Originally Posted by
Buckshot77
Believe it or not, even in below freezing temps the water takes quite a long time to feeze due to being in constant motion. You're more likely to freeze up the valve on the bottle or hose on a camelback than the water store itself. I expect the spare bottle in my pack will actually stay even warmer due to heat transfer from my back. Thus far this winter I've only had my valve freeze up once and the ambient air temp was more like 15 degrees out and it might have had something to do with me leaving the valve in the open position rather than closing it back up.
Rick
If you have bottles in your cages on your bike, they're going to freeze. You'll probably have better luck keeping your liquids in your backpack but wearing a pack while cycling for 10 hours can be an awful experience.
I use a vacuum bottle that sits well in my bottle cage and refuel at gas stations or convience stores along the way (like one of these):
If you have any other way of carrying equipment other than a backpack I would definetly suggest that (panniers, saddlebag, handlebarbag, or whatever).
Riding a century for the first time in months can be a grueling experience not to mention on a mountian bike on dirt roads in the dead of winter. You'll get though it if you really want to get it done, good luck!