Touring - is your water bottle ?

how dangerous do you folk reckon it is to keep useing the same bidons (water bottles) espesally when on tour ,i read somewhere that bacteria builds up if not cleaned out properly every day.im sure there's a lot of truth in this ,so if you get stomach ache or the runs while on tour this could be the reason.

I would assume now and again you should wash your bottle out, but I think chemicals are more of a concern.



Taken from http://trusted.md/blog/vreni_gurd/2007/03/29/plastic_water_bottles

Plastic water bottles are very convenient for carting water around when we are on the go, as they don't break if we drop them. However, it is worth paying attention to the type of plastic your water bottle is made of, to ensure that the chemicals in the plastic do not leach into the water. If you taste plastic, you are drinking it, so get yourself another bottle.

To be certain that you are choosing a bottle that does not leach, check the recycling symbol on your bottle. If it is a #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), or a #4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), or a #5 PP (polypropylene), your bottle is fine. The type of plastic bottle in which water is usually sold is usually a #1, and is only recommended for one time use. Do not refill it. Better to use a reusable water bottle, and fill it with your own filtered water from home and keep these single-use bottles out of the landfill.

Unfortunately, those fabulous colourful hard plastic lexan bottles made with polycarbonate plastics and identified by the #7 recycling symbol, may leach BPA. Bisphenol A is a xenoestrogen, a known endocrine disruptor, meaning it disturbs the hormonal messaging in our bodies. Synthetic xenoestrogens are linked to breast cancer and uterine cancer in women, decreased testosterone levels in men, and are particularly devastating to babies and young children. BPA has even been linked to insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes. For more of the science on the effects of BPA on our endocrine system etc. see these studies: Environmental Health Perspectives Journal (http://stanley.niehs.nih.gov/ehp/query.html?col=ehp&qt=%2Bbisphenol+%2BA+%2B+%2B+%2Bplastic%2C+-url%3A.pdf&charset=iso-8859-1&qp=url%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov%2F+url%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fehp.niehs.nih.gov%2F+url%3Ahttp%3A %2F%2Fehis.niehs.nih.gov%2F+url%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fehpnet2.niehs.nih.gov%2F&qc=ehp). Nalgene, the company that manufactures the lexan water bottles also makes #2 HDPE bottles in the same sizes and shapes, so we have a viable alternative. Order one at Nalgene (http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=10).
Unfortunately, most plastic baby bottles and drinking cups are made with plastics containing Bisphenol A. In 2006 Europe banned all products made for children under age 3 containing BPA, and as of Dec. 2006 the city of San Franscisco followed suit. In March 2007 a billion-dollar class action suit was commenced against Gerber, Playtex, Evenflo, Avent, and Dr. Brown's in Los Angeles superior court for harm done to babies caused by drinking out of baby bottles and sippy cups containing BPA. So, to be certain that your baby is not exposed, use glass bottles.
Check the recycling numbers on all your plastic food containers as well, and gradually move to storing all food in glass or ceramic.

Store water in glass or brass if possible, and out of direct sunlight.

how dangerous do you folk reckon it is to keep useing the same bidons (water bottles) espesally when on tour ,i read somewhere that bacteria builds up if not cleaned out properly every day.im sure there's a lot of truth in this ,so if you get stomach ache or the runs while on tour this could be the reason.
I don't often really wash my bottles even at home. I generally rinse them out (hot water if available) and refill them. On a ten week tour they were washed maybe once or twice when one of my companions washed all of our bottles. At home they go months with only a rinsing out. At work the cup on my desk that I drink from gets even less attention, mostly just getting filled several times a day.

I am not aware of ever being sick from this lack of cleanliness. In fact I find that I am generally very seldom sick for any reason. My germ nut friends and co-workers seem to be sick all the time. Maybe my disgusting to some habits help me build up a resistance, maybe I am just lucky.

emm i think your just lucky,but you can also be unlucky so why not be careful.

Rinse them out on a daily basis, and give them a wash with a bit of bleach one in a while, and you'll be fine.



Incidentally, I believe you can delete your own double post.

im sure there's a lot of truth in this

Incorrect.

I wouldn't lose any sleep about it. The frickin media and medical community would have you doing some serious hand wringing about this sort of stuff but hell, you'll probably get more germs eating a burrito with your hands at a taco bell.

Just wash them out with hot soapy water when you can and keep on trucking.

Snopes debunks (http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/petbottles.asp) the myth that "disposable" water bottles are safe only for one-time use. By the way, ultralight backpackers use such water bottles both for water and for their alcohol stoves (just put some red tape on that one).

You should at least look inside it occasionally. This would really suck.

http://www.visceralcycling.com/blog/uploaded_images/pict3206-756502.jpg (http://www.visceralcycling.com/blog/index.html)


I was sick for 3 days but finally recovered. I kept to myself and thankfully, no one in the hostel got sick. When I left, I decided to clean out my camel back. As you can see it was green with mold or some other nasty growth....no wonder I got sick. (http://www.visceralcycling.com/blog/index.html)

It all depends on what kind of tour you are considering. If you are going to be gone for only a few days, what is the big deal? If you are going to be gone for a year, then you need to figure out how you are going to clean your water bottles regularly.
Seriously, if you just rinse the bottles out once in awhile and clean the road grime off of the outside you should have no problems. I usually rinse my water bottles out each day and leave them open overnight to dry out. Works for me for a couple of months at least.

That's one of the reasons I only use water in my Camelbak -no sugar drinks, soda, fruit juice milk, etc. Aside from on tour when I just flush it with water, it gets a thorough washing out with a mild detergent and hot water.

But that photo is very offputting!


You should at least look inside it occasionally. This would really suck.

http://www.visceralcycling.com/blog/uploaded_images/pict3206-756502.jpg (http://www.visceralcycling.com/blog/index.html)

ant,
Just rinse out your water bottles every few days and you should be fine. On tour I find that the outside of the bottles gets pretty gross so I clean that stuff off pretty often as well. Normally, I don't even use soap, just clean water. I like to rinse them out each evening and leave them open to dry out over night.

+1 on lighthorse's advice.


Incidentally, I believe you can delete your own double post.You can delete your own post, but you cannot delete a double thread you started. But it's all fixed now.

--J, a Forum Mod

Geeze, I can't remember the last time I washed out my bottles and I've used them for almost two decades. They do go dry every week or so so all the nasties usually die off.

emm i think your just lucky,but you can also be unlucky so why not be careful.
If I am just lucky I have been for a heck of a long time. At 56 I have been similarly careless since I was a kid.

Interestingly enough I have friends who are absolutely over the top about avoiding germs. They use hand sanitizer constantly and obsess over cleaning anything they may touch. Guess what, they seem to be sick all the time.

Given that I will continue to take my chances.

I rinse mine out thoroughly once a day (when I have access to water.) That usually works for a few weeks. At home I put them in the dishwasher every couple of months. If I'm on tour for several weeks I'll put some soap in them and shake them vigorously a few times, let the soapy water sit, shake them a few more times, then rinse them thoroughly. If there still appears to be crud on the bottom I'll get a soapy sponge and a long stick. Use the stick to push the sponge hard into the bottom of the bottle and scrub it out. Then more rinsing.

I too am also a firm believer in the idea that one must be exposed to germs every so often to build resistance. The immune system is like a muscle. It can become weak in our overly sterile environment.

That said, I do not enjoy growing moldy science projects in my bottles. While on tour I use my stainless steel bottles (http://www.vwvagabonds.com/Bike/BikeWaterBottles.html) and an immersion heater to boil water for morning tea, thereby killing the growth.

http://www.vwvagabonds.com/Bike/sitebuilder/images/IMG_4884-200x274.jpg http://www.vwvagabonds.com/images/BikeKleanKanteen.JPG

Hi,

never thought about that. I use my bottles since 1997 and I cleaned them once or twice in 11 years.
But I fill only water in water bottles.

Thomas

I too am also a firm believer in the idea that one must be exposed to germs every so often to build resistance. The immune system is like a muscle. It can become weak in our overly sterile environment.

That said, I do not enjoy growing moldy science projects in my bottles. While on tour I use my stainless steel bottles (http://www.vwvagabonds.com/Bike/BikeWaterBottles.html) and an immersion heater to boil water for morning tea, thereby killing the growth.

http://www.vwvagabonds.com/Bike/sitebuilder/images/IMG_4884-200x274.jpg http://www.vwvagabonds.com/images/BikeKleanKanteen.JPG


How do you keep your stainless bottles from rattling?

sorry about the double post and sorry staehpi1 i wasen't having a go at you honestly ,i also just rinse my bidons out it's just that i was on a charity ride and i was feeling ill and some guy said its proberly to do with your bidon's that if they were not cleaned out properly well it got me thinking,

sorry about the double post and sorry staehpi1 i wasen't having a go at you honestly ,i also just rinse my bidons out it's just that i was on a charity ride and i was feeling ill and some guy said its proberly to do with your bidon's that if they were not cleaned out properly well it got me thinking,
No offense taken here. It is a valid question. It just isn't something that I worry about.

Yes, they rattle. Also, they are a bit more difficult to get out of the bottle holder when on the move. You can't squeeze them like a plastic bottle to force the liquid out. And the big one has a tendency to jar out of the holder when the road is really rough. When off road I use a rubber band to keep it in place.

Yes, they rattle. Also, they are a bit more difficult to get out of the bottle holder when on the move. You can't squeeze them like a plastic bottle to force the liquid out. And the big one has a tendency to jar out of the holder when the road is really rough. When off road I use a rubber band to keep it in place.
Thanks I was wondering about that too. I think I would miss being able to squeeze the bottle to drink.

I learned a trick from my roommate who was in the korean army. He says that you should just put a dab of toothpaste in your bottle, shake it around, and rinse. The toothpaste should kill anything and leave a nice fresh scent, although you should rinse thoroughly. Using this method i have never had a problem with mold.

Great trick for backpacking or touring.

zoltani that sounds like a good trick would a mouth wash work as well i wonder emm.?

zoltani that sounds like a good trick would a mouth wash work as well i wonder emm.?


Dish soap and bleach work quite well too. I use dish soap once a week or so ... and bleach whenever anything has gone moldy or my bottles have taken on an odd smell.

Dish soap and bleach work quite well too. I use dish soap once a week or so ... and bleach whenever anything has gone moldy or my bottles have taken on an odd smell.

Do you generally carry dish soap and bleach on tour or backpacking, cause I don't.....
IF i carry soap it is usually the biodegradable camp soap that i use for my dishes, body, or anything else.

Do you generally carry dish soap and bleach on tour or backpacking, cause I don't.....
IF i carry soap it is usually the biodegradable camp soap that i use for my dishes, body, or anything else.

I carry shampoo topped up with the soap in gas station washroom. That's dish soap for me ... and laundry detergent, and shower soap, and shampoo, and soap for any other occasions I might run across ... including, of course, cleaning my bottles.

The bleach is for when my bottles develop mold, which they never have on tours because I'm using them, and rinsing/washing them every day (and I've got a huge bottle of bleach for when they mold up over the winter) ... or when they develop an odd smell, which they have done on tours. In cases like that, I've tried to score bleach or something strong at a hostel to take care of the problem. You might be able to get a bit from a laundromat too.

How do you keep your stainless bottles from rattling?

I use metal bottles exclusively. I used aluminum for years, and now I use stainless. I also use nylon cages -- no rattles. The plastic cages have held up remarkably well.

Here is an example:

http://www.sierraropeproducts.com/i/Klean%20Kanteen/BIKE_CAGE_AND_KLEAN_KANTEEN-web.jpg

Yes, they rattle. Also, they are a bit more difficult to get out of the bottle holder when on the move. You can't squeeze them like a plastic bottle to force the liquid out. And the big one has a tendency to jar out of the holder when the road is really rough. When off road I use a rubber band to keep it in place.

I use a stainless steel thermos sometimes, and it doesn't rattle at all when I put it in a Topeak Modula Cage EX (http://www.topeak.com/products/Bottle-Cages/ModulaCageEX). They're pretty cheap, so it might be worth a try.

i, too, have never washed my bidons. occasionally, when they get too dirty on the outside i rinse them off,
but most days?
They just get a refil.
I do have to say that I've never put anything other than water and a 'thin' solution of ORS in them.
After the holiday I do store them without tops so they can dry out thoroughly.
And, yes, incidentally I too believe that we (in the west anyhow) live too sterile lives.

novara makes plastic water bottles that don't leach bpa's, are insulated to keep your drank cooler, longer, and cost half of what a stainless steel bottler would. my two cents.

The mechanical action of a good rinsing will remove just about as much bacteria or more than soap will. So long as there are not residual particles of food or a film of sports drink in there rinsing and drying is usually all that is needed. After using sports drinks it is best to use a brush with running hot water to make sure all the stuff is dissolved and washed away.

Also, chlorine combines with organic materials to create cancer causing agents so you should be careful when using it to clean out bottles. Any particles left on the surface might be more dangerous than the bacteria. So use a very weak bleach solution and a very good rinsing when using bleach.

Ethanol is probably better than bleach for disinfecting.

I use efferdent tablets to clean my camelback, probably be great for those of you in the fuss camp. TBH, I rarely clean a water bottle, or the CB for that matter. Just rinse occasionally and always watch what I put in them. The CB sees nothing but bottled water and that's usually the case for the bottles, too. What's to go bad? It's water.

You could use Sterident (denture cleaning tablets) just break a small piece off and leave it to soak overnight, the give it a scrub with a bottle brush. Normal cycling bottles tend to deform if you put boiling water in the so don't. Nalgene and camelbak type bottles will take hot water, this will also get rid of some of the nasties. I don't clean my bottles very often but I only use water in them, I also believe you're more likely to become ill if debris/dirt/flies/road kill:thumb: land on the drinking spout when riding so buy a bottle with a cover over this to keep it clean. Also when touring don't neglect personal hygiene, wash your hands, clean your teeth etc etc

I keep meaning to buy those fizzing tablets for dentures to try on my camelbak bladder. Actually, mine's a Source bladder, which is supposedly less susceptible to gunge growth. I got a long flexible thing to scrub the tube, and a similar one for the bladder. It works quite well.

As for my bottles, I just rinse, shake and let air dry. I am averse to bleach.

Sounds like I'm the most hardcore here: I don't actually drink water on the bike very often, so I'm often drinking out of a bottle I filled up a few days or up to a week ago. I give it a sniff before I drink, and if it smells rank, I don't touch it.

It does seems logical to rinse it out when refilling though. Seriously, though, it's just bacteria, that came from you in the first place.

Steve

at the end of the day i still like to think my bidons as perfectly clean before i drink from them ,so lots of great advice given here .i think ill go with the tablets idea (denture cleaning) great idea and it onle takes but a second to do .better to be safe than sorry.

Ethanol is probably better than bleach for disinfecting.
Perhaps a small flask of Jim Beam would suffice on tour. Much better than bleach.;)

I learned a trick from my roommate who was in the korean army. He says that you should just put a dab of toothpaste in your bottle, shake it around, and rinse. The toothpaste should kill anything and leave a nice fresh scent, although you should rinse thoroughly. Using this method i have never had a problem with mold.

Great trick for backpacking or touring.

Interesting idea. I'm sure you weren't being literal when you state "it should kill anything." In fact, toothpaste is not a very effective antibacterial agent. It may help the taste though.
I've used the same worn out faded water bottles for years, to the point where the thousands of gallons of well water swill picked up from God knows where, has actually created a pleasant yellow hue to the inside. From the list of issues to be cautious of while bike touring, I would put your water bottles near the bottom of the list. Every few weeks, just fill halfway with hot water and shake. And always store them open. Other than that, remember to not drink from them like a teat..;) Keep them out of the inside of your mouth and you'll be fine!

I think the key here is what was in your water bottle in the first place. If it was just water, than no worries, if it was some sweet, sugar based sport drink, then more attention is due.

novara makes plastic water bottles that don't leach bpa's, are insulated to keep your drank cooler, longer, and cost half of what a stainless steel bottler would. my two cents.

As does Polar.

I used to worry about this. Did you ever notice how the inside of your automobile windows is always covered by a nasty gray haze? That's "outgassing" from the plastic upholstery materials, and I figured that plastic water bottles would do the same.

Then I thought about it.

The "outgassing" is always worse when the car is new. After a year or so the volatile components in the material have pretty much "gassed away", and the film becomes less of a problem.

Then I thought of all of the foodstuffs that are packaged in plastic: Milk, soda, peanut butter, etc. - not to mention water. Those bottles must discharge their volatile compounds into the product, too, while sitting on the shelves before you buy it or consume it. Nobody seeme to worry about that.

Some folks were always throwing their old bottles away and buying new ones! Heck, I figure they were just buying bottles that were freshly charged with bad stuff all ready to contaminate their water, you see? I figure the older the bottle, the less the danger.

I used to worry about this. Did you ever notice how the inside of your automobile windows is always covered by a nasty gray haze? That's "outgassing" from the plastic upholstery materials, and I figured that plastic water bottles would do the same.

My automobile windows aren't covered by a nasty gray haze. Perhaps you need to stop smoking in the car?

And I wouldn't worry about your plastic bottles. Evidently canned goods have a much higher rate of whatever chemical it is that everyone is all concerned about, and we all eat canned goods.

Mebbe I'm getting the wrong impression because we're focusing on this subject here, but the fuss and bother is a bit silly. I seriously think that there's more risk of getting sick from a poorly rinsed bottle cleaned with bleach or other substance than from anything that might actually befoul a bidon. Yep, some plastics are to be avoided. They introduce themselves by imparting a taste or smell.

Otherwise, I'm inclined to think that more water, more riding and less worries vastly outweighs other concerns. Yes, if you're getting water from the wild you've got different issues. But if you refill from bottled water or even the tap anywhere in the civilized world the stress of worrying about it is worse than the very slim chance of a problem. Of course I only drink sugared stuff from the crap container it comes in and then dispose of it. Your mileage will vary.

just on the subject of only drinking water,dont you all think it would be far better to take a high energy drink when cycling.another reason to clean your bidons.all the books you read on science in sport recommend high energy drinks they reckon water is useless for high active sports especally cycling..

What is a high energy drink?

"Useless"? That seems to be putting it a bit strong. Water hydrates. Gatorade restores electrolytes. There's only one way to hydrate, but other ways to restore electrolytes.

As does Polar.

+1 I love those. They're 750ml, insulated, double-walled and light.