Bicycle water bottles
As soon as you plan a slightly longer tour with your bike, whether mountain bike, trekking bike or road bike, you are faced with the question: Which bike bottle do I need? There are water bottles in different materials, sizes, drinking caps and functions. Here you will learn everything you need to know when buying a bicycle water bottle and what may be a suitable alternative.
Sizes
The first decision you need to make is the size of the bottle. The most common volumes for a water bottle are 0.5 to 0.75 liters. Then there are two things to consider:
- Do you have enough space on the frame for a 0.75 liter bottle? Often, there is only room for 0.5 liter bottles on fullys (because of the additional damper and the special frame construction) and on e-bikes (because of the battery).
- How many liters do you need on your tour? If you are someone who drinks a lot while riding, it makes sense to have 2 x 0.75 liters with you. However, there are also riders who drink very little and for whom 0.5-liter bottles are enough.
Materials
Bike water bottles are usually made of three different materials: plastic, aluminum, and stainless steel.
Properties of plastic water bottles
- Very light
- Robust
- Easy to clean
- Large opening for filling
- The bottle can be squeezed to push the water out. This is particularly practical during strenuous physical activity. There is no need for laborious sucking.
- The fill level is visible at all times, even in transparent bottles
- May contain plasticizer. Be sure to check that the bottle is BPA-free.
- The temperature of the drink is not maintained
Pros and cons of aluminum as a material for drinking bottles
Advantages:
- Very light
- Robust
- Neutral flavor
- Can maintain the temperature of the contents relatively well
Disadvantages:
- Often small drinking opening and therefore difficult to clean
- Not suitable for carbonated drinks due to the inner coating
Stainless steel properties in bicycle water bottles
- Very robust and durable
- Neutral flavor
- Dishwasher safe, correspondingly easy to clean
- Keeps the temperature of the drink relatively well warm or cold.
- A bit heavier
- More expensive to buy, but lasts longer
Weight
Another issue is weight. Especially in the road bike sector, every gram counts. Professionals always rely on a maximum of 2 x 0.5 liter bottles made of lightweight plastic. In real everyday cycling, outside of competitive sports, weight does not play a major role. The differences in weight are marginal. So you can choose the bottle you like best and that meets your needs.
Shapes
Almost all bottles are standardized so that they fit into the corresponding bottle cages. The large, 0.7-liter bottles have a waist. This way, all bottles fit into the standard bicycle bottle cages. You don't have to worry about that.
However, there are also bottles in special shapes, which are then usually sold with special holders.
BPA-free bike water bottles
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound that has long been used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic products. The WHO considers it proven that it can cause health damage. In particular, it affects the developing brain and the reproductive system. BPA can migrate from plastics into food and drinks. BPA-free refers to products that do not contain detectable amounts of BPA.
All bottles we sell are BPA-free, of course!
Some plastic drinking bottles smell a little when they are new. However, this is completely harmless and disappears after several uses and washes.
Different closure systems
Since you usually only have one hand free for drinking while cycling, it is important that you can operate your water bottle with one hand. That's why you can open most bottles with one hand or with your mouth. With a so-called bite valve, the mouthpiece is pulled out a little with the teeth or lips. After drinking, it is pushed back in again and thus closed.
There are also water bottles with a screw cap. However, it is difficult to open these with just one hand while riding. This type of closure is particularly suitable for bottles that you tend to store in a backpack or bag and take out during breaks.
Special functions, special forms
There are water bottles with special features, such as thermoses or tool boxes.
Thermal water bottles
Do you often go out in winter or on cold days? Then it makes sense to take a thermos drinking bottle with you. The insulation ensures that your warm tea stays warm for several hours. This way, you will always have a warm drink with you, even during winter training.
The opposite applies in high summer. You can add a few ice cubes to water or an isotonic drink and the vacuum flask will keep the refreshment cold for several hours.
Tool box bike bottle
If you want to carry your tools, spare inner tube or nest egg inconspicuously and don't want to use a saddlebag, you can use a tool box in the form of a water bottle. This "bicycle bottle" looks like a normal bottle, but has a very large screw cap so that you can easily fill it. This way you create a waterproof storage space of 0.5 to 6 liters.
The alternative to bottles: hydration bladders
A hydration bladder is a bag that holds about 1 to 3 liters of water that you put in your backpack. You can drink while riding via a tube that extends over your shoulder to your chest. This is especially practical for mountain biking. You don't have to take a hand off the handlebars to reach for the bottle. Also, the bottle caps often get dirty from mud and dust when mountain biking because they sit very low in the frame. The mouthpiece of the hose gets dirty less quickly.
Cleaning your bike bottle properly
After using a water bottle, it is essential that you clean it thoroughly. In particular, the cap and/or the mouthpiece must be cleaned. This is especially important if you have not only drunk water but also isotonic or sugary drinks. Most bottles are dishwasher safe, so cleaning them does not require much effort. A bottle brush can be a good help if you want to wash the bottle by hand.