With the explosion of aerodynamic road frames and more TT and triathlon bikes than ever before, the need for a UCI compliant aero water bottle has never been greater. While some bike companies offer an integrated bottle design, Arundel has offered an aero bottle and cage option for years, and the Chrono II is the second generation. This UCI legal narrow profile design features a very secure carbon cage that integrates with a dimpled, sleek, 20 oz bottle.
The dimpled bottle surface offers some reduced drag, and we have found it also makes the bottle easier to hold with sweaty fingers and wet gloves. While it is true that in a short TT one might choose not to drink at all, having a bottle available before the start line can be helpful, and when you start pushing out towards 30km distances, hydration is crucial. Triathletes will certainly be able to take advantage in almost any distance. We have even started to see cyclists with aero road bikes running one or two Chrono II's in crits and road races.
The new, softer and better flowing bottle top is a great upgrade. Arundel places a premium on bottle security and the heat compression molded carbon fiber cage is stiff, strong, and resilient to repeated usage. The integrated design means that you have to use the Chrono II bottle with the cage. Two sets of mounting holes in the cage spine allow for flexible installation and Arundel provides two low profile, allen style mounting bolts to ensure the bottle snaps properly into place.