What water bottle do you use?
#26
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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.
Easy to clean too.
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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/
#28
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Thanks for all the suggestions
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 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.
#29
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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.
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Nothing fancy, just regular plastic Polar bottles work for me. Not super light tho.
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.
These bottles IMO are quite lightweight, made of rather thin guage thickness, pliable plastic, and the screw top caps nicely hold the pressure in.
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/
…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.
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.
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.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 06-03-19 at 08:45 AM.
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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?
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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.
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I just have one of these follow me.
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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.
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.
...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.
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.
Much more convenient to stop.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 06-02-19 at 06:48 PM.
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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.
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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.
#41
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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:
#43
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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.
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#47
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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
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
#48
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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.
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.
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.
#49
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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.
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.
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To avoid anxiety over the possibility of a dropped cap, carry an extra cap in your pocket or tool kit.