I will be the first to admit that I hate storing anything in my jersey pockets that I actually need to get access to while I ride — namely snacks. Perhaps it’s because I’m just not coordinated enough, but I find the pockets too high up my back to reach comfortably and you can never find what you want quickly enough.
Bento boxes or top tube bags are the obvious answer — something bike tourers or even ultra bike racers have known for awhile now. But the current solutions aren’t always easy to operate with one hand due to their fiddly zippers and Velcro closures that are prone to coming undone.
Enter FoodCell — an aerodynamic and sturdy bento box that can be operated with one finger. Triathlete Mark Tallon came up with the idea after he tried just about every other top tube bag out there and still wasn’t happy. As he is a nutritional biochemist and worked in food law for over 15 years, Tallon had no problems putting together a team of designers and manufacturers to make his ultimate hard-sided, aero bento box idea a reality.
The aerodynamic FoodCell uses a sliding cover for easy one-finger access to your snacks and gels. The box has the capacity to hold up to four 60 ml gels without a problem. I wonder what’s the equivalent in gummy bears?
FoodCell fits on any road, TT or tri bike either by bolting the base to your top tube or using three Velcro attachments to secure it to your top tube. A button at the back of the base enables you to detach the FoodCell bento box itself for cleaning or to keep it from getting stolen.
The hard-sided box uses food grade thermoplastic for the body and a linear low density polyethylene is used for the base. It’s weatherproof and ultra durable.
The team is running a Kickstarter campaign to make FoodCell a reality. For around $51, you can be one of the first to try out the aerodynamic bento box — delivery expected in August.