Winter Cycling - Water bottle freezing

My water bottle keeps freezing on my winter rides. Any suggestions for a good insulated water bottle that won't freeze -- or at least takes much longer to freeze than a standard bottle?

Thanks in advance for all suggestions.

Add some alcohol :)

Carry bottles inside your jacket in a jersey pocket where body heat will keep it warm.

I put neoprene can coozies over the insulated bottles and put them in a trunk bag.
Same strategy as in summer heat.

I don't use water bottles in winter beacuse they freeze and I don't like drinking ice cold water on a cold days ride. I use a stainless steel thermos , actually two of them ,they fit perfectly in my waterbottle cages . I usually have one with hot tea and the other with hot chocalate or coffee.

About 3/4 oz of gin in a small water bottle will keep it from freezeing for about 3 hours . When it dose freeze its stays in a slush form.

About 3/4 oz of gin in a small water bottle will keep it from freezeing for about 3 hours . When it dose freeze its stays in a slush form.
+1

Out of gin tried brandy, did not work. Was 18 degrees out with a 20 mph wind. Bottle made it 30 minutes into a 2 hour ride. If I dont get to the store will try rum or hot peper vodka tomarrow.

I use my Camelbak for xc skiing and as nkfrench suggested, keep your water under your layers. Although how cold could it really get in Fort Worth I don't know. I've successfully used the Cbak down to single (F) digits. I don't use the C-bak for biking...doesn't keep the water cold enough but it works great for skiing. Just gotta shield it adequately or it too will freeze up.

does red wine help? actually I was thinking of microwaving the dam thing for my 1 hr commute. hot hot should it be?

I use a stainless steel thermos also. I got rid of my "non-plastic-flavored" polyethylene water bottle
this summer after exposure to direct sunlight made it start tasting like plastic. I can't imagine how
horrible microwave irradiation would have made it taste. Maybe a little vodka would have covered
the plasticity.

I never thought of warm/hot driks on my ride to work. I may have to give this a shot. Though my ride is only 40 minutes, the cold isn't that cold (yet, and even then, it's only UK-cold), and I'm dodging traffic, pedestricns, and other cyclists while riding. I might not hav time for a hot drink, esepcially since I wont be able to sip it.

Any suggestions for a good insulated water bottle that won't freeze -- or at least takes much longer to freeze than a standard bottle?

Backpack Thermos (http://www.amazon.com/Therrmos-Nissan-16-Ounce-Stainless-Backpack/dp/B000K604P0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1260501351&sr=8-1)

Over my hour commute, my water bottle nozzels freezes, the contents don't freeze solid. I've found that if I close the nozzel and put them in the bottle cage upside down, the nozzle doesn't freeze as fast as when it is upright and open.

Small un insulated bottle and 1 oz of rum survived todays ride. 2 hours 18 degrees and 20 mph winds out of the west. Didnt look up a wind chill. I find if I look up a wind chill I start to question the sanity of being out there.

Backpack Thermos (http://www.amazon.com/Therrmos-Nissan-16-Ounce-Stainless-Backpack/dp/B000K604P0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1260501351&sr=8-1)

That is indeed the worlds best hot or warm weather bike water bottle -- the Thermos model JMW500. However you have to find or improvize some kind of neoprene or other type of sleeve to put it in, so that it will have enough diameter to grip inside "typical" water bottle cages. Many such a sleeve can be borrowed from other makes and models of beverage containers or insulators.

One of the many reasons it's the best is because the lip you sip from is enclosed by the lid, therefore you never get road gunk on the lip.

That is indeed the worlds best hot or warm weather bike water bottle -- the Thermos model JMW500. However you have to find or improvize some kind of neoprene or other type of sleeve to put it in, so that it will have enough diameter to grip inside "typical" water bottle cages.

You can also get an adjustable cage such as Topeak Modula. Adjustability of the cage can be handy otherwise.

used the tea kettle at work to heat up the water before I left for home. I think I go the temperature just right for the 1 hr ride

If the valve freezes, but not the bottle contents, take the cap off and drink like you were at home.

Nothing wrong with stopping in a convenience store and using their microwave, if such is on your route. You might want to buy something...

Preheating your fluids buys some time.

Thermoses are good.

Wearing your bottles under your jacket works. CB reservour under the jacket will stay melted. Here the bite valve might work worn under your jacket, but otherwise it will freeze fast.

You can fabricate some full-coverage neoprene jackets by getting neoprene sheeting 3mm-5mm and custom cutting and gluing.

If you have some kind of neoprene cove for bottles in cages, you might get good results slipping in a chemi hand or foot warmer or two.

I use my Camelbak for xc skiing and as nkfrench suggested, keep your water under your layers. Although how cold could it really get in Fort Worth I don't know. I've successfully used the Cbak down to single (F) digits. I don't use the C-bak for biking...doesn't keep the water cold enough but it works great for skiing. Just gotta shield it adequately or it too will freeze up.


Add some alcohol :)

Keep the water bottle next to your body. The best winter alternative are camelback or similar. Get a good shoulder bag with hydration pocket. At the end of the day thaw frozen body with equal parts protein and vodka.

If it doesn't feel good, you're doing it wrong........
bj
:injured:

You can also get an adjustable cage such as Topeak Modula. Adjustability of the cage can be handy otherwise.

Yup, the Topeak Modula is exactly what I use generally and with the Thermos JMW500 in particular.

One problem with adding alcohol (or salt) to lower the freezing point is that you end up with "water" that's below the freezing point, which will freeze (or at least irritate) your throat. This become even worse as you huff-and-puff as you exert yourself.

+1 for inside your clothes, however you want to accomplish that.

As my commutes are less than 45 minutes, I try to hydrate before leaving the house. I take a bottle with me, but the top regularly freezes.

However, I am usually able to unscrew the lid. So if I have been working hard or get thirsty, I stop and unscrew the cap and drink.

About 3/4 oz of gin in a small water bottle will keep it from freezeing for about 3 hours . When it dose freeze its stays in a slush form.

It would depend, greatly, on the outside temperature. 3/4 oz of gin is about 22 ml. But gin is also only about 40 % ethanol so the amount of ethanol added is only 9 ml. In a 500 ml bottle that's 2% ethanol. The freezing point for a 2% ethanol solution is around -1 C or about 30 F. If you want to drop the temperature to 20F (-12C), you'll need a 15% solution of ethanol. That's 190 ml of gin or 6 oz of gin or roughly 7.5 shots of gin...straight up;)

If you want a bottle that won't freeze quickly, a Camelbak does a very good job...especially with a thermal kit for insulating the tube.

One problem with adding alcohol (or salt) to lower the freezing point is that you end up with "water" that's below the freezing point, which will freeze (or at least irritate) your throat. This become even worse as you huff-and-puff as you exert yourself.

+1 for inside your clothes, however you want to accomplish that.

People drink frozen alcoholic drinks all the time...even high levels of alcohol like 80 or 90 proof... without freezing their throats. The human body has lots of water in it and water has a very high heat capacity. The liquid is likely near body temperature by the time it hits the throat.

But drinking alcohol (or the level of salt needed for depressing the freezing point of water significantly, isn't healthy. With alcohol, you'd be pretty wasted by the bottom of the bottle.

I've found that a PolarBottle (http://www.polarbottle.com/) will buy you a little more time than a standard, non-insulated bottle. I did a little experiment last December...

Temperature units are degrees Fahrenheit.



Elapsed Water Temp Outdoor
Time Polar | Generic Temp
---------------------------------------
0:00 106 106 5.2
0:40 79 61 6.0
1:25 59 33 6.8 Ice forming on top of generic bottle
2:10 39 31 7.7 Top/Sides of generic bottle frozen


http://www.iowahighpower.com/bike/bottletest.jpg

I've found that a PolarBottle (http://www.polarbottle.com/) will buy you a little more time than a standard, non-insulated bottle. I did a little experiment last year about this time of year...


Somebody should test the new bottles which use aerogel as insulation... regarding the insulated bottles, i think most of the water's heat escapes through the simple plastic lid.

Can you post the units of measurement for your experiment?

I have used teh standard Camelbak bottles for a couple of years but this winter I got the new insulated Camelbak stainless steel thermos and it works great even when the temps go way down. I either put warm tea (I hate hot tea, I like it at around 110 degrees) or just plain room temperature water and it doesn't freeze in the winter.

this winter I got the new insulated Camelbak stainless steel thermos and it works great even when the temps go way down.

How does the cap in the Camelbak work in practice? Photo on the Camelbak site (http://www.camelbak.com/sports-recreation/bottles/insulated-stainless-5L.aspx) suggests that it may lack insulation. It is not clear to me how one opens the spout. Is the one-hand operation possible? Whichever way you cut it, the cap looks like a weakness.

Otherwise, quick Googling on the occasion reveals that Thermos is coming out with new lines of personal bottles. I wonder how these fit into bottle cages.

I use a Polar Thermal bottle. I also heat up the water in the microwave...not in the thermal bottle as it has a metal foil...found out the hard way lol...it is good for a couple of hours.

I've found that a PolarBottle (http://www.polarbottle.com/) will buy you a little more time than a standard, non-insulated bottle. I did a little experiment last December...

Temperature units are degrees Fahrenheit.



Elapsed Water Temp Outdoor
Time Polar | Generic Temp
---------------------------------------
0:00 106 106 5.2
0:40 79 61 6.0
1:25 59 33 6.8 Ice forming on top of generic bottle
2:10 39 31 7.7 Top/Sides of generic bottle frozen


http://www.iowahighpower.com/bike/bottletest.jpg

That's a nice demo. :) I've taken solid-frozen reg bike bottles and polar bottles on 90+ summer Kansas rides, and polars definitely take much longer to completely melt, e.g. 3 hr vs. 1 hr, so the logical reverse in winter is longer to freeze. This being said, for bike-cage mounting, Thermoses are at the head of the class. If you pour in scalding coffee, and go out at 10 F for three hours before you open it the first time, the coffee will be quite hot. You might have to add a little snow to it.

A camelback worn under your jacket will stay warm enough. Since you are wearing long sleeves, you can run the tube down your arm, putting the valve at your wrist. pull your glove down a bit, or your sleeve up to get a drink when you need it.

A camelback worn under your jacket will stay warm enough. Since you are wearing long sleeves, you can run the tube down your arm, putting the valve at your wrist. pull your glove down a bit, or your sleeve up to get a drink when you need it.

I HAVE had my Camelbak tube freeze up plenty of times even under layers. It usually takes a couple of hours of xc skiing at 10F/-12C or less, but it happens. The biggest factor is keeping it under/behind a windproof and insulating layer. I like your idea but I'm afraid sleeves will not provide adequate insulation or windblocking. It needs to be closer to the "furnace" too.

I'll be adding a homemade neoprene sleeve to my Camelbak's tube for this season...or maybe just spring for the real deal (http://www.rei.com/product/631126). I only use a PI windproof [front only] fleece vest for skiing...jackets are too warm.

I HAVE had my Camelbak tube freeze up plenty of times even under layers. It usually takes a couple of hours of xc skiing at 10F/-12C or less, but it happens. The biggest factor is keeping it under/behind a windproof and insulating layer. I like your idea but I'm afraid sleeves will not provide adequate insulation or windblocking. It needs to be closer to the "furnace" too.

I'll be adding a homemade neoprene sleeve to my Camelbak's tube for this season...or maybe just spring for the real deal (http://www.rei.com/product/631126). I only use a PI windproof vest for skiing...jackets are too warm.

The insulator tube makes a large difference.

How does the cap in the Camelbak work in practice? Photo on the Camelbak site (http://www.camelbak.com/sports-recreation/bottles/insulated-stainless-5L.aspx) suggests that it may lack insulation. It is not clear to me how one opens the spout. Is the one-hand operation possible? Whichever way you cut it, the cap looks like a weakness.

Otherwise, quick Googling on the occasion reveals that Thermos is coming out with new lines of personal bottles. I wonder how these fit into bottle cages.


The cap works great! It has a straw inside that can be removed. You basically sip through the nozzle, or, you can take it off if you don't like it. Seriously, my search for a water bottle was over about 2 years when I found these at a LBS. Since then, I bought 2 more online (in the standard non-insulated version), and recently got the insulated, stainless steel one. Check out reviews on amazon which are overwhelmingly positive. http://www.amazon.com/CamelBak-0-5-Liter-Insulated-Stainless-Better/product-reviews/B0026IZOP0/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
I wouldn't put hot coffee in these (they don't recommend hot liquids) but lukewarm to slightly warm liquids stay warm for a couple of hours (which is great for riding in below freezing temps because past two winters my Camelbak caps DID freeze since they would get cold so fast).

I usually microwave a 16 oz. cup of water for 1 min. 45 seconds (I measured with a thermometer that it heats the water to about 120-130) then I pour it into the Camelbak with a teabag, a couple minutes later I take the teabag out and screw the top on -- ready to head out the door. My tea is usually gone by the time I get to work (45-50 min. commute). I don't like my tea hot, so this is great for this purpose and it doesn't freeze.

If you use the insulated bottle in the summer with cold liquids, the ice cubes don't melt for about 10 hours. (Tested recently overnight at home).

I HAVE had my Camelbak tube freeze up plenty of times even under layers. It usually takes a couple of hours of xc skiing at 10F/-12C or less, but it happens. The biggest factor is keeping it under/behind a windproof and insulating layer. I like your idea but I'm afraid sleeves will not provide adequate insulation or windblocking. It needs to be closer to the "furnace" too.

I'll be adding a homemade neoprene sleeve to my Camelbak's tube for this season...or maybe just spring for the real deal (http://www.rei.com/product/631126). I only use a PI windproof vest for skiing...jackets are too warm.

Well, shoot, I THOUGHT I had a good idea.:innocent:

Actually, I had in my mind's eye my own kit. I wear Outdoor Research long-gauntlet Alti Mitts, the GTX with Pirmaloft outer shell for 15-30 F; for colder, I add the Primaloft inner mitt. I am cold-sensitive[ wearing polar/high altitude expedition mitts for above-0F biking would seem ludicrous to a lot of people (including myself 30 years ago), but in my greying years I love having warm hands. When I arrive home and my belly is red and cold to the touch, cheeks and nose too, that's okay, but not the hands (or feet). So, my suggestion for the Camelbak tube would be based on having the valve under a good warming layer at the wrist.