Prowler 

I took a different path (the usual for me). I don't need cold drink and I really only need water. I also do not stop to drink. I normally rehydrate while underway so I need that to be easy. I've been using the Rubbermaid Chug bottles for years. They fit bottle cages well. They have a 3/4" opening under a cap that's easy to flip open, so I can, without looking, grab the bottle, chug plenty of water then pop it back in the cage. They just work real well for me. I've never liked the "baby bottle" nipple top things that you need to squeeze. I want just water and plenty of it then back on the gas. I've added black marks on the translucent side at 1/4, 1/2 & 3/4 points so I can monitor my consumption/mile.

Easy to clean too.

freeranger

Odd, see post #4--I didn't know polar also sold bottled water--this is the polar bottle to which I was referring: https://polarbottle.com/product-cate...ed-sport-bike/

RVH

Sure enough, I went to my LBS, Rhino Bike Works in Plymouth NH on another issue and they had their own logo bottles for $6. I got two.

I like to fill it to about a quarter full and freeze it and then fill with water just before the ride. Water stays cold for over an hour depending on temperature.

I-Like-To-Bike

Can't beat a standard 1.5 liter plastic bottle sold at the supermarket for less than a dollar and can be filled mucho-multiple times at home from the tap or elsewhere from a water fountain. Sometimes I add a drop or two of concentrated lime or lemon juice for a bit of flavor and cool in the refrigerator. Bottle size is small enough to handle with one hand. The cage can hold a 2 liter soda pop bottle but that size is hard to handle with one hand. A person so inclined could change out the cap for a nozzle-type cap, but I find that unnecessary.

tdilf

Hydration pack

Jim from Boston

I presume they are two entirely different companies, and I tried to make that distinction in my post #4.I was surprised to see other subscribers also used (or admitted to) screw top plastic bottles…seems kind of Fredly to me.

shelbyfv

Question for those who use bottles with screw on caps. Are you able to ride no-hands or do you stop each time you want a drink?

wipekitty

I stop to drink when I use bottles with screw-on caps (which is why I only use them for solo trips around town or to go check out an overlook - not for group rides.)

Now that I think about it, I had an Evian bottle purchased in some airport that had more of a sports cap. I should have saved the cap to reuse on regular 1L bottles.

bobwysiwyg

I stop. Why not?

livedarklions

I just have one of these follow me.

Jim from Boston

As I posted above,I usually stop, rarely drink en route unless the road is perfectly clear. I unscrew the cap and hold it, pick up the bottle and drink, then put the bottle back, and screw on the cap, all with my right hand.

Much more convenient to stop.

alloo

Whatever people give out as swag! Lol

mivuj95

I'm also using Nalgene. I like that they hold a lot, which is a need for me. But more than anything they hold up very well for the price!

I-Like-To-Bike

Hold bottle with one hand that is also in contact with handlebars, unscrew cap with other hand. Either put cap in a pocket while drinking or just keep the cap in hand until ready to remount bottle in rack. Riding a bicycle does not require gripping the handle bars with a vise-like grip 100% of the time, just maintaining hand contact with the handlebars is sufficient; it also assumes that cyclist scans the road and traffic situation for a suitable time to drink while riding. For urban riding there are plenty of opportunities to unsrewthe cap, drink and replace cap at traffic lights.

Reverse the procedure to screw cap back on. Easier to do than type out. If this requires too much eye hand coordination, then stopping to drink is an acceptable alternative, unless the cyclist is in some sort of race.

DropBarFan

I like the SLS3 bottles from Amazon: spout doesn't dribble, wide-mouth so fairly easy to clean, cap doesn't have rough edges, some color choices too. Tried a Clean Bottle once (they advertised on TdF shows) but cap had rough edges that could scrape my knees when it's mounted on the frame. While spectating at a race I got a free discarded TACX bottle courtesy of the power-house United Health Care team...spout dribbles.

subgrade

BBB Autotank XL (self closing valve, so it doesn't need to be opened and closed each time) with Focus logo - exactly like this one:

Dr.Lou

Another vote for basic, cheap water bottles, Camelbacks if I find them on sale...or along the MUT. I have a couple insulated bottles, but seldom use them.

FlMTNdude

When I first started using Polar bottles I was having issues with my water starting to freeze when I was out running in temps below the teens. Did a beautiful job of stopping that. Now that I live in hell, where temps and humidity push 100 for waaayyyy too much of the year (the ‘Endless Summer’ warnings on license plates do little to deter people from thinking this is a place one should live) a polar bottle of icy Gatorade or water stays cool for a couple hours.

shelbyfv

Thanks for clarifying! Probably too late for me to learn new tricks. I'd better stay with regular cycling bottles

DSL6

Camelbak Podium Ice on both bikes.

Flip Flop Rider

anything insulated, think I have Zephal now

TimothyH

Seacoast Powerflow

No pop up valve to worry about, light, plain, don't leak, wide mouth for loading ice, five bucks. Buy a dozen and be done with it.

I use the clear version so I can see which has water and which has the good stuff, and how much is left in them.

https://thebikeshopstore.com/categor...power-flow-clr

livedarklions

I find the tricky bit is not dropping the cap. I've done this maneuver hundreds of times, and never actually dropped the cap, but it always felt like a distinct possibility. I use a plain Podium now, I don't care about insulation.

I used to buy the squirt bottle water at the convenience store and just refill it when it was emptied, but I found that the bottles would crack after being put in and out of the cages a few times.

MRT2

In general, a good water bottle should hold water, fit in my bottle cages, and be easy to drink from without leaking. And stand up to a year or two of use without getting gungy or disgusting. Fortunately, most water bottles are at least OK.

As for myself, I concur with others that Camelback is among the best of the insulated bottles. As for uninsulated, I am partial to the Specialized Purist bottles.

I-Like-To-Bike

In umpteen years of using twist off caps while bicycle riding, I've never dropped one, and do not claim to be super coordinated. Always a possibility, but really, how big a problem would a dropped cap be? At the very worst, it might require buying another suitably sized plastic bottle of water or soda pop at the next convenience store.

To avoid anxiety over the possibility of a dropped cap, carry an extra cap in your pocket or tool kit.