1L bike bottles

I’m not sure if I asked this already (or is it that it just hovered inside my head) but does bike frames have any limits for bottle size? Big bottles damaging the bottle cage eylets and frame when shaking hour after hour…? :thinking:

use them all the time, very good choice

For those of you losing bottles…

TACX DEVA bottle cages.

Run Zefals for 7000mi of training and bottle doesnt even think about ejecting and all I do is race gravel.

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I use BBB FlexCage and have never lost a 1L bottle. Gravel, road, crashes. They do an excellent job and are light and cheap.

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I’m a hobbyist rider, not a racer. But I have a four-hour event coming up in May (GFNY), and even 20-oz bottles have been about the biggest I can comfortably fit inside the compact frame in my 2021 Specialized Diverge. So bigger bottles are not an option in the front.

I posted THIS NEW THREAD asking for recommendations on rear hydration systems that mount behind the saddle, so I can put two large bottles back there. From what little I understand, I need a base mount, two cages, and two bottles.

Like many of you, my first priority is bottle retention, my second is largest bottle size, and my third is the overall bottle/mouthpiece quality and feel. But unfortunately, after reading 209 messages in this thread, I’m not real clear on which bottles/cages are most recommended for road and light/medium gravel in a case like mine.

Any input appreciated, either here or in the other thread. Thank you.

With the small frame, would you be willing to put on a hydration pack? I’m sure a pure roadie would be aghast at the thought, but if you are planning to carry that much water, might as well pack it in something that won’t slosh around.

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Don’t want to derail this thread… but I want to try the four-bottle strategy for now.

I did try a hydration pack once, and noticed two things: it was MUCH more enjoyable to take smaller sips more often, and there were some clear discomforts: my back got very hot after a while, and the straps tended to dig into my shoulders. I’ll try it again sometime, but “nothing new on race day”.

I wish someone made a pressurized 4L hydration system made to fit within the frame triangle… :thinking:

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Ran a quick search on DuckDuckGo just because it seemed reasonable that someone might have done this before, and it turns out someone has:

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This looks brilliant. The 3L version actually looks nice, too. I haven’t used any type of bladder in years so I’m not sure how well I’d manage my hydration and fuel.

Other people do it, so I’m sure could. Maybe.

I currently just strap a third bottle under my top tube with a Wolf Tooth Brad bracket for very long rides. Wolf Tooth B-RAD Everywhere Base – Wolf Tooth Components

I recently got two of these. Biodegradable, cheap and weight per ounce of liquid inside is comparable to 750ml Purist bottles I have ( both are about 1 g/ml.
They are thin, and have very smooth outsides. I only use them for road riding and highly recommend them for that purpose.

ELITE SRL JET CLEAR red logo 950 ml, One Size https://a.co/d/9ZNwROF

Note: Amazon US has them occasionally available, but currently they are out.

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Not exactly a liter bottle question. But would you rather have an insulated 28oz bottle or unlined 30oz for hot summer rides?

Insulated. I’m using the Trek 28oz insulated bottles. Not the best insulation, but better than no insulation in 90+F temps.

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IME (high desert of Salt Lake City), the insulated bottles provide insignificant effect. I’ve used the camelbak podium insulated bottles in a few different iterations. The best approach I’ve found is to freeze half the bottle worth of water if you can but that means prep well ahead of time. Otherwise, using the biggest ice cubes you can and packing the bottle. I’d take the extra few ounces of water in similar form factor. I’m trying a Polar and a Zefal right now and like them both.

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Non-insulated. Get that extra volume as if it’s hot there will be a lot of sweat to replace, and I need all the help I can get.

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I currently only own one insulated bottle, so I get it nice and cold, probably even put ice in it, and then use one non-insulated bottle. As I work through the non-insulated bottle first, it remains cool enough. Then, when I move on to the insulated bottle, it’s still at a good temperature. Side note FWIW, I kinda have a thing against sweaty bottles, drinking glasses, etc. I live in a hot, humid area and holding sweaty containers (on or off the bike) has always just kinda bugged me. :man_shrugging:t2:

I recently picked up this 1L Steve Potts bottle from the LBS. It was a little cheaper in the shop than it shows on their site. I’ve only used it twice, and only on the trainer, so I can’t speak to its rideability. On the trainer, I’ve liked it. The volume and flow are nice. It goes in and out of the cage easily (may prove bad on a ride). The mouth piece is a bit hard, but not terrible.

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It’s mindnlowing to me that camelbak haven’t done a 1l bottle. It’s painful using anything else when you are used to camelbaks.

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Agreed! I have a friend who is a sales rep for CB, I constantly hound him that they need to make an uninsulated 1L bottle!

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I’ve never understood the need for insulated bottles in cycling. If it’s warm enough that your drink will get hot, my bottles with mix with ice cubes are empty before that happens.

If you need the insulation to keep stuff from freezing, it’s too cold for me to ride.

I also prefer the extra capacity of non-insulated bottles of the same size. Trying to imagine how enormous a 1 liter insulated bottle would be.

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I’m a big fan of these bidons. Great usability for such inexpensive cycling gear :joy:

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