One of the things we love about triathlon is that there is no shortage of ways to improve upon our gear. What was an innovative idea one year is just the building block to another innovation the next. Bento boxes and gel storage may not seem ripe with innovation, but companies like XLAB and Torhans have continued to refine and improve upon the original Velcro and cloth pouches we started with. And today, a new player is looking to enter the field. Meet the FoodCell® – a CFD designed bento box featuring a tapered KammTail shape, dimpling, and unique ‘slider’ opening.
The FoodCell is designed to fit any road, TT, or tri bike by offering a Bolt or Velcro attachment option. The FoodCell itself unclips from its bottom base unit to allow for easy cleaning of both bike and container.
The FoodCell can hold four large 60ml gels without bursting at the seams. The top slider allows for super-easy access to your food with just one finger. No longer will you have to worry about getting it zipped and unzipped. While a zipper may seem easy enough, those who have fought a stuck zipper while hypoxic and exhausted know just how painful that can be.
The FoodCell has undergone extensive development work. FlowCell (the creators) guarantee it’s good for 10,000 openings (that’s the equivalent of taking out eight gels a day every day for two years).
“Typically, once you place your gels in most aerodynamic food carriers, getting them back out is a real issue,” states the company’s (FlowCell Ltd) founder, Dr Mark Tallon. The zip or thin slit design of many products offer great aerodynamics, but the result is a product that’s not fit for purpose. Another big concern is being able to hold enough food for the duration of an Ironman® Triathlon and Sportive cycling event. To that end, FoodCell has one if not the largest capacity to hold foods currently available on the market, yet without significantly impacting aerodynamics and functionality.
Dr. Tallon is also a sub-10hr Ironman triathlete, and the development of FoodCell came as a result of his own experiences and frustrations with current food carriers.
The FoodCell is available today on KickStarter – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flowcell/foodcell-aerodynamic-nutrition-carrier. Those first to arrive will be able to get in at just £39. FlowCell is looking to get initial shipments out as early as August (which does seem aggressive, but we will keep our fingers crossed!)
We should be getting a unit in the next few weeks for review, so keep your eyes peeled. Until then, let us know your thoughts and what you want to see us try to carry in it when we get one.
Why does it look so tall and does it come in a lower version. That would be too tall for my build
Thanks for the response.
We are working on some other versions for the short course triathletes and TT riders but already the drag of the FoodCell is very low and in-line with most other carriers on the market. We have found the biggest issue for athletes is trying to get product out of current designs.
If you have to sit up to get them out or cannot get in enough gels to get the energy you need to you though your event all the aero in the world wont help. We hope we have deliverered that happy medium between a really aero design and being functional.
Of course those looking for no drag such as a 10mile or 25 mile TT rider would likely have maybe 1 gel or no gels. But Ironman triathletes already hide much of any drag by placing on hydration units such as these great products:
https://tinyurl.com/kv3vspl
https://tinyurl.com/lysoqut
In the same way most aero road bikes still have a head tube that masks any food carrier:
https://tinyurl.com/n34gkef
Best of luck with your training and this season.
Regards Mark
FlowCell ltd