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What water bottle do you use?

Old 06-01-19, 07:58 AM
  #1  
RVH
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What water bottle do you use?

I need new water bottles and I can't find anything like my old, very simple, very light bottles. What do you recommend?
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Old 06-01-19, 08:31 AM
  #2  
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I have a lined aluminum Zefal at my bedside , I have has plastic one burst when squeezed ..
cap airflow is excellent on those important on metal waster bottles ...

Camelback Podium on 2 bikes..
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Old 06-01-19, 08:43 AM
  #3  
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Nothing fancy, just regular plastic Polar bottles work for me. Not super light tho.
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Old 06-01-19, 09:59 AM
  #4  
Jim from Boston
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What water bottle do you use?
Originally Posted by RVH
I need new water bottles and I can't find anything like my old, very simple, very light bottles. What do you recommend?
Originally Posted by freeranger
Nothing fancy, just regular plastic Polar bottles work for me. Not super light tho.
I have previously posted:
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
My preference for water is flavored carbonated water. [The local brand here around Boston is Polar Seltzer and it comes in a lot of flavors.] It comes in one liter bottles with a screw top cap to contain the carbonation.

It's inconvenient to open especially while riding, but it's so much more refreshing than plain water, even and especially when warm…

The liter bottles fit tightly in the cages and I secure them with a rubber band to prevent them from popping out.
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
...The first two swills have a kick to them, and even at the end of the ride after the bottle has been opened a couple times and it's warmed up, it still is more satisfying than tap water.

The downside is that I do have to unscrew the cap, so I have to slow my riding down to do that maneuver; or take a drink when I stop.

This year during the hot weather, I have begun bringing a smaller bottle of tap water, just for the purpose of dousing myself, refilling and repeating as necessary. In a pinch I have used the seltzer water too.
These bottles IMO are quite lightweight, made of rather thin guage thickness, pliable plastic, and the screw top caps nicely hold the pressure in. One winter, for example:
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
…I use a plastic liter carbonated soda bottle for my water supply, and it was only partially full.

At about mile 3, going up my steepest hill, the air in the bottle had contracted so much that the bottle was almost limp, and popped out of the holder, but the water did not freeze.
However,
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
Speaking of winter I have on a few posts repeated the suggestion of the definition of a cold ride as one where the water bottle freezes solid, as a function of temperature and time. For my 14 mile commute of slightly over an hour that occurs at about 15º F.

Last edited by Jim from Boston; 06-01-19 at 10:04 AM.
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Old 06-01-19, 10:34 AM
  #5  
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Elite Termo Nanogelite. Expensive and not the best nozzle/cap but fill with ice and water stays colder longer to me than the polar ones.
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Old 06-01-19, 11:44 AM
  #6  
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I was on a similar quest - for a cheap plain clear bottle. In the end, my LBS had $5 bottles with their logo on them. Since I use the shop anyway, I have no problem displaying their logo, and the price was right
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Old 06-01-19, 11:47 AM
  #7  
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Camelback insulated
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Old 06-01-19, 11:47 AM
  #8  
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I use the Camelbak Podium Big Chill, as it's the only one I've found that does not leak a little bit. All other bottles kept in my downtube bottle mount would leak just a little bit on longer rides.
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Old 06-01-19, 11:57 AM
  #9  
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Bike shops sometimes have their own "branded," dime-a-dozen plastic water bottles. Cheap as dirt (I may never have actually had to pay for one, now that I think about it.) and they meet my needs:
Holds water? Check.
Dispenses water? Check.
Fits in cage? Check.
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Old 06-01-19, 12:38 PM
  #10  
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Get bottles that match your bar tape or cable housings or helmet. Stylin’!
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Old 06-01-19, 01:50 PM
  #11  
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CamelBak Podium Chill, Big Chill & Podium Ice. Mix and match depending on ride length and temp. Load them up with ice & water before the ride and they tend to stay cold for a little longer than a regular bottle. I've found them to very durable and I like the valves.
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Old 06-01-19, 02:04 PM
  #12  
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Elite Deboyo Ombra Stainless Steel Thermal Bottle


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Old 06-01-19, 02:06 PM
  #13  
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Generally, Camelbak Podium. The valve caps tend to stay intact longer than those on the cheap bottles.

I have a Big Chill only because it is big. Years ago when doing two-a-day practices for high school sports in August heat (with no AC, fans, sunscreen, or supplements other than bananas) I discovered that warm water did not make me puke and cold water did. I still never use ice-cold water on rides, though may add a few ice cubes on hot rides to keep it room temperature.

Like @Jim from Boston, I sometimes use 1-liter bottles. I'm not a fan of carbonation while riding, but these bottles nicely hold a lot of water. I tend to use them early/late in the season when it's cooler and I'm combining commutes, transportation, and recreational rides to save daylight.
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Old 06-01-19, 04:18 PM
  #14  
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Camelbak Podium Chill
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Old 06-01-19, 04:59 PM
  #15  
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We were off to visit the kids for a few days. The weather forecast was iffy at best. I took our bikes just in case. Actually, the weather was great. However, I had forgotten to pack water bottles. , so off to Target. Found 25 oz. Camelbaks, bought two, very pleased, seemed to keep the liquid a little cooler and liked the added capacity.
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Old 06-01-19, 05:58 PM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by RVH
I need new water bottles and I can't find anything like my old, very simple, very light bottles. What do you recommend?
a profile design aero bottle between ur aero bars is awesome....
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Old 06-01-19, 07:13 PM
  #17  
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I and two cycling friends independently discovered that Evian 1 liter bottles are perfect for cycling. They are strong and thick and the material has a good amount of friction so it's secure in a bottle cage. I have a bunch of them and just refill them with filtered water from our kitchen.
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Old 06-01-19, 08:05 PM
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I don't have a recommendation, but I take a weight penalty to have my drinks ice cold. I use a 21oz. Hydro Flask.

I do have a 32 oz Powerade bottle I use in the summer in addition to my Hydro Flask. It was the largest bottle that would fit my bottle cages.
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Old 06-01-19, 09:05 PM
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Originally Posted by August West
CamelBak Podium Chill, Big Chill & Podium Ice. Mix and match depending on ride length and temp. Load them up with ice & water before the ride and they tend to stay cold for a little longer than a regular bottle. I've found them to very durable and I like the valves.
That saved me a lot of typing, because that mirrors my setup exactly. Out of direct sunlight, I've had Podium Ice bottles hold ice for 10 hours.
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Old 06-01-19, 10:22 PM
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Nalgene 1.5L

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Old 06-01-19, 11:15 PM
  #21  
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+1 on the Camelback podium bottles. Still mad at myself for leaving one at a Starbucks and riding off. Senior moment, I guess. For you guys with hard metal bottles, I'd hate to hit one if dropped on a group ride, riding in a tightly packed group. They don't seem very safe to me. Racing back in the 60s we used hard aluminum bottles, and I've seen a few dropped. This was BP, before plastic. 😏 I do find the Camelback bottle valves hard to dismantle and clean, but mine are pretty old. Maybe the new ones are better.
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Old 06-02-19, 12:00 AM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by dim

Elite Deboyo Ombra Stainless Steel Thermal Bottle


Steely Dan
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Old 06-02-19, 12:14 AM
  #23  
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I've used whatever was given to me.
However, when I want a good water bottle that I have to pay for, I would get a specialized. The opening is wide enough to put ice cubes, the spouts are easy to open and close, the bottle is durable and squeezes easily.
Curious, how do you get water out of a Stainless Steel water bottle that has a regular water bottle spout without taking the top off?
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Old 06-02-19, 02:32 AM
  #24  
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Another vote for Camelbak Podium Chill.

I have a collection of water bottles and the Camelbak is the only one that doesn't alter the taste of the water during a longer ride. Plus, the insulation properties of it do work to a good extent (up to nearly two hours in my experience).
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Old 06-02-19, 05:30 AM
  #25  
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RVH -

California Springs water bottles in 20 or 24 oz. versions. The narrow neck allows easy snagging when lifting from the cage but is wide enough for ice cubes. They are freezable and the lid allows a free flow. No bad plasticy taste and squeezable to increase the flow rate. Style wise they match my classic steel bikes. Can't ask for more.

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