and the splash guard seems to work quite well. It did prevent our liquids from spilling or splashing.

One tip that we discovered to help keep your NeverReach Pro clean and in good shape is to disconnect the feed tube from the tank after your ride. We didn’t do this the first few times we rode and the water left in the system had a off taste to it after a few days. Nothing serious, but not a great first sip. So, we decided to start disconnecting the tube from the tank and letting them drip dry. Excellent idea on our part. We haven’t had any problems with mold or off flavor water and we haven’t noticed the tube stretching or any leaks due to the frequent removal.

There’s also not much else to wear out on this system, so we don’t have anything groundbreaking to report in that sense. The mouthpiece has obviously been used and there are some stains on the neoprene mouthpiece wrapper, but nothing that we consider real wear and tear. Based on our experience, if you keep this system clean, you’re going to have it for as long as you want.

The bottom line is that this is an interesting hydration system that works. The design and construction are solid. It’s nice to get those bottles out of the way and have easy access to your hydration, even when you’re in the aero position. Installation is reasonably simple and once you’ve got all the settings tweaked, there’s not much for you to worry about: just fill it up, clean it up, and you’re going to be in good shape. We recommend, without reservation, the NeverReach Pro Hydration System.

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NeverReach Go! Hydration System-Initial Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:40:39 +0000

At the beginning of June, we reviewed the NeverReach Pro Hydration System, a sizable hydration tank that mounts on the rear of your bike and holds 64 oz. of liquids.

Today, we’re looking at the NeverReach Go! a smaller and simpler version designed for regular cycling and off-roading. Thanks to NeverReach for the sample. The Go! retails for $49.99

About the NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

Mounting the NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

Since our first review, the folks at NeverReach have updated their installation instructions. We are going to update the previous review to reflect this new mounting process, which we found to be much easier.

The NeverReach Go! is quite easy to mount. You can check out the instructions in a separate PDF. We mounted the NeverReach, without any instructions, in less than 4 minutes. First, open the bracket and attach to your seat rails. We decided to use a different seat for the Go! since our ISM Adamo was currently fitted with the NeverReach Pro System. We attached the mount to the seat before putting it on the bike, so it was even easier for us. Once the bracket is on the seat, all you have to do is slide the Go! into the bracket and slide the rubber band around the mounting area to secure the bottle. After getting the bracket and tank mounted, we connected the tubing used for the NeverReach Pro system, since it’s exactly the same equipment.

For users that don’t already have a NeverReach system mounted, which is most of you, your next step is to attach the tube holder to the handlebars. Then run the tubing down your frame to the seat and Go! nipple. Cut the tube to fit, making sure you’ve measured twice or three times. It’s impossible to ‘un-cut’ the tube, so make sure you’ve got the length exactly right.

After cutting the tubing, you can use the included straps to secure the tubing to your frame.

Testing the NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

After the easy mounting operation, we filled up the tank and headed out for some quick tests. We removed the aerobars from our test bike for this review, so we had some adjusting to do to the mouthpiece. As we mentioned in the Pro review, make sure you give yourself time to adjust the mouthpiece. It took us much less time to get the mouthpiece set this time, we’ll chalk that up to experience.

After getting the mouthpiece set, we cruised around our neighborhood for about 7 miles to get the feel of things. We hit some hills, but most of our testing was on flat ground.

As with the Pro, we didn’t have any problems with the bite valve leaking or the tank nipple leaking. The Go! has a cap that covers the fill opening, so you don’t have to worry about sloshing or splashing.

We did not test the tank off-road, but have arranged for a MTB friend to take the Go! out for a few miles of trail riding. We’ll bring you those results in the final review, next month.

Initial Impression of NeverReach Go! Hydration System:

As with the NeverReach Pro, this is a well made product. The mounting equipment, tubing, bite valves and tank are all sturdy and fit together well.

The Go! system is easy to mount and doesn’t leak. They system seems expensive, but if you add up the cost of two bottle brackets and two bottle brackets, you’re in the same ballpark.

The Go! delivers a good flow of liquids without much effort and the mouthpiece can be moved out of the way after use.

We continue to test the Go! on surface roads, riding paths, and will soon have some off-road experience to add to the final review.

Stay tuned for our final review.

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Honey Stinger Energy Chew-Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:53:50 +0000

We have been testing a number of products form Honey Stinger, including the Honey Stinger Gels and Honey Stinger Waffles. Today, we’ve finished the review of the Honey Stinger Energy Chews. Honey Stinger provided the Fruit Smoothie flavored chews for this review. The chews retail for $1.99 per package or a 12 package box for $22.50, direct from the company. You can also find them on Amazon for about $16 for the 12 pack.

About Honey Stinger Energy Chews:

Honey Stinger Energy Chews come in 6 flavors; Pink Lemonade, Caffeinated Lime-ade, Fruit Smoothie, Cherry Blossom, Pomegranate Passion, and Orange Blossom. For this review, we tested the Fruit Smoothie, which is a combination of cherry, orange, and mixed berry.

Each package contains one serving and 160 calories. The chews are 95% organic and have multiple carb sources, including glucose, fructose, maltose, and sucrose. One serving contains no fat or cholesterol, 80mg of sodium, 40mg of potassium, 39g of total carbs, 1g of fiber, 24g of sugars, and 1g of protein. The chews also contains 100% of your DV of Vitamin C.

Testing the Honey Stinger Energy Chews:

We tested the Honey Stingers in a number of situations and climates. We used these chews during the Palmetto 200, during our training for the 200, and during our Marine Corps Marathon training. We provided samples to our teammates on the Palmetto 200 and one member of another Palmetto 200 team.

Testing occurred in temperatures between 65 and 95 degrees and at all times of the day.

Honey Stinger Energy Chews Review Results:

We enjoyed these chews. Out of the 5 people who sampled them, one tester reported a little stomach discomfort after eating the chews. The remaining four testers did not report any issues.

The Fruit Smoothie flavor was a nice change from other energy chews. With others we’ve tested, you normally get one flavor per pack, which is fine, but can get a bit old after a long run or event. With Fruit Smoothie, you get a few different flavors, so the chance of burnout is a little lower.

In terms of energy, these chews provide a needed boost during a long run. We used the chews during some of our late night runs and the chews kept our feelings of hunger down until we could finish our leg and get real food. During our marathon training, we’ve used the chews on morning runs, generally before eating breakfast. During these runs, we didn’t experience any stomach issues. We also felt the chews satiated our hunger on runs up to 10 miles. On longer runs, we rarely started a run without eating breakfast.

At the end of the day, energy chews, like energy gels, are a personal decision. Each person has their own flavor preferences. What we can tell you about these chews is that they are tasty, provide a good energy boost, keep hunger down, and don’t cause stomach issues with most users. If you’re looking for energy chews, you should give the Honey Stinger Energy Chews a try, they’re as good or better than the other chews we’ve tested.

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KnuckleLights Running Lights-Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 10:17:48 +0000

Knuckle Lights are a new approach to running lights. Instead of using the traditional headlamp or carrying a flashlight, Knuckle Lights are handheld lights used to light your path and to be visible to oncoming cars. We received these samples directly from Knuckle Lights. Thanks to them for providing the samples.

About Knuckle Lights:

Knuckle Lights are sold in pairs and are available directly from the manufacturer for $39.99. Each Knuckle Light produces 45 Lumens of light from two AAA batteries. The lights are word on your hands and feature adjustable straps to get the fit just right. The lights are available in 5 colors.

Testing Knuckle Lights:

Oddly enough, our first test wasn’t during a run. Two of your testers, along with a few friends, went for a short hike early one evening. Planning to be back before dark, we didn’t think to pack a flashlight. Before leaving our cars, we made the last minute decision to bring the Knuckle Lights, just in case. Thank God we did. The hike took a bit longer than expected and had we not had the lights, we would have spent the last 3 miles or so groping our way back in the dark.

Other than the unintended testing, we used the Knuckle Lights during a number of our training runs. Some runs began before sunrise and a few lasted until after twilight. Here in Beaufort, the weather is so horrible this time of year that we can only run very early or very late if we want to avoid 90+ degree weather. Some testing was done during twilight or dawn with a bit of ambient light, while other runs had no ambient light. Our run courses occasionally had streetlights, but not always.

Thoughts on Knuckle Lights:

Going into the review, we had a few concerns. First, we were worried about carrying the lights in our hands. One tester truly hates carrying gear on a run and shies away from carrying bottles or the like in his hands while running. Our second concern was the bounce or movement of the lights during a run. Thankfully, neither of these proved to be a problem.

Running while holding the lights was a bit of a change, but both testers became accustomed to the feeling quickly. Even the tester that won’t carry a bottle didn’t find the lights too much of an adjustment. Getting the proper fit and feel decreased the adjustment period. After 5 or 6 runs, the lights were almost unnoticeable.

You will notice a bit of movement in the lights, depending on how you move your arms during a run. The nice thing about Knuckle Lights, and what keeps this movement from getting irritating, is the wide beam of the lights. Even if you move your hands a lot during a run, the wide beams keep the sidewalk bathed in light, no matter how much you move. Both testers also commented on how nice it was to be able to use the lights independently. When running at night, it’s dangerous to turn your head, as you do with a headlamp, to illuminate the side of the road. With Knuckle Lights, you can direct the light out of your normal path without turning your head and taking your eyes off your path.

Unscientifically, we feel that these lights made us more noticeable to cars. We didn’t measure response distances, but in runs that included off sidewalk running, approaching cars seemed to see us earlier. Maybe it’s the moving lights, or maybe it’s having two lights, but drivers seemed to spot us more quickly than with a headlamp or no light source.

Overall:

Not every runner has to be out before dawn or after dark, but if you do, you should consider these lights. They are very reasonably priced, deliver a lot of light, and are very stingy on battery use. We have used them for dozens of runs, we estimate 70+ miles total, and the first set of batteries are still going strong. The lights seem to be sturdy but aren’t so heavy they weigh you down. The wide beams provide good illumination close and enough light at the sides to see your surroundings. At less than $40, they’re a great value, especially when compared with many high end headlamps.

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SPIbelt Energy Belt Water Resistant-Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:06:53 +0000

SPIbelt is the Original Small Personal Item belt, designed for a multitude of uses and used by many runners and marathoners. SPIbelt makes numerous different versions; the basic belt, the inner pocket belt, a waterproof belt, a water resistant belt, the energy belt, and even a belt for diabetics that has room for an insulin pump. We chose the Energy Belt with the water resistant pouch. The SPIbelt Energy Belt retails for 21.95. We received ours as a promotional sample directly from SPIbelt.

About the SPIbelt Energy Belt:

These belts are functional and simple. The belt resembles the number belt that many triathletes use. Attached to this basic belt are six elastic loops for holding energy gels and an expandable pocket to hold keys or other personal items. The actual belt is adjustable and should fit any size waist. The Energy Belt also has a small pouch in the center, designed to hold keys, your phone, or other small items.

Testing the SPIbelt Energy Belt:

Unfortunately, we have not competed in a race since receiving this sample, so all of our testing was done during our marathon training runs. We tested the SPIbelt Energy Belt on a variety of runs ranging from 3 to 8 miles. At the start of our testing, we only filled two of the six energy gel slots to get the feel for the belt, but eventually tested the belt with all 6 gels in place. We also tried a number of different items in the pouch, ranging from toilet paper ( to get a sense of how ‘water resistant’ the pouch is) to our HTC EVO phone.

Results of SPIbelt Energy Belt Testing:

During our first run, we dropped one of the gels, a Honey Stinger Energy Gel. We think the cause was not adjusting the gel before taking off on the run. Our advice here is to squeeze the gel once you get it in the loop, making the top larger than the bottom. This prevented us losing any additional gels as our testing continued. It also made the gels a bit easier to retrieve during the run if we pulled them up through the loop.

The water resistant pouch is pretty effective. On one of our hotter runs, we filled the pouch with toilet paper to see how damp things actually got inside. After a 5.5 mile run, the TP was a bit damp, but not wet and still mostly usable. During later tests, we noticed a little wetness on our HTC EVO and drivers license, but nothing damaging. If you’re truly worried about moisture, SPIbelt makes a version that is totally waterproof. We generally take a small ziplock on runs where we worry about rain, so that’s also an alternative.

What surprised us about the pouch was not the water resistance, but the size. Out of the package, the pouch looks tiny. We were very shocked that it could hold our HTV EVO and the keyfob to our car. The pouch was very full, but closed without problem. At the end of the day, we chose not to use the pouch to carry our phone; we use the GPS to track our runs and also for music and the pouch didn’t let us control the phone. If you don’t use your phone for these things, the pouch is capable of holding all you need for a long run.

With the HTC EVO in the pouch, we noticed a bit of bounce that ended once we tightened the belt. With keys, license, debit cards, etc., we didn’t experience any bouncing.

Bottom Line:

Based on our testing, this is a well made product that delivers on it’s claims. It’s bounce free, even with the largest objects, water resistant, and adjustable. We did lose a gel during our testing, but it only happened once, so the gel loops appear to work well. The SPIbelt Energy Belt is a simple and effective way to carry your ID, keys, and even your phone on runs without worrying about having your hands full. On race day, SPIbelt claims you can squeeze 5 gels into the pouch, plus the 6 on the belt. Eleven gels should be plenty for even a full marathon.

We continue to use the SPIbelt when possible and will report back if we have anything to add about durability and long-term performance. Based on our testing, we have no hesitation recommending the SPIbelt Energy Belt to runners and marathoners looking for a simple way to carry their personal effects.

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NeverReach Pro-Rear-Mounted Hydration System-Initial Review

FitEgg Tri Gear Review — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:17:53 +0000

NeverReach Pro Hydration System, Mounted, Without Tube

The NeverReach Pro System is hydration system mounted on the rear of your cycle seat. The NeverReach Pro is designed for half IM and IM distance races and claims to reduce your 40Km time by up to 35 seconds. The hydration tank is mounted in a bracket under your seat and you access the water via a rubber hose that you attach to your frame and a bite valve that mounts to your handlebars or your aerobars. The NeverReach Pro system is available for standard seats and for ISM Adamo Seats. You can also add a refill cap to the system to make refilling during an IM easier.

We tested the new version with the ISM compatible bracket and the IM refill cap. Thanks to NeverReach for the evaluation sample.

About the NeverReach Pro System:

As mentioned above, NeverReach claims up to a 35 second reduction during a 40Km time trial over standard hydration systems. You can check out all the details of their claim here.

The NeverReach Pro System features a 64 ounce tank that mounts behind your seat and is teardrop in shape. NeverReach claims that this design reduces drag and the study above supports this claim.

You access the hydration via a long clear tube that mounts on your frame and a bite valve that you attach to your aero or handlebars. NeverReach does not use BPA plastics. You can also purchase an IM splash guard that allows you to quickly refill the tank without stopping.

Mounting the NeverReach Pro:

The NeverReach Pro arrived with all the necessary parts and a very detailed installation guide. We don’t claim to be engineers, so we followed the installation instructions exactly. It’s possible that we don’t follow directions well, we’ve heard that before, but we didn’t find the installation instructions very helpful. Now, we are using an ISM seat and NeverReach just started shipping brackets for these seats, so maybe they need to update their installation instructions, but the included directions weren’t very helpful. The included instructions tell you to connect the tube to the handlebars, then attach the bracket plates to the bracket, mount the bracket to the seat, then adjust the bracket, and only then attach the container.

If you want to install on an ISM seat, here’s what we found to work. First, attach the tank to the mounting bracket. Then use attach the bracket plates. Once you have that assembled, then you can attach the bracket to the seat. We had trouble getting the tank to slide into the bracket if we attached the plates before the tank. After the plates are attached and the bracket is mounted to the seat, you can start tightening all the bolts and adjusting the entire assembly. This isn’t a huge deviation from the instructions, but is different enough to make installation according to the instructions a bit challenging. The problems that we encountered were mostly clearance issues with the ISM seat, not with the actual design of the NeverReach Pro System or the bracket.

After we had the tank attached, we attached the bite valve assembly to our handlebars and cut the tubing to fit. Before we did this, we took the bike for a test ride to make sure things worked before cutting the tubing. We used the included clip to tightly affix the tube to the tank nipple.

Riding with the NeverReach Pro:

Once we sorted out the installation, the system worked great. The bite valve and handlebar mounted portion of the tubing has a neoprene cover with a bendable piece of wire that allows you to position the mouthpiece exactly where it’s most useful for you. The NeverReach Pro has a number of pieces of Velcro to attach tubing to your frame.

We filled the tank and headed out for a test ride. Once we tucked into the aero position and got comfortable, we started working on the mouthpiece to get it positioned correctly. When you first install this, make sure you give yourself time to get all the parts situated; it will save you a bit of frustration in the future. Once we figured out exactly where to mount the mouthpiece, the system stayed in place and was easy to access.

We did all testing in training situations, not in a race. We didn’t have a perfect way to simulate an aid station, so we carried a water bottle and tried to fill the tank without stopping the bike. The first time was a bit awkward, but after a try or two, we had it down. Grab a new bottle, reach back, insert the bottle through the refill cap and give it a few squeezes. This only takes a few seconds once you practice and you’ll get most of the water into the tank before you clear the average aid station, so you can discard the empty easily.

We tested the system on flat roads and a few hilly spots around town. We didn’t have any trouble with leaking, either at the base of the tank or at the bite valve. Even on downhill portions of our rides, water stayed in the tank and the tubing and didn’t get forced out of the bite valve.

The bite valve is easy to access, assuming you have it set up correctly. You get plenty of flow from the system with very little effort.

What to Expect in our Next Review:

We continue to test the NeverReach Pro System and will bring your a more detailed review of it’s performance during this test within a few weeks. We have used the system for about two weeks and on a few longer distance rides, but nothing approaching a Half IM or full IM race yet. In our next review, we will discuss how the system holds up to normal wear and tear, any additional tips and tricks for using the system, and our final thoughts on the system. Keep your eyes out for our final review.

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