Vacuum insulated Elite Deboyo Race 550ml bottle

Thanks to a tip from badger1 , I picked up an Elite DeBoyo Race 550ml bottle which I took out for a quick spin this evening. This thing might revolutionize my winter riding!

It was 28°F when I went out, and a few things became immediately apparent:

1. Alloy Supacaz cages and DeBoyo don’t mix for gravel. I think it’s the metal-on-metal thing which is just too slippery and could easily let the bottle fly out. I also don’t like the sound and feel of the metal-on-metal. I can’t believe I’m considering new, nylon cages for seasonal use, but I think that’s the ticket.

2. hot stays hot. I accidentally let the kettle boil, and though I let it sit off the heat in its glass carafe for five minutes or so before pouring it over a teabag in the DeBoyo, it was still too hot to drink comfortably 20 minutes down the road. That’s probably a “no sh*t” thing for experienced thermos users and hot bev drinkers, but I’m a rookie.

3. I could get used to this! Having warm tea to chase the cold was so nice! I wasn’t gettin’ after it today, just easy cruising around town, so I dunno if it would be the same were I working hard, but it’s worth giving it a go since I’m usually chilly at some/several points during cold rides.

I couldn’t find this on Amazon or any other domestic retailer, so I ordered it out of Spain, shipping from which added quite a bit to the cost. It got here in five days, which was quick, but the flip close nozzle cap got cracked in transit because the bottle slipped out of its retail packaging inside the shipping envelope and got banged. It might have been nice to keep the nozzle clean, but a) it was kind of awkward to have in place, so I removed it, and b) I usually ride a fendered bike in the winter, so my bottles are protected.

Anyway, I’m kinda smacking myself for not trying an insulated bottle sooner, but hey, I’ll still use and appreciate it!