Cycling Water Bottle

Welcome to my website of all kinds of cycling water bottle information and products. I hope you find exactly the information you need to serve your cycling water bottle needs.

Although the reason for wanting a bottle of water or other drink while you’re cycling is a basic need, the different types of products and accessories to satisfy that need as vast.

Attaching a Cycling Water Bottle to your Bike

The most popular way is to buy a separate cage which the water bottle fits into. The cage typically screws onto your down tube or seat tube (some people put a bottle on both tubes) but you can also buy cages that attach to your handlebar. This works fine unless you have other things taking up space there like a handlebar bag or cycling computer. Some cages also mount on your saddle rails for bottles that are attached behind your seat.

Not all bottles attach with cages, though. Some come with built-in clips or straps that attach anywhere on your frame without attaching a cage first.

What to look for in a Cycling Water Bottle

Here are some features to look for when shopping for one:

Insulation

Nothing is worse than drinking warm water after a hard ride, especially on a hot day. Fortunately, many styles of cycling bottles have some insulating feature to keep your beverage cool. The most effective way to insulate your water is to use a double-wall construction. Air is trapped between the two walls, which is a very good insulator. This is similar to how a thermos works.

Wide Mouth

A wide mouth serves two uses: it allows you to put ice cubes in easily which is very desirable on a hot day. It also makes it easy to clean.

Dishwasher Safe

No, not all cycling water bottles are. If you’re shopping for a bottle, don’t overlook this feature.

Screwed on Lid

Unlike a lid that pops on, one that screws on is secure. This means that the lid won’t pop off when you pull the bottle open with your teeth for a sip.

Easy to Squeeze

Some cycling bottles are hard to squeeze with one hand, especially the thicker insulated bottles. You want to easily be able to squeeze and drink while you’re riding so you can concentrate on your ride and not on your bottle.

Size

A bigger size (like 48oz) may be appealing because it means more liquid available to drink, but make sure any bottle you buy will clear your top tube as you put it into your cage. Make sure you measure first and get the exact bottle size specs.

Taste

In theory, washing your bottle first should get rid of any plasticy taste that will transfer into your water, but this isn’t always the case. Read customer reviews first.

How a Cycling Water Bottle affects Wind Resistance

How does the water bottle effect the wind resistance of your bike? You might think that it increases it (and that would make sense) but studies conducted in a wind tunnel showed that a water bottle mounted on the down tube or the seat tube actually reduced wind resistance. Who’d have thunk?