Klean Kanteen quick durability question (and options for solving)
 

Just a quick question about Klean Kanteen bottles.

We have 4 40oz Klean Kanteen bottles for out oncoming tour. They fit fine in my frame but my GF's Trek 520 is so small that when both bottles are in their cages they are touching each other the the down tube bottle isn't at the end of the cage so it's resting against the other bottle.

My question is: Is this a problem? I understood the Klean Kanteen bottles are quite sturdy, but in this instance there would be a constant sharpish point of alternating pressure on the other bottle side. Being that the bottle is 40z it'll weight almost 1400grams which could possibly dent the other bottle.

I could make some sort of cushioning, but it's unlikely it'll stay put especially in harder riding.

I could possibly use a Salsa Anything Cage for the other bottle so that I could mount it higher so there would be no contact whatsoever but I don't know if any of our LBS's sell them.

OBP not sold in Suomi?

I would contact Trek or your dealer. If I understand you correctly, the bottom edges of the water bottles are contacting when using standard water bottle cages and the factory braze ons? Sounds like a design error. It happens sometimes. Perhaps Trek can recommend a cage that is lower profile and/or locates the water bottles up a bit higher.

In all my years of using them, I've broken one. I was using it to hammer in a tent peg. Don't do that and you'll probably be fine.

I have kleen kanteens and they get annoying because they clank around while you are riding. Your touching bottles might drive you crazy after a while

For mine, the bottle cages have been wrapped in inner tubes in a way that stops the clanking

They are durable. The paint on the outside will chip, but I've dropped mine on cement and they just get dents

For 40oz bottles here are some options:

All About Oversized, XL and Anything Bottle Cages - CyclingAbout CyclingAbout

Decades ago before water bottle braze on fittings on frames were common, water bottle cages came with straps to hold them on the frame tubes. But the design of those straps makes them only work with some cages.
VO Bottle Cage Clamp - Water Bottles & Cages - Accessories

Hose clamps would look uglier, but would function just as well and might be cheaper.

I wanted to add a bottle cage (for my tools and spare tube) under the down tube on teh bike I built up this past winter. See photo.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=522191

But you certainly could use them to mount a bottle cage above the down tube in a different spot.

I think I get it, these must be non standard oversize cages. I would think of a different arrangement. Different bottles, different cages, third cage, whatever. While I doubt the Kleen Kanteens are going to break, there's a danger they could fly out of the cages if not fully engaged. Besides that, the klanking sound would totally drive me nuts.


I'm still using them...

Those single walled Klean Kanteen bottles are pretty tough even if dented. Perhaps keep the weld seam turned away from making contact with the other bottle.
The bottom edge of my seat-tube mounted 40 oz KK bottle touches my down-tube even with my Blackburn Outpost bottle cage mounted as high as possible on the seat-tube.

Water bottle cage placement is always an issue on small frame bikes. This is my wife's 47 cm bike. When I was having the frame built, I worked with the builder to optimize water bottle size and placement. We also made adjustments to the down tube cage bosses so they would not interfere with the front derailleur. I was putting a mountain bike crankset on the bike, which required the front derailleur to be placed pretty low. We had these issues on her other bikes, and knew how we wanted to set this one up. I know this is not an option, but I do empathize with the problems of small frames. Our daughters ride 50 cm and 42 cm bikes.
http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...oMotion_CA.jpg

Is there a reason you are carrying 80 oz. of liquid on your bikes?

I would think about using regular water bottles and cages on your GF's bike. Or maybe one KK and one regular bottle. These "Clean Bottles" are great for long tours. Both the top and bottom of the bottle come off, which make cleaning a lot easier. While 2 of these bottles are only a little more than half the capacity of 2, 40oz. KKs, we also each carry a Platypus collapsible 2 liter bladder (1.3 oz.) in case we need extra water. We have a lot of capacity, but it does not take up much weight or space until we need it. I also carry 3 bottles on tour where extra water might be necessary.

80oz won't run out even on hotter days. Steel bottles won't leak flavor (or other nasty stuff)

a strip of aluminum 1/8"Thk x 3/4" wide, and drilling some (4) bolt holes and threading them,

will give you a way to Mount your water-bottle cage

at a different height than the factory installed Bosses allow.


+ twofish.biz makes their velcro and rubber block mounted cages to fit Larger volume Kleen Canteen Bottles

http://twofish.biz/attach-a-water-bo...ted-quick-cage.

And Bladder bags in your panniers and a smaller bottles handy can combine to make Nevada Crossings hydrated.

Will this help...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=P...&v=rU8v3Zf8s68

Also, see the third photo down...

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/...id=380260&v=Qw

Yeah, should be easy enough to rig an adapter with a strip of 6061 aluminum, if you're set on making dual 40oz bottles work.

Two standard large bike bottles and a flexible bladder bag or two is IMO the more sensible way to go. BITD we used to carry a couple Bota bags for that.

If you can destroy a Klean Kanteen in normal wear and tear go for it. I abuse my bottle and it has tons of dents, scrapes, scratches and battle scars but no sign of giving up. However they are heavy and I wouldn't really want to tour with them even with the sport caps.

I would rather stick with my Camelbak Podium Chills or Ice bottles. Being able to just squeeze water into your mouth without your mouth touching the bottle is great and helps keep the funk out of your water. Plus at least with the insulated bottles they don't hold onto flavor at all so your water tastes a lot better. I don't get the plastic taste like with some bottles.

If you are dead set on KK then maybe wrap the bottoms (and maybe cage points) in duct tape or gorilla tape or similar high durability tape and hopefully that will help.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I haven't had time to reply properly until now as travel arragements and final planning is taking a lot of time.

I decided to buy a cage that fits the bottle and attatches with velcro straps so that I can mount it anywhere I like, even on the top tube. IF I had not found said cage I would have used the aluminum stock method.

The more detailed reasons why we wanted to go with KK was
1) water capacity
I know we could have used the bladder method and we've used it successfully in the past. However due to weight distribution concerns and accessibility of water we wanted our water to be mounted on the frame as we're touring summer Europe and we'll be using a lot of water.

2) taste
As funny as it may sound, I used to get dehydrated quite easily when using plastic bottles because I could not stand the taste those things impart on the water especially if the water has time to warm up. As well as all kinds of leaching issues, which is especially nice when the leaching water container is going to be the only water container one uses for several months (this would not be an issue in usual day to day cycling, probably wouldn't be anyways, but I don't like the idea)

3) we could have used Nalgene bottles which impart no taste, but you can desinfect water in the KK's by heating the bottle. Unlike other metal bottles the KK can stand heating and you can boil water in them (althoug the manufacturer does not recommend it). A non issue in Europe but I want to use said bottles for northern bikepacking/hiking as well where drinking swamp water may sometimes become a necessity. And the bottles are steel and as we all know, steel is real ;)

4) The clanking issue has not risen but as mentioned, it's quite easy to fix by using a bit of duct tape (or in our case gorilla tape)

5) option to carry beer/wine/other alcoholic beverages

6) wide mouth works like a beer pint which is a huge bonus

etc etc.

But again, Thank you all for your suggestions. I finally have this last kink solved (well, honestly there's still the issue of keeping my insulin pens and Glucagon cool on hot days, but maybe I'll have time to figure that out still...)

Sounds like you have it under control. :)

FYI in case you ever want to use normal size bottles: I've been using the Soma polypropylene water bottles lately. I also hate bottles that taste like plastic. These don't taste like anything, and are pretty much the same as Nalgene, but you can squeeze them.
Crystal Polypropylene Water Bottle | SOMA Fabrications

That's exactly the reason I carry them. I take my 40 oz KK bottle whether on the bike or backpacking.
Here, in this pic the KK bottle is sitting on the stove. I sometimes use it to keep me warm during the night. I slip the hot bottle into an old wool sock and sleep with it.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...sc6hnemoq.jpeg

Hi All,

Though I would throw this item out there as it has so many uses, from mounting water bottle to making fork locks.

Google Search Minoura Clamp they do several different types and you can find them on Amazon

Gadgets

http://www.minoura.jp/_src/sc7253/sm...hole_blank.jpg
http://www.minoura.jp/_src/sc6714/lw-clamps_blank.jpg

I drank 6 liters on Tuesday's ride.

No no no! The velcro cages are not strong enough for 40oz of water! Beware!!!!

Use the pipe clamp and cage method, or email Ron at King Cage and get a Manything Cage with Universal Bolts. It's a refined pipe clamp cage with capacity for a huge bottle.

Welp, you're right, they weren't. I used a ton of zipties instead. Those should not fail.