REVIEW: Profile Design RM1 Aqua Rack

My tri-bike is fitted with only one bottle cage. Not because I don't want to put another, but, because there's no more space in the triangle of the frame to put another one into. This posed a problem with my long rides before, and I've resorted to using a hydration backpack to address it. However, riding on a tribike with a hydration pack is not a good sight to see. Other rider friends would smile, or even laugh, at me at the start of the ride. I was in racing gear except for the hydration pack normally used in MTB rides. Yeah, funny.

I have seen rear aqua racks in races before, but when I inquired about it from the owner of the bikes I've seen it on, I would be disappointed to learn that these were seatpost mounted. My Kinesis KT610 TT bike has an aero seatpost which makes it, well, aero and not rounded like the traditional seatposts.

But then, I found the Profile Design RM1 saddle mounted bottle holder.

This bottle holder mounts to the rail of the saddle and can be installed on all saddles, whether road, MTB or even the cruiser type. For as long as the saddle has rails, the RM1 can stick on it.

Getting the RM1 a day before a century ride was perfect timing. I would get to test the rack in real life and in real conditions where it was needed.

The RM1 comes in a plastic package which probably has become Profile Design's trademark by now. The package included the RM1 frame, two lightweight Profile Design Kages and CO2 mounting brackets.

Installation was quite easy. I just screwed the clamps on the rails using Allen wrench, then adjusted the angle of the rack to my taste. Once adjusted , I tightened the bolt of the rack to make sure it didn't loosen up during my ride.

In testing the fit of my water bottles with the Kages, I filled up two of my bottles and inserted it in the rack. The Kages were tight, and I had to twist each of the bottle just to get it inside. Eack Kage was wrapped in a rubber band to ensure a tight grip on the bottle. A loose grip will launch the bottle out of the Kage when or if I hit a bump.

During the actual ride, the rack proved to be very useful. I had enough hydration to last me three-quarters of a century ride, replenishing only on km 80.

The bottles were easy to reach even on aero position, much more when riding on the hoods of the basebar.

Putting the bottles back in the rack needed some learning curve. In my case, I had to feel the mouth of the Kages first then try to insert the bottles once I found it. In twisting the bottles, I was able to put these back easily. However, the pressure from pushing and twisting the bottles down took its toll on the frame of the aqua rack, it loosened.

I had to remove one of the Kages first before I was able to tighten the bolt back on the rack's frame, it wasn't as easy as 1-2-3.

At the end of the ride, the RM1 held up quite nicely. It performed its duties with flying colors and in great aesthetics too. No wonder even the pros in Kona for the World Ironman Championships use these wonderful piece of accesory. Liquid at the front and at the back, what else do you need?

In summary:

Pros:

- Light and durable

- Easy to install

- Does not come into contact with the body even if its installed close

- Well thought of design

- Includes CO2 mounts in the package

- Cheap

- Does not launch the bottles even if you hit some bumps

Cons:

- Supplied Kages too tight for water bottles

- Rack frame loosens due to pressure when inserting the bottles back in

Verdict:

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. A necessity for long rides.