Experienced cyclists buy
specially made cycling bottles or bidons (French for a bottle) in which they
pour their drinks of choices. These could be an own mixed sports drink, juice
or even plain water and everything in between.
I carry two bottles; in one I
pour only water while in the 2nd bottle I throw one Effervescent Tablet. These
tablets are cheap, convenient and came in different tastes and contents. From
her last trip to Germany my daughter bought three different Effervescent
Tablets:
- Vitamin C with Lemon taste
- Calcium with Peach-Passion
Fruit taste
- Magnesium with
Orange-Grapefruit taste
Be aware that by buying too many of these
German made tablets President Trump might view them as a 'security threat' and
enforce punitive tariffs like onto German cars!
Bicycle Bottles are made out of
different materials like plastic, alloy, and stainless
which I want to describe below.
Plastic:
is 'the' common material for
drinking bottles - no professional rider in the ProTour or World Tour either
enters a race nor do drinks from plastic bottles during a competition. They are
so cheap and so convenient that riders just throw them beside the road after
usage; lucky fans pick them up for their personal shrine at home. Or other
riders, like Mario Cipollini, use plastic bottles as projectiles for race
officials.
During my own cycling life, I
had so many plastic bottles with different brand names on them that I do
not even try to count them. Some have been made out of a solid color, some had
a clear window while some were completely clear to visualize how much fluid is
still left. A current trend is 'insulated' plastic water bottles in
which an insulation material (alloy foil, 'nanogel' or even cork) is
manufactured between the inner and outer wall of the bidon thus keeping it
cooler or warmer over a longer period of time.
For me, as a mortal cyclist,
plastic, in general, is not great material for cycling bottles. Not only
because of the material itself (see BPA below) but also because of its
influence on the contents. I live in Taiwan, a hot southern country with a
often very high ultraviolet (UV) index. The result is that whatever plastic
bottles I use the contents becomes 'plain' or 'spiritless' after a while. Water
does not have a refreshing taste; even when you drink it you feel thirsty.
The above-mentioned pros have a
constant supply of fresh drinks, either from a domestique (a cyclist whose job
is to support the higher-ranking members of the team, by carrying water etc. )
or from team members waiting beside the road for the riders to pass. I would
and could not ask my wife to wait for me on a certain point at the road only to
handle me a bottle of fresh water...
Furthermore, plastic bottles
can not easily be sanitized and scratch on the outside by moving them in and
out from the bottle cage; they look 'worn out' very fast.
A warning about BPA (Bisphenol
A) in Plastic
BPA is a common building block
in resins and some types of plastic. It's what's known as an endocrine
disrupting compound. In the body, these chemicals can act like hormones or
disrupt normal hormone functions. Mounting public pressure pushed companies to
move away from BPA, leading to an influx of products touting their “BPA-free”
status. But the FDA only officially bans the compound from use in baby bottles,
sippy cups, and infant formula packaging.
- How to Identify BPA products?
Consumers can also take steps
to avoid BPA and BPA alternatives entirely, notes Trasande. He suggests
steering clear of plastics with the recycling numbers 3, 6, and 7, which all
contain compounds of concern.
- How to treat plastic products in
general?
Don’t put plastics in
dishwashers or the microwave, which can damage them and cause them to leach
more BPA or its alternatives. Throw away plastic when it looks aged or
scratched.
(BPA information courtesy of https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/09/news-BPA-free-plastic-safety-chemicals-health/)
!All plastic cycling bottles
should be BPA free!
Alloy or Aluminum
without inner coating could be
a healthy dangerous material for food and drinks. Generally aluminum has a very
low level of toxicity to humans, meaning, in general, it can be
considered safe. The concern comes from overexposure, a problem that
could occur more easily in the modern era. Studies have pointed out that
increased amounts of dietary aluminum may contribute to skeletal issues in
preterm or at risk infants. Additionally, in higher doses, the metal can cause
neurotoxicity (a form of toxicity in which a biological, chemical or physical
agent produces an adverse effect on the structure or function of the central
and/or peripheral nervous system) of the blood-brain barrier.
( courtesy of http://www.isustainableearth.com/green-products/understanding-the-health-risks-of-aluminum-water-bottles)
That's why alloy bottle
manufacturers use a coating within the aluminum bottles. I don't have any
information about these coatings but in my humble experiences, every coating
will sooner later dissolve.
Due to above reasons, I don't
use alloy bottles on my bike; our family has 'banned' everything made of alloy
out of our kitchen and even replaced our beloved rice cooker with a newer model
containing a stainless steel pot a long time ago.
Stainless Steel
is for me the material of
choice. All professional food- and kitchenware is made from this material, a
hospital operating without sanitized stainless steel cannot be found! It does
not leach chemicals, is corrosion resistant, is neither affected by hot nor
cold temperatures and can cleaned easily and safe.
On my training rides, I use
stainless steel bottles with a plastic spout (BPA free). Surely I can not
squeeze stainless like plastic and therefore a sip might take seconds longer,
but a fresher and 'safer' drink makes them worthwhile.
During cycling tours longer
than one day I a pair of two stainless steel bottles:
- one single wall bottle for
refreshing drinks
- one double
wall (thermos) stainless bottle for hot and cold drinks (mainly coffee) or as
storing liquids for the single-walled bottle. This thermos bottle has a screw
cap made of stainless steel with a rubber ring; I don't mind to stop for my
fresh coffee beside the road to enjoy the scenery or the camaraderie of fellow
cyclists ...
If someone does not believe my
experience with the 'taste' differences I suggest to use two different bottles
on your next ride: one made of plastic and one made of stainless steel both
filed with the same liquid at the same temperature. Leave in each bottle some
rest while you ride and you will surely notice a taste difference after riding
three hours in the sun.
A Word of Caution
Always ride with a
helmet and in a way that you are in control of the bike not the other way
around. It is senseless to gain some seconds but spend weeks to recover in a
hospital and/or at home! Ride responsible, defensively and safe! You,
your body, your parents, your family and friends will surely appreciate
your precautions during a bike ride.
Take care, Gerhard
Disclaimer: I've owned and own these
bottles; used them over a period of time. I've paid for them and I am n o t
endorsed by anyone! I have a new homepage @ https://gerhardwanninger.wixsite.com/cycling. Visitors, subscribers and/or followers are more than welcome...
