General Cycling Discussion - How do you keep your water bottles cool when it's hot?

Seems I can't escape this heat. 3.30am start this morning and it was already 32 C and about 85% humidity. Seems to be getting worse everyday. The problem is that drinking copious amounts of water is considerably less pleasant if that water is hot, too. I really need a solution to this problem.

Ummmm... move to Chicago and ride outside in the winter?

:D ;)

Seriously, I've heard a lot of good things about that Polar water bottle. Check out this link: http://rsn.altrec.com/shop/detail/2913/9/?xsell_detail

They don't ship internationally, but I bet you could find a store in your neck of the woods that has it.

Koffee

Lately I've been a lot more worried about keeping them from freezing solid. I haven't found anything that works well on keeping them cool in hot weather. Freezing them before riding buys an extra half hour, but that is about it.

Ummmm... move to Chicago and ride outside in the winter?

Is the offer on the ticket still good? :p


Seriously, I've heard a lot of good things about that Polar water bottle. Check out this link: http://rsn.altrec.com/shop/detail/2913/9/?xsell_detail

They don't ship internationally, but I bet you could find a store in your neck of the woods that has it.


Now that is something I could look into.

Chris --

Koffee beat me to the punch on suggesting the Polar bottle. I've got no direct experience with it -- we don't get seriously hot weather where I live -- but people I know who ride the deserts of the southwestern U.S. seem to swear by it. And of course, the inimitable Crazy Guy on a Bike (www.crazyguyonabike.com) counts a pair of Polar bottles among his most indispensible pieces of touring equipment, jealously guarded against mishap.

Besides that, the only suggestions I can think of kinda obvious: start out with lots of ice in the water bottles, and keep backup bottles in your panniers rather than on the frame in direct sunlight...

Have fun,
- Paul

In the Summer, when we ride in the interior it can get pretty hot. I do own two Polar water bottle. With the insulated jacket they keep water cool for several hours.. I keep mine in the refrig. before I ride and as I leave, put some ice in the reservoir..
I would guess they keep the water cool as long as maybe four hours. I think you will find them a pretty big improvement.

Maybe it's just me but if it's hot out and I'm thirsty... I really don't care that my water isn't cold. Now warm sportsdrinks are another matter... because that just leaves one with a horrible impression in their head after drinking it. :D

I struggled for a long time with hot water in my bottles. I finally purchased two Polar bottles and I never experienced this problem again. Also, I really like the fact that I can remove the drinking valves for thorough cleaning.

I use to live in the desert heat of over 100 degrees in California so I found there's a couple of ways you can do this, I did both depending on how far. First thing I got were 3 24oz Polar bottles (the 3rd bottle I strapped on to my stem using a bracket made by Two Fish), used these for shorter rides of under 60 miles. I would put one bottle in the freeze till solid, the 2nd I would fill with ice, and the 3rd I would fill with about 1/2 ice and drank them in the order of less ice first. Of course you have to mix your drink mix according to get the right mixture after the ice melts. The other thing I do when I go on ride longer than 60 mile is use a CamelBack Rogue that holds 70oz of fluid PLUS the bottles. I put about 1/4th ice in the Rogue then fill one bottle with ice and the rest freeze solid.

BUT sometimes hot was too hot and I stayed indoors. I usually did not ride when it was over 105 because all the water in the world could not make me cool enough unless I doused my self with it. I also rode more at night when the temps got too high during the day.

I too have experience with Polar bottles. They work better then any other alternative I have used, aside from refilling with ice at a conveience store.

The two things I didn't like were in regards to the feel of the bottle. It's a little bit bigger then a normal bottle so it wasn't as comfortable in my hand reaching for it, probably just a matter of getting used to it. Also I didn't like the size of the valve for the water, which is just a personal preference thing. Overall the bottle works well at keeping water cool so I would say if you have the chance to try one then definately go for it.

It should also be mentioned that I have one of the original Polar bottles and have no experience with any new models of them, so they may have changed or modified them.

Freeze it solid.

Freeze it solid.

I have tried this many a time and although it works great for the first 20 minutes of a 100+ degree ride you fail to get any kind of benefit from it thereafter.

Maybe it's just me but if it's hot out and I'm thirsty... I really don't care that my water isn't cold.

I think there's a reasonable distinction between "not cold" and ridiculously hot. Honestly, the water I was carrying this morning was hotter than any shower I've had in the last three months!

I think there's a reasonable distinction between "not cold" and ridiculously hot. Honestly, the water I was carrying this morning was hotter than any shower I've had in the last three months!

Maybe try using a different colour or even clear bottles? I prefer clear bottles because they don't seem to get as hot. Also, it's easier for me to see how much water I have left and what's in them in the case where I fill different bottles with different things.

Get a couple polar bottles, and freeze 'em...

Hey Chris, if you find out where to buy these Polar bottles in Australia, please let me know. It gets just as hot in Canberra at this time of the year.

Put a wet sock over the bottle and the evaporatiion of the water will keep the bottle cool. A spray bottle is also good for keeping yourself cool.

A spray bottle is also good for keeping yourself cool.

You mean people don't just use their waterbottles for that? :D

Maybe try using a different colour or even clear bottles? I prefer clear bottles because they don't seem to get as hot.

I'm using white water bottles now, although I may give clear ones a try at some point. I can usually tell how much water I have left by the weight of the bottle.


Robert -- I'll be making some local enquiries up here, not sure if my LBS would send them to Canberra, but I can ask for you. Failing that, perhaps the Bicycling Australia Buyer's Guide could be a good place to start.

Howdy from Tucson, AZ
All other suggestions about pre-freezing bottles are valid. Have one water bottle partially pre-frozen, the 2nd bottle fully frozen. Then wrap an old heavy sock around each bottle to insulate it; works every time! Also by wetting that sock when humidity is lower, it will act as an evaporative cooler. Have commuted regularly in 100+ (fahrenheit) degree heat with very low (single digit) humidity and survived just fine.
If all else fails, take a break from riding and have a Toothsheaf Stout or a Fosters!

Don't Moderators get Support Car assistance?

What is a support car?

I have tried this many a time and although it works great for the first 20 minutes of a 100+ degree ride you fail to get any kind of benefit from it thereafter.

100+ weather and a frozen solid POLAR bottle will last 2 1/2 to 3 hours and still be cold but drinkable; much over 3 hours and the drink become warm to hot at about 3 1/2 hours out in direct sunlight. A non insulated bottle frozen solid will only last maybe an hour in 100+ weather and in direct sun.

Chris, I have a brother in Brisbane, so if you find an outlet for the Polar bottle up there, he'd be able to collect it for me.

What is a support car?sag wagon

Camelbak 1/2 full (or more) of ice. Bottles suck for long hot rides in my never so humble opinion

Same here, also FL, 3/4 ice the rest water in a Camelbak. I now also have extra room for tools, tubes etc. The only drawback is you get "the look" from other roadies for wearing a Camelbak.

This is just a personal thing not that I think it's the best way. I do not like anything on my back while riding thus I use water bottles whenever necessary instead of the Camelback. I do though realize when on long rides that 3 bottles is not enough so on goes the CamelBack in addition to the bottles. I also will drink from the Camel first to get the water weight off the back quicker.

Polar bottles for me to and they work pretty good.Buy them online at most places.

I suffered in the Arkansas heat all last year with little relief from this problem. Typically, summertime temps are 100 with 90-98% humidity, and no fun to be thirsty in. I'm gonna get some polar bottles, though, and try the sock thing. Thanks Guys and Gals!!

Like the others said, polar bottle or get an all steel vacuum bottle. Other than that, a half frozen camelbak both keeps your drink and your back cool.

There's also a company that sells a bottle jacket that soaks up water. As you ride, the evaporative effect keeps the bottle cool.

BTW: alcohol freezes at a lower temperature, that'll buy you some time before it melts ;)

I think I'll try that sock idea too and see if the Polar bottle will stay cooler even longer. Thanks for that idea guys.

[QUOTE=slvoid

BTW: alcohol freezes at a lower temperature, that'll buy you some time before it melts ;)[/QUOTE]
Theres the answer, cut your favorite bottle drink 50/50 with Jack Daniels & freeze it :beer:

I don't go for Jack Daniels anymore. I'm all over Old Grand-dad Whiskey, though. Aaaaah yeah! That's the stuff! ;)

Koffee

Koffee, Go for the Makers Mark. Beats Gramps hands down.

When I was in school for Construction Management, one of my classes was HVAC (Heating, Ventalation and Air-Conditioning). The Prof. was a runner and a pretty cool (no pun intended) guy. He knew I was a cyclist and told me of the sock over the water bottle idea. It works! I could bore you with the details, but just try it. Get an heavy terry sock, (Preferably a clean one!) put the water bottle into it, then wet the sock. As the water evaporates it drops the temperature. The only thing to remember is to make sure the sock stays wet. This is usually not a problem if you add ice or partially freeze the water bottle to start with.

L8R

Maybe it's just me but if it's hot out and I'm thirsty... I really don't care that my water isn't cold. Now warm sportsdrinks are another matter... because that just leaves one with a horrible impression in their head after drinking it. :D

True, but it doesn’t get all THAT hot up here in the NorthWest, and depending on where you are ridding, there always seems to be places to refill.