Life In The Saddle

We typically give little thought to the negative effects that the classic plastic cycling 'bidon' might have on the environment, planet, and our personal health. But perhaps we should… A plastic bicycle bottle is found on almost every cyclist's frame. Whilst most amateurs will at least use their water bottle more than once (many professionals treat them as single use!), this plastic vessel is far from a sustainable or healthy option. Let's consider some of the squeezable plastic bottle's downfalls:      1) Non-Recyclable – The majority of (reusable) plastic bicycle bottles are not very easily recycled. Unlike single use PET water bottles, reusable plastic sports bottles can be made of a variety of different plastics, and whether they are recycled depends on how advance your local waste collection service is. You can find out what your bottle is made from by looking at the recyclable symbol on the base; the number inside the triangle indicates what the bott...

How can you have great coffee on every ride? How can you reduce plastic waste? How can you conform to social distancing guidelines? One simple solution, is a quality insulated coffee flask… The Hydro Flask Flex Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Coffee Flask is a superb example of a portable coffee solution; allowing you to take steaming hot coffee with you for those deep winter mid-ride breaks. I have always been a great fan of #coffeeoutside —it just tastes better. There is nothing like the feeling of sipping on a mug full of freshly brewed coffee sat on the side of a mountain or sheltered from the wind in a forest. Taking a hot drink with you on an outdoors adventure, particularly a bike ride, can be a little problematic though… you need a flask that is robust, leak-proof, and will keep your beverage warm for several hours. After much searching and testing, I came across the Hydro Flask Flex. This insulated bottle, when combined with the new Sip Lid, makes for the perfect cycl...