Originally Posted by
DreamRider85
Gosh. My water bottle has fallen off my bike before but his time it fell off and tripped me while riding. I almost lost my balance and there were several cars moving.
Has anyone experienced this? I might no longer be able to carry water on my bike. Now my bottles were regular grocery store bottles. I guess they’re too small for the holders.
Keeping stuff secure on a bicycle is very important. Crashes can be bad. Waterbottles coming out have caused many crashes. Preventing that from happening isn't hard. Use bottles that fit securely in
that cage or get a different bottle or cage. Most plastic bicycle waterbottles work well in most waterbottle cages. Some cages can be adjust somewhat to better fit bottles. (Steel cages such as the old TAs and the easily available King cages. Don't "adjust" aluminum cages beyond very slight tweaks as they age or they will break on you, probably while riding.)
Some of the newer bottle cages are designed to handle a variety of bottles. I have zero experience with them so I will say no more.
The same attention should be paid to bags and panniers, anything on a rack, anything attached to your handlebars, sticks on the road ... I know I sound like a fuddy-duddy saying this but I've been riding and around bikes all my life. I seen a lot of stuff and experienced some. A very preventable crash cost me much of my professional life, years, thousands of dollars, opportunities. A crash from poor bungee cord management cost a symphony level flute player her embouchure and tone (for the rest of her life). My dad's best friend was lucky to be young and still immortal when he crashed doing stupid stuff around his front wheel.
Bicycles are inherently dangerous toys. They are also the gift of freedom. I love the freedom, have paid my dues and ride on, doing my best to be conscientious. This doesn't take a bunch of money, It does mean paying attention.
The cheap solution to the ill fitting bottle you have to carry? Get a secure rubber band, velcro strap ... Yes, drinking while riding won't be possible (without other risks) but the crash you saw won't happen again.