jefnvk

Everytime I forget one for or lose one on a ride.

kingston 

mstateglfr 

1- We have a few insulated bottles and I dont use them...ever. I havent found that they keep water measurably colder when its hot. At mile 30, my second bottle is warm water regardless of if its in an insulated bottle or not.
2- I only use 1 product from Specialized- their gen2 Big Mouth water bottles. Inexpensive, reliable, and easy to clean. We have a whole cupboard shelf of em.
3- I replace water bottles as my family loses them. I swear my kids lose a water bottle a month on average as they use them at school, during weekends around the house, at the barn daily, and yes even when riding a bike. im convinced my wife and kids are totally oblivious that the bottles get replaced too. They just see a cupboard half full to full of water bottles at any given time and grab one.

dennis336

I've not yet thrown out a bottle from old age. Two reasons I've bought new ones:
1) My son used to "borrow" water bottles when he'd work out and inevitably they got lost.
2) Somehow, I've actually lost two water bottles riding on rough gravel roads ... they just bounced out of the bottle holders and I didn't notice until it was too late

dedhed

People buy water bottles? Don't they just get them as swag from events/promos?

pdlamb

Don't let them sit too long, especially with some kind of drink mix in them. Wash them in the top rack of the dishwasher.

I started cracking my older Specialized (or Specialized style) after 6-8 years. Most of what I've got now are insulated, and breaking the top is the only reason to replace them (Polar will send you new lids for the cost of shipping!).

caloso

Retro Grouch 

Is it necessary for them to be a couple?

_ForceD_

Caliper

I buy new ones whenever I see a bottle with a bike shop logo that I don't already have or if I feel like there's something neat about it.

They are all in the rotation. I still have a water bottle from the 90's. It holds water and never gives the water a plastic taste. Just put them in the top rack of the dishwasher for a cleaning every few years or so.

fietsbob

When they crack & burst..

_ForceD_

NoWhammies

I rinse them out as soon as I come home from a ride. For a full on cleaning I just use regular dish soap and bottle brush. Seems to do the trick for me.

Milton Keynes

That's what I do and I've never had a problem with them getting funky. I've never felt the need to put bleach in them.

Milton Keynes

I disagree. I always fill mine with ice water, and the ice stays solid in my insulated bottles for a long time, or at least the water stays cold. If I were to use a plain, uninsulated bottle, the water would be warm before I know it. And I hate drinking warm water, especially when I'm really hot riding in the summer.

Milton Keynes

Something about using someone else's water bottle, even if it's been thoroughly washed out, kind of squicks me out. To me it's a personal item, like a toothbrush.

Ironfish653

I'm not a cold water guy, so no need for freezing or insulated bottles.
The last bottle i bought, was about 10 years ago, the rest have been event swag.

Rinse and air-dry after returning from a ride. Ill wash them with a little dish soap, once ive got 5-6 of them on the counter.

I have a lot of pairs, so I'll label one H2O, and one MIX with a sharpie. The MIX bottle gets the gatorade, NUUN, drops,whatever. That way the water one stays 'fresher' and i only have one bottle at risk of getting sticky.

I usually end up replacing my camelbak every spring, since i always end up leaving it in the garage, half full at the end of the summer, when that 'last ride of the season' doesn't roll around until spring.

caloso

Do you drink out of the glasses at restaurants?

jlaw

Once every 40 years whether I need them or not - these two have a few more years to go. But, where can I find new water bottles with that yummy old school plastic smell and flavor??

Ogsarg

I'm wondering what people put in their water bottles that causes them to get so grungy they have to be thrown away. The two polar bottles I've been using for the last two years look as good as they did the day I got them. After a ride, the bottles get washed lightly, the tops get washed more carefully, then I fill them about a third of the way with fresh water and stick them into the chest freezer.

Can't imagine they'll need replacing for a really long time.

caloso

Leave some sports drink, particularly any with protein, in a bottle for a week. In a hot garage.

Chinghis

I hate it, but I buy new ones constantly. I never try to spend more than $5 on one, because I know it's going to get lost. I guess I need to go to more events. I can't imagine how you folks hang on to one for 20 years or whatever.

Kedosto

Not ashamed to admit I buy new bottles every so often. I usually don't like the cheap swag bottles from events with their random, crappy colors and obnoxious logos. My insulated bottles last a good long time, but eventually even they get rashed up from the in/out of the cage and the occasional dance on the pavement. I'm constantly acquiring (rehabbing) and selling bikes and after pulling together a nice project I can't bear hanging a scarred up, worn out bottle on a fresh build. Maybe it's vanity but it's also where I put my mouth, so, gotta be right.

-Kedosto

Kedosto

Been there, done that. I don't even try to save it. Straight into the recycle it goes. Next!


-Kedosto

kcblair

Usually, once a year, I get a pair for Christmas or Birthday. Got a nice pair of bright orange, insulated bottles for Christmas. Old ones get retired. KB.