During the fall and colder months, having bike water bottles while you ride may not seem that important. But during the summer, believe me, you’ll get thirsty.
While some cyclists may enjoying having that as an excuse to stop at a little café or coffee shop for a drink, most want to keep going. That’s why having bike water bottles right on your bicycle that you can grab easily, open, and take a drink from are so important.
So what are important features to look for?
Wide Mouth Bike Water Bottles
Here’s one you may not have thought of: wide-mouth vs. narrow mouth bike water bottles. A nice feature on a hot day is being able to put ice cubes in your bottle so that by the time you’re ready for a drink, you have something nice and cold. This is only possible if you have a nice wide opening.
You may see bottles sold in stores that have narrow openings. The argument is that they are easier to drink from. But these are mostly bottles that hikers and campers use, not cyclists. They can stop and screw off the lid to take a drink.
With bike water bottles, however, nobody has two free hands–one to hold it and the other to unscrew it. Instead these bottles have pull tops so you can grab the water bottle with one hand while still riding and pull it open with your teeth. So it really doesn’t matter how big the opening is under the pull top.
Size
Here’s another thing to think about: size. You want to make sure you have enough water to last your trip. But remember that the bigger the bike water bottle, the more weight it adds. So try to get the smallest size bottle possible that will still satisfy your thirst. Some common sizes are 21 oz and 24 oz.
Aerodynamics
Almost every bike water bottle you see has the same basic shape. But some companies have realized there is no reason why the bottle has to be round. Instead they have come out with an more aerodynamic
shape.
Check out for example the Arundel aerodynamic bottle.
Note that one downside of this water bottle is that you can only fit one on your bike.
Insulated water bottle
Another nice feature to have are insulated bike water bottles. These will really keep your drink cool without having to add ice. Polar makes nice insulated bike water bottles that have a foil covering.
So if you’re shopping for bike water bottles, keep in mind some of the more desirable features.
Looking for a Cycling Water Bottle? Look no Further!
