Race number stickers are a necessary evil. Yes, they prevent your bike from being stolen. But let’s face it, getting them on (and off) is a mess. Walk up to any transition and let us know if you find a single bike that has a number affixed in a manner that doesn’t either flap in the breeze or look to be an incredible pain to peel off. Luckily the guys at VonDrais didn’t see this so much as a problem but an opportunity. They set out to find a reusable solution that would allow athletes to easily affix a race number to their bike in a manner that wouldn’t create a nuisance.

Their solution was the V-Tag system, which places the number neatly behind your seatpost using nothing more than a set of zip ties. The key to this system is the Eel – a molded piece of flexible food-grade silicon that attaches to your seatpost or seat stay via the perviously mentioned zip ties. The Eel is specifically designed to work with aero seatposts – a must for triathletes. You then attach a flat plastic card (on which your race number has been transfixed) to the Eel via a plastic bolt.  That’s it. No more leg chafing or messy stickers.

VonDrais sells their Race Day Kit for $10, which includes an Eel, plastic card, bolt, and zip ties. For $7 you can get a Replacement Kit with an additional plastic card, thumbscrew, and nut. VonDrais also offers custom printing. Looking to have custom numbers for a charity ride, gran fondo, or local triathlon? They’ve got you covered.

We used the Race Day Kits during a recent charity ride. Unfortunately for us the race numbers were the kind you were supposed to zip tie to your frame (which with a deep aero seat tube post is almost impossible). Tracy came up with a rather inventive way to attach the numbers to the V-Tag (making creative use of a stapler, zip ties, and luck), which worked like a charm. Multiple riders came up to us asking where they could purchase the kit.

Not every product out there will make you faster, some simply make life easier. The V-Tag is exactly that—a product that makes life easier and eliminates one more worry on race day. And when you race with a clear mind, sometimes you end up being just that little bit faster!