Cheapskate question about cycling water bottle lids

[dangur]

Does anybody know if/where I can buy lids - and only lids - for my cycling water bottles? My bottles all have the push/pull style valve, and I want to swap to one of those that you just squeeze and the water squirts out. I'd prefer not to have to buy an entire new bottle.

I know I'm being cheap as hell, but any help would be appreciated. I've had no luck elsewhere on the internets.

[Pinned]

If you have Specialized bottles, they make two caps that might work for you - the Fixy and the Watergate caps.

Fixy cap is always "open" and uses a little valve so it doesn't leak.
Watergate cap has the same little valve in addition to being able to be opened and closed.

[Benneke10]

Depends what brand of bottle you have, the threading on the caps isn't usually compatible between brands

[dangur]

I was worried about the threading being an issue... dang.

Pinned - thanks for the links.

[Cocximus]

While on the subject, anyone know where I can get some old style camelbak podium bottles?

[nickwm21]

While on the subject, anyone know where I can get some old style camelbak podium bottles?

In bushes and gullys below rock gardens…


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[dangur]

Anybody know if these bottles (https://www.spurcycle.com/products/m...d-water-bottle) are compatible with the specialized fixy cap? (or any Spesh caps, for that matter?)

[Benneke10]

Anybody know if these bottles (https://www.spurcycle.com/products/m...d-water-bottle) are compatible with the specialized fixy cap? (or any Spesh caps, for that matter?)

Those are Specialized 22oz Purist bottles with the MoFlo caps so they should be compatible with other specialized caps

[RShea]

My local bike shop from time to time has the Purist replacement bottle tops only. They have the little membrane over the mouth part and when you squeeze the bottle of course it opens and the water or drink comes out. If you just hold the bottle upside down and do not have any pressure squeezing the bottle, then the water doesn't come out. The only thing about the bottles I do not like are if you end up having one drop out of your hand and land on the cap on a hard surface like the road, more times than not the inside top of the cap cracks and breaks. I like the bottles- bigger the better (26 oz) and just used to have one wish- that they had the insulated types like Polar and others do to keep cooler longer on those hot days. But I am seeing they have some insulated 23oz bottles now, maybe my local shop just does not order them. https://www.specialized.com/us/en/sh...ttleshydration

I do think though they have changed the tops a bit over the years from when I first got some of the local shop logoed bottles.

[stealurface831]

Only on teh TRG can a thread be made on the topic of water bottle lids. Strong work.


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[climberevan]

I prefer push pull caps, and have recently fallen in love with Elite bottles. Most of the pro road teams use the lightweight ones, but they have a heavy duty one as well that uses the same incredible cap. It's super fast flowing and never leaks.

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...=jetcler&adl=1

[dangur]

I prefer push pull caps, and have recently fallen in love with Elite bottles. Most of the pro road teams use the lightweight ones, but they have a heavy duty one as well that uses the same incredible cap. It's super fast flowing and never leaks.

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...=jetcler&adl=1

Why the preference for push/pull? I'm starting to get into MTB racing, and want to ditch my hydration pack. But I'm not very good at the whole bottle thing yet. I figure push/pull is one more thing to fiddle with and slow me down, hence my interest in the heart-valve type.

[climberevan]

I have a bunch of bottles and have tried most of the types.

The flow through type can leak when they are not also pushed closed, so sometimes they squirt a bit when putting them into cages, especially tight mtb cages. If you leave them pushed closed, they are then really hard to open and it defeats the purpose. Since I always run a sugar solution, it gets messy on my frame. The second reason I don't like them as much is that they require a bit of squeeze pressure to get going, and the start of the flow can be abrupt, which is sometimes lame and sometimes messy. Plus the flow isn't as fast as the wide open Elite tops.

If you really want to treat yourself, get some Elite Fly bottles: they are the lightest available, but very thin. Squeezability is incredible, but I don't think they will be very durable so I save mine for special occasions.

Yesterday I rode for 9 hours with no pack. 2 bottles on the bike and 3 refills. I will stoop to using a pack if I won't find any streams to filter, but otherwise, I'm pack-free.

[dangur]

Awesome! thanks for good news

Edit. This was supposed to be a reply to benneke

[dangur]

I have a bunch of bottles and have tried most of the types.

The flow through type can leak when they are not also pushed closed, so sometimes they squirt a bit when putting them into cages, especially tight mtb cages. If you leave them pushed closed, they are then really hard to open and it defeats the purpose. Since I always run a sugar solution, it gets messy on my frame. The second reason I don't like them as much is that they require a bit of squeeze pressure to get going, and the start of the flow can be abrupt, which is sometimes lame and sometimes messy. Plus the flow isn't as fast as the wide open Elite tops.

If you really want to treat yourself, get some Elite Fly bottles: they are the lightest available, but very thin. Squeezability is incredible, but I don't think they will be very durable so I save mine for special occasions.

Yesterday I rode for 9 hours with no pack. 2 bottles on the bike and 3 refills. I will stoop to using a pack if I won't find any streams to filter, but otherwise, I'm pack-free.

Nice. Sounds like you've got a good on-bike storage system going.

I'm really really new to all of this. One big limiting factor for me is that my frame only has one bottle mount (plenty of room for another; it just doesn't have one). Do you use any kind of saddle bag or something for tool/tube storage? What about phone and keys?

[climberevan]

Here's the setup for long rides. The upper bottle cage is mounted to a piece of plastic that I bent around a tapered wood block to get it at the right angle on the top tube. The plastic is zip tied to the frame (flawless for about 2000 miles so far). The key is to use a low profile cage so the knees don't hit it as much. The front top tube bag holds a Sawyer Squeze and bladder along with 2 servings of drink mix in bags.

The homemade frame bag holds a bunch more food, inReach, and a tiny bottle of chain lube. Tools, TPO tube, and tire plugs are in the small bag below the shock. Hex tools are in the crank spindle.

Phone goes in the right jersey pocket, vest or jacket in the middle, and a couple of bars in the left. Each pocket can hold another bar or baggie of drink mix if the ride will be more than 6h. (Yes, I'm wearing a cycling jersey, not a t-shirt that they call a jersey for some reason. I'm also wearing bibs without surf shorts over them.)

[mcski]

Can ya get sick from drinkin piss?

[climberevan]

Forgot the pic.

[dangur]

Quite the rig there, climberevan. Thanks for sharing the pics and the tips!

[Benneke10]

Love that setup, very utilitarian. I wonder if there are any proper trail bikes with 2 bottle cage mounts and some kind of internal frame storage. I imagine that you don't miss the second bottle cage mount since you are using that space for bags and have rigged a solid workaround?

[54-46]

Flow through kind also collect dust from trail and you can’t get it out - except by squirting the water in your bottle (you can’t just wipe it out)

With push/pull top you can wipe the dust off the top quickly then drink


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