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...

Flexible soft bottles have been a secret weapon of mine on bikepacking and cycle touring adventures. The compressible bottles are the ideal solution when you need to carry more water on scorching days, or you need to stock up on fluid before heading off for an overnight camp. I remember one time on the #RoadsFromRome trip, when a kind Italian man offered to help me fill up my water bottles at the end of a sweltering day. When I kept pulling soft flasks out of my pannier, he took great delight in the apparent magic trick, and then joyously started to try blowing one flask up like a balloon... he didn't get far—these things are surprisingly robust. Soft flasks have been used by runners for a long time, and feature in many ultra-running vests. Equally water bladders have been used in mountain biking hydration packs for years; offering a way to carry water when you do not have bottle cages on your bike. Flexible bottles like the new HydraPak Flux are something quite new though… This ...

I have been on the lookout for cycling water bottles with extra volume—to use on long distance bikepacking and adventure trips. The brand Super Sparrow came to my attention on Amazon and looked worthwhile testing out. This is a brief review… The Super Sparrow brand may be unknown to many, but they have a cult following on Amazon; with many of their products reaching over 8000 positive reviews. I felt this was enough of an endorsement to see if they would be up to the rigours of bikepacking and bike touring adventures. I have been testing three models from the range: Super Sparrow Sports Water Bottle 1000ml (BPA Free Plastic with Sports Lid)  Super Sparrow Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle Standard Mouth 1000ml Super Sparrow Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle Wide Mouth 1000ml Of the above three models, the Sports Water Bottle and Standard Mouth Insulated Bottle will both fit into a standard bicycle bottle cage; making them easily transporta...

On the #BlackForest400  I was caught out by sub-zero temperatures through the nighttime section—an insulated thermo bicycle bottle like the Elite Deboyo Ombra Stainless Steel Bike Bottle would have been the perfect solution. It is also the ideal substitute when cafés are closed, or you are wilderness riding. The issue on the #BlackForest400 was not so much that I had not expected the cold temperatures, but rather I had failed to anticipate the closure of almost every garage and takeaway in the Ardennes region, on the night before Good Friday... The situation meant that I could not stop for a much-needed warm drink in the middle of the night. A thermal insulated vacuum bottle, like the Elite Deboyo, would have allowed me to fill up before the shops shut up, and have a warm drink to get me through the night. The Deboyo Insulated Vacuum Bottle is also the ideal solution for very warm days. Thinking back to my climb of the Col de Montgenrve on the #7Countries7Passes , when the t...

Not all bicycle water bottles are made equal. In my opinion, you should look for a BPA free, insulated bottle; with a soft silicone mouthpiece and an easy to use and clean valve. The Pro Bike Tool Insulated Bike Water Bottle is a great example. A bike water bottle should not be an expensive piece of kit, but ultimately you do get what you pay for. The Pro Bike Tool Insulated Bottle retails for £14.99 (although there are multi-buy savings and discount codes at present) — that is quite a price, but then this bottle does deliver a lot more than most simple bidons. Firstly, consider the plastic that the bottle is made from — you want it to be soft and squeezable, but crucially it should be BPA free so that it does not leach harmful chemicals into your drinks. Second, consider the mouthpiece on the bike bottle — you want it to be soft and easy to clean; so that you do not risk chipping teeth on it when you drink, and you can also clean the nozzle to avoid bacteria build-up. Finally,...

I was touting the benefits of stainless water bottles long before the 'war on plastic'; read posts from 2016 , and you will note praise for better taste, sustainability and hygiene. My latest carry is the ZOKU Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle. The 18oz ZOKU Stainless Steel Bottle is a vacuum insulated water bottle that promises to keep cold drinks cool for up to 40 hours, and hot beverages warm for up to 12 hours. It is made from high quality (heavy gauge) stainless steel, and has a super solid drop proof feel to it. I have adopted the ZOKU as my every day carry for the last month; taking it in bike bottle cages and clipped to my rucksack using the integrated (but removable) paracord lanyard. It has stood the use and abuse very well, and does indeed do a great job of keeping hot things hot, and cold things cold, without a hint of leakage. I opted for the plain black colour way, but you can get an array of ten different colours. The ZOKU Insulted Bottle is well m...

There are a few cycling accessories that I would classify as essentials: a pump, a saddlebag to house your spare tube, a water bottle and cage, and a mudguard (especially in winter). The Vel Accessories Bundle delivers all of those, in a high quality and colour-coordinated package. I took a Vel water bottle with me on my #7Countries7Passes tour last year, because it was a stylish large volume bottle, without any offensive branding (perfect for those 'Bike Against A Wall' shots). The bottle included in this accessories pack is similarly subtle, well made, and easy to clean thanks to its large opening. The bottle mounts up in a sturdy and smart composite bottle cage. This gloss black cage is lightweight, easy to use, and will securely hold most brands of bike bottle. Under the bottle cage you can mount the mini-pump. This is the highlight of this cycling accessories pack, in my opinion. The black anodised finish of the metal barrel of the pump signals the high build qual...

Last week, I wrote a post on the Benefits of Stainless Steel (Link) ; considering how plastic-fantastic bike bottles might not be your best option, for a number of reasons. As a continuation on the theme, I have been experimenting with different stainless steel bottles over the last month, from a variety of brands; searching for the best design for on-the-bike usage. My testing has considered how robust the bottles are, their weight, design, and how well they work with bicycle bottle cages. After much deliberation, I think I have found the best result, and it comes from Italian based brand 24Bottles . The Range The range from 24Bottles contains four great sizes, in a wide variety of snazzy colours and designs. The largest in the range is the 1 litre Urban Bottle, which is fantastic for long days, and for water carrying whilst touring. Below this, there is a 500 ml version, with the same lightweight metal design and screw-top lid. Also available at 500 ml is the Thermo Bottle...

If you read health articles and magazines, you have probably heard of BPA. Bisphenol A is a synthetic chemical compound, found in many plastic food and drinks containers; in low levels it is most likely harmless, but some research suggests that continued exposure could have medical risks. Some studies have linked BPA exposure, which can occur inadvertently through leakage into food sources, as increasing the risk of cancer, thyroid problems and oxidative stress. Whilst most of these studies were on factory workers exposed to the chemical (in far higher dosages), there are still potential negative effects for your average plastic container user. The studies on BPA are not completely conclusive, and I remain to be fully convinced. However, reading the papers on the topic got me thinking... Your typical cyclist does use plastic bottles and containers a lot, so perhaps there is scope to reduce that usage, with several notable benefits, in addition to the reduced BPA risk. So, I beg...

Everyone likes kit comparisons. Whether it is what you take on a mammoth assault on the Himalayas, or what you carry in your everyday life (your EDC); it is interesting to compare personal preference and choice. In this post, I focus my attention on my off-road carry, and what comes with me on a cross-country weekend ride. Saddle bag or hydration pack? Hydration pack or saddle bag? For a long time, I've tossed up the pros and cons of riding with these luggage options on a mountain bike. There are significant benefits and disadvantages of both, but at the moment I've pared back my riding kit a bit, and I'm opting for the freedom of a saddle bag and jersey pockets. This is my XC Every Ride Carry (ERC)…  The Saddle Bag: Scicon Hippo 550 Saddle Bag The Hippo 550 is one of Scicon's biggest saddle bags. Yet, it is still compact enough that it doesn't swing about under your saddle and create irritating thigh rub. It uses Scicon's patented and highly effe...

Recognise those bikes/bottle/backgrounds?

Going Touring this year? Need a bigger saddle bag? Got a fixie or old steel frame that doesn't have bottle cage bosses? Want to carry a Thermos flask or extra water bottle on your bike? Monkii has the answer! Monkii is an an innovative range from Cycle Miles ; a small Hampshire based firm that is specialising in producing products particularly suited to adventure cyclists. I recently received three of their products to review; the Monkii Mono waterproof pack and the Monkii Mono cage, which can both be fitted to any tube with the Monkii Clip. Over the past month I've been trying them out and using them in different ways and I have to say they're pretty clever... The Monkii Mono Those that have read my Comprehensive Lite-Touring Kit List  blog will know that when you are touring you need quite a large saddle bag to fit in all the tools and spares that I have suggested. Cram it all into a saddle bag with straps and the straps will likely break, even on a go...

Some things just work. It seems that the combination of Tacx Tao bottle cages and Tacx Shiva bottles is one of those. Not only do they work well together, but they are both a very reasonable price, with the bottles around £3 each and the cages less than £14. I've had a set fitted to my Planet X road bike since I bought it and certainly if I ever have to buy another bottle cage it will be one of these. Whilst you could use any bottle with these cages, the Shiva bottle is made for them; due to the nature of the Tao cage, with non-adjustable internal diameter, a smaller bottle will shake around in them whilst a Shiva bottle is a perfect snug fit. For that reason it makes sense to review them together and highlight the merits of this combination over other rivals. Tacx Tao Ultralight Bottle Cage OK, so £14 is not a cheap price for a bottle cage by any means, but for me it's all about value. The Tacx Tao is a cage built to last. You won't stretch the metal like you m...