So I’m part of a relay team for a 70.3 and it’ll be my first long competitive ride (next week). I did a test ride today for storing caffeine pills and sure as heck lost the pills in my DSW top tube bag. Just curious what solutions some of you all have done to take pills or keep tiny items available during a long ride. I’d think that if I stored it in my jersey, the moisture wouldn’t be good. I also thought about a small baggie in my jersey but that seems rather complicated also.
I’m leaning on having a seamstress stitch an elastic pouch on the side of the dsw bag.
thoughts/ideas welcome. Thanks again to TR for an awesome product!
Sound like a good idea. I use an xlab 400xp top tube bag which has mesh pockets on the sides and that’s where I put a caffeine pill. If you could get yours adapted inexpensively that would work.
This isn’t the exact one I use (just grabbed it from Google search). But I have been using these successfully for years. I purchase mine from CVS or Walgreens - the ones I use are clear and hold 4 to 6 tablets or capsules. I use them on solo, group rides, and races. Try them on a training ride first; any challenges loosing them you might have a spare. [ps. easy to use one handed]
I use small ziplocks to store stuff. Something like this. I have some that are the size of credit cards that I’ll use to carry credit card, cash, etc, and a smaller one for saltstick tabs. Super cheap, easy, etc
What works for me in HIM and IM is taping the caffeine pills with electrical tape to the top tube so I can easily grab them when in aero. Put a couple extra on there just to be safe
I have the sis caffeine gel however, after testing I still need to have a significant source of electrolytes or my legs lock up. Also the sis stuff is a little bigger than I’d like for the amount I personally need.
I’m rather fascinated with the creative solutions people have come up with. I knew this would be the place to ask!
I think I’ll play with several of the ideas y’all have come up with and try them out.
If you get it right, I will buy them from you!!! . . . and can probably get you a lot more customers as well!
I still can vividly recall how much time I spent (wasted) searching for one that I could use cycling. I love Hammer products, but find the large capsule useless (too large). Above, I have shown what I currently use (pill box), but its not ideal (loose a capsule here and there even after being experienced with them). The key requirements are:
Holds up to 2 (or 4 max) capsules (no larger)
Easy Accessible and useable one handed at full speed (e.g. for taking endurolytes on hard group rides or in races)
Ok @mcneese.chad, “you got me thinkin” about your Pez idea . . .
The Pez dispenser works because all of the Pez’s are the same size. Obviously tablets and capsules are not. But “most” capsules are similar and ditto for tablets. Perhaps you could design two separate dispensers: 1 for each and small enough to hold up to 4 capsules OR up to 4 tablets. I’d waive the clear requirement (isn’t that nice of me ) if the two separate dispensers were distinguishable, preferably by feel (i.e. I could reach and my rear pocket and know what I am taking out).
Yeah, one trick is the variable shape of all these things (oval/bullet, short cylinder, etc.) and then size too.
I expect there could be a way to make 2 or three “versions” that would handle a range of shapes and sizes.
I’d love it if you could “stack” them as some people will have a mix of tablets with different shape/size and/or use. Effectively like the PEZ, but smaller and able to “click into” each other with a tab/slot connection.
Might have them set in opposing directions so you can easily orient to kick out the desired one and ignore the other.
I’d do clear or open slotted in a way to see how many and possibly which ones you have loaded. Might even be able to have different shell colors to identify different use/pills.
I may have to start with some PEZ ones to see if they even work in concept and go from there. I have another concept that is different if that fails.
[Trained as an M.E.] I can appreciate the challenge . . .
I have a friend who has been working on a pill sorter for the geriatric market (imagine dumping 10-20 different prescriptions into a bin and sorting them all by shape correctly). It’s been about 7-8 years in development and they are in the high 90s accuracy for 200 different medications (but not good enough as you would imagine). Not sure if there is anything useful for you to take away there, though, since size/cost isn’t the driver of sorting.
Saltstick makes Dispensers that work well. Double sided tape also works well as long as it’s not raining. Put it on the handlebars and stick the caffeine and salt pills on it. Or go to your local drugstore and buy yourself Tictac.
) if the two separate dispensers were distinguishable, preferably by feel (i.e. I could reach and my rear pocket and know what I am taking out).