No More Plastic Water Bottles for Me

[Steven Seelig]

Aside from meeting all the great builders and Riv folks at the Philly Bike Expo, I was also smitten by the idea of getting rid of all my plastic water bottles and moving to these fabulous Bivo bottles.  At the risk of being a shill, I love them.  

They have solved the "how do I get water out of a metal bottle?" problem by including a silicone straw that permits you to drink from the bottle just as you would drink from a glass.  I bought three insulated versions, and rotate them amongst my several bikes.  And they keep the ice cubes cubed, at least in Spring weather.

The downside is that you will have to either swap or rejigger your bottle cage so that they fit properly and that the cage won't scratch the surface.  This may be anathema, but I now have actual composite (yes, carbon fiber) water bottle cages on several of my bikes.  At least I don't have a carbon fiber fork.  And it takes some looking around to find one that work properly.

That said, this terrible twitch I have had for years from plastic poisoning is now dissipating as I move to stainless steel (kidding).  But at least I worry less about microplastics.  Plus, I can now use those electrolyte tablets, whichI NEVER used in plastic bottles because they never washed out, without a care in the world.

What do other think about the whole plastic bottle thing and this potential change?

[Ben Miller]

I purchased a Bivo bottle last holiday season from my LBS, with the intention of bringing it to a White Elephant party. I thought it was a good way to support my LBS, but also not super bike specific. Well, for reasons, I ended up not going to the party and I kept the Bivo and started using it. Definitely impressed with the design! I use it in a normal SS King Cage and it seems to be wearing the same as my plastic bottles and stays put.

I won't be throwing out all my plastic bidons and replacing them with Bivos (that seems wasteful!) But it does solve an issue that I've always had with plastic bottles: after 24-48 hours the water in a plastic bottle tastes obviously "plastic-y" and I toss it out. Sure, after 48 hours in the Bivo, the water tastes "stale" but otherwise fine enough for me to drink. So less wasted water!

I think they could take off if company's/LBS's started logo-ing like they do ubiquitous Specialized bidon. Afterall, the customized Bidon with a pithy saying or your favorite brand is just one of those important finishing touches to your bike build :)

[Shannon Menkveld]

Can it be operated with one hand? Can it be squeezed? The 1st is a non-negotiable for me, and the other almost is. The large Specialized bottles were (are still?) the business. Worked great and were cheap, especially out of the big bin at J. Random Cyclery, full of bottles screen-printed with the logos of God alone knew what.

BPUs (or whatever they're called, 'cuz I don't care enough to remember) are delicious! Bring back my squeezy plastic water bottles! (But don't step on my lawn while doing so.)

--Shannon

[Jason Fuller]

Nearly everyone I know who's tried Bivo bottles are a convert. They do work well!  

Shannon:  yes they can be used one-handed as readily as a plastic bottle, they do not squeeze but they have a dip tube so that water comes out of them quickly without squeezing. Takes a minute to adjust to, but there is no issue getting enough water quickly from them for normal use.  Maybe for racing they wouldn't quite cut it.   

[Ben Miller]

They can very easily be operated one-handed, perhaps ever more slightly then a plastic one since you don't have to squeeze it? But yeah, you can't squeeze them, unless you have some super-human grip. But in all seriousness, there is absolutely no need to squeeze them: you just open the spout like a plastic bottle and the water flows out.

[Will Boericke]

I bought my wife a Bivo for Xmas - she uses is for swimming (at the end of the pool), and loves it.  I have not converted on the bike but am generally also trying to eliminate plastic from my life.  It is hard.

Will near Boston

[Steve]

Over the past few years I seem to have developed a sensitivity to the taste of plastic in my drinking water. It started with Camelback bladders and then began to include most bicycle water bottles. My theory is that I've become so saturated with micro plastics that my taste buds are trying to warn me away from them - in the same manner that most rotten food and toxins taste and smell nasty. Gradually I switched over to stainless steel and now use it almost exclusively.

Steve in AVL

[Bernard Duhon]

Purchased 2 camelback podiums a year ago they are insulated metal water bottles. I have never looked back. Only problem is rattle in the cage  that needs to be addressed.

Of course the first time I filled them with water and put them in the freezer overnight and it didn't chill the water because it was so well insulated

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[George Schick]

If you can get ahold of one of the old style Klean Kanteen 16oz stainless bottles with just a flat screw-on lid (I don't think they make them anymore) you can also get this https://www.amazon.com/Neoprene-Bottle-Coolie-Bottom-Various/dp/B01MRQJFZF/ref=pd_lpo_d_sccl_2/137-0892808-8495053?pd_rd_w=vzg2i&content-id=amzn1.sym.4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_p=4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_r=R9C9HZMA53866C2BCK2K&pd_rd_wg=2muUr&pd_rd_r=db42c634-d0f7-455e-b2c8-1f3ba641fec4&pd_rd_i=B01MRQJFZF&th=1 and tie the ones with the strings around the neck around the neck of your bottle, cutting off any excess material and cinching it tightly.  It won't keep the liquid in your bottle very cold - water plus ice melts to just plain water in less than a 15 mile ride in warm weather - and you'll either have to stop to take a sip or else be very good at drinking while riding your bike hands-free.  But they'll keep a nice size bottle like that from rattling in your bottle cadge. 

[Shannon Menkveld]

<blockquote>

Only problem is rattle in the cage  that needs to be addressed.

</blockquote>

Cotton bar tape? Hemp twine? Something like that, that you've already got laying around.

--Shannon

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Steven, did you get the silicone coated Bivo? I got a purple one for my Charlie for hot summer rides but haven’t had any hot summer rides so haven’t used it yet. But that silicone was supposed to keep the cage from scratching the bottle. 

Now that I have moved Charlie to road bike duty, I needed a way to carry extra water for long rides. I carry my 40 oz Hydroflask in the Randi Jo bag on the stem. I used to toss in an extra bottle in my Saddlesack, but Charlie only has a Bananasax, so I’m going to use the cage mount for the first time.

I despise drinking out of plastic and have been trying so hard to sub in healthy alternatives wherever I can. It’s a frustrating battle.

L

[John Robert Williams]

I second the notion of no plastic water bottles. For over a decade, I've used the Kleen Kanteen 27 oz stainless containers, they are the same diameter as the standard plastic bike water bottles. The secret is to use the King Cage Iris cages. They snugly hold onto any stainless bottle with ZERO rattle. For added convenience, I purchased a brand of screw-on replacement lid called "The Coldest Water". It has a straw that reaches to the bottom of the Kanteen and has a flip-up mouth tube that allows for sipping without tipping up one's head....why every bike bottle doesn't have this is a mystery. Looking to the sky to drink is a recipe for disaster whilst moving along at a decent clip. I also have the un-insulated Bivo's as well for frames that cannot handle the length of the long containers. They are praiseworthy. I have zero need for ice water. Ambient water temp is fine with me. IMHO, stainless is the only way to go. Bivo's work well with the Iris cages. Cheers!

JohnRobertWilliams

Traverse City, MI

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John Robert Williams

[Patrick Moore]

I don’t mind plastic, tho’ I’ll choose stainless steel when I can. But I’ll choose bottles with a full flip-up cap over the spout or mouth, even if plastic, over an unprotected bottle in steel since I often ride on horse-infested roads and paths. 

The best of both worlds are full-cover flip-top stainless steel insulated bottles of more or less standard — 2 7/8” -- bottle cage size that hold roughly the same as a large standard plastic water bottle. These are hard to find in the exact diameter, but yes, Iris cages do accommodate the slightly oversized (3”?) REI ones, and my plastic Specialized cages fit the slightly undersized (2 5/8”?) ones (augmented with several layers of tape) that I got on Amazon. Neither is offered now, I think. I use insulated steel bottles mostly in cold weather.

That said, I just received a pair of very plastic and very squeezable 950 ml bottles with full flip up covers — also hard to find -- that will do nicely in warm weather.

[Mike Godwin]

I bought a 25 oz for my bike riding friend's birthday, ordered one for me too. I have not used it yet, trying to get over some lung crud so only short rides. I've been using Kleen Canteen for about two years, but not with a sippy-cup top. Ride with no hands, unscrew lid, drink, repeat. 

Mike SLO CA

On Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 10:14:08 AM UTC-7 Ben Miller wrote:

[Steven Seelig]

did get the coated Bivo, but the very cool King Cage IRIS that I've put on each of my 3 Rivs because they look rad need to be worked over good using my vice to expand the width of the cage.  I've kept just one of those on my Platy where I use the 21 oz version and, because I unusually am doing a casual ride on that bike in the City where I stop a lot, it works fine trying to extract it.  Not so on my fast, non-Riv road bike or my Gravel Sam or my Ram, each of which I ride harder and need water on the move.  For those I have swapped out the King for composite cages.  

The caveat here is that I bought the coated bottles that tend to scratch and I am concerned about aesthetics of having scratches on things being vain about those things.  I suspect if you bought the pure stainless ones that you might not care as much about scratches or care at all.

So the trade-off was between the cool quotient of the IRIS cages and the unscathed surface of the water bottle.  Photos attempted to be attached:

[Rusty Click]

I too, am trying to move away from plastic.

My wife and I are two thumbs up on the Bivo bottles and I'll get another for our daughter soon.  Only time will tell how long the silicone coating protects the bottles, but I've never minded the "beautification"  on my Clean Kanteen!

On Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 9:06:52 PM UTC-4 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: