Any "insulated" bottles that actually work?

Frank Krygowski wrote:
On May 18, 8:32 pm, Brian Huntley wrote:
On May 18, 1:28 am, "Leo Lichtman" wrote:

This brings back images of the Grapes of Wrath days, when canvas bags of
water were hung on the front bumper, and where evaporation cooled the water.
Those continued to be sold in the area of Needles, CA, into the late
1960s at least. (Nothing to do with bike drink bottles, just me
remembering those things and also remembering I wasn't around during
the "Grapes of Wrath" days. More like the Grape Boycott days.)

And in the early 1970s, I recall driving through the southwest for the
first time in the heat of summer. My buddy and I saw many cars with
what looked like large cans hanging out the passenger window. We
eventually learned they were evaporative air conditioners.

And apparently you can still buy the old ones on Ebay:
http://tinyurl.com/r5kaxa

- Frank Krygowski

Swamp coolers -- really effective in hot dry climates:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swamp_coolers

Peter Cole writes:

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
"Peter Cole" wrote in message
...
Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
Just curious if anyone's come across an insulated water bottle that
actually keeps your drink cold for more than 1/2 hour or so. I
frankly see little difference between the Polar insulated bottles and
a standard one (putting both to the test yet again on today's 95
degree ride, and still finding the so-called "insulated" bottle to be
of little benefit).
http://www.polarbottle.com/features/chill-factor/

Nowhere near as good as a real thermos bottle, but a lot better than a
plain bottle.

I beg to differ. The Polar might be good at keeping something warm warm,
but it's not very good at all at keeping something cold cold. The chart
they show is simply... wrong. I literally froze a Cytomax mixture in a
pair of Polar "insulated" bottles and stored them in an ice chest during
the hour drive to the start of the ride. They remained frozen in the ice
chest, but within one hour they were not only completely thawed out but
indistinguishable from the temp of the non-insulated bottle (which had
been prepared and stored the same way).

I'll accept the idea that I might not be able to detect a small
difference in temperature between one bottle and the next... I'll even
give you 10 degrees if you want. But according to that chart, there
should be a continuous nearly 20 degree difference between the two. I
don't buy it. Not even half of it.

If the Polar folk read this, I don't think they're going to be very
happy with me as a retailer. :-)

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com



Well, I can't explain your experience, or I should say, the difference
in our experiences. Keeping cold cold or hot hot should be the same
thermodynamically. I don't put hot stuff in the Polars, just find they
keep water from freezing (longer) on very cold winter rides. I finally
had to buy 4 Polars, because my kids & wife (after seeing the
difference) wouldn't use plain bottles any more on our hot weather MTB
rides. That's what I get for sharing...


So these bottles work keeping things hot too? It's ok to pour boiling
water in?

What thermos would people recommend for hot drinks when cycle touring?

On Tue, 19 May 2009 16:05:29 +0200, Richard Riley
wrote:

What thermos would people recommend for hot drinks when cycle touring?

I've got a small thermos that fits perfectly in a beer stubby holder
in the bottle cage.
Cycle touring, I'd recommend a burner for hot drinks.

Aeek writes:

On Tue, 19 May 2009 16:05:29 +0200, Richard Riley
wrote:

What thermos would people recommend for hot drinks when cycle touring?

I've got a small thermos that fits perfectly in a beer stubby holder
in the bottle cage.
Cycle touring, I'd recommend a burner for hot drinks.

A burner is a type of bottle? I'm asking how best, and safely, to keep
drinks warm not how to make them hot in the first place .... that's kind
of a given.

On Tue, 19 May 2009 16:57:13 +0200, Richard Riley
wrote:

A burner is a type of bottle? I'm asking how best, and safely, to keep
drinks warm not how to make them hot in the first place .... that's kind
of a given.

Cycletouring - you expect a bottle to last days?
How many hot bottles you plan on carrying?

Aeek writes:

On Tue, 19 May 2009 16:57:13 +0200, Richard Riley
wrote:

A burner is a type of bottle? I'm asking how best, and safely, to keep
drinks warm not how to make them hot in the first place .... that's kind
of a given.

Cycletouring - you expect a bottle to last days?

No. Why do you say that?

I asked for recommendations on the best thermos for cycling.

How many hot bottles you plan on carrying?

One. Why?

Richard Riley wrote:
Peter Cole writes:

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
"Peter Cole" wrote in message
...
Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
Just curious if anyone's come across an insulated water bottle that
actually keeps your drink cold for more than 1/2 hour or so. I
frankly see little difference between the Polar insulated bottles and
a standard one (putting both to the test yet again on today's 95
degree ride, and still finding the so-called "insulated" bottle to be
of little benefit).
http://www.polarbottle.com/features/chill-factor/

Nowhere near as good as a real thermos bottle, but a lot better than a
plain bottle.
I beg to differ. The Polar might be good at keeping something warm warm,
but it's not very good at all at keeping something cold cold. The chart
they show is simply... wrong. I literally froze a Cytomax mixture in a
pair of Polar "insulated" bottles and stored them in an ice chest during
the hour drive to the start of the ride. They remained frozen in the ice
chest, but within one hour they were not only completely thawed out but
indistinguishable from the temp of the non-insulated bottle (which had
been prepared and stored the same way).

I'll accept the idea that I might not be able to detect a small
difference in temperature between one bottle and the next... I'll even
give you 10 degrees if you want. But according to that chart, there
should be a continuous nearly 20 degree difference between the two. I
don't buy it. Not even half of it.

If the Polar folk read this, I don't think they're going to be very
happy with me as a retailer. :-)

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


Well, I can't explain your experience, or I should say, the difference
in our experiences. Keeping cold cold or hot hot should be the same
thermodynamically. I don't put hot stuff in the Polars, just find they
keep water from freezing (longer) on very cold winter rides. I finally
had to buy 4 Polars, because my kids & wife (after seeing the
difference) wouldn't use plain bottles any more on our hot weather MTB
rides. That's what I get for sharing...


So these bottles work keeping things hot too? It's ok to pour boiling
water in?

I wouldn't, they're thermoplastic (LDPE).


What thermos would people recommend for hot drinks when cycle touring?

Stainless steel vacuum bottles. Expensive, but they work very well.

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
Just curious if anyone's come across an insulated water bottle that
actually keeps your drink cold for more than 1/2 hour or so. I frankly
see little difference between the Polar insulated bottles and a standard
one (putting both to the test yet again on today's 95 degree ride, and
still finding the so-called "insulated" bottle to be of little benefit).

The obvious bottle for you is this one. In fact I'm surprised that
you're not already selling it in your shop, or giving one away with each
Madone sold. I'm sure you must have at least one of them.

"http://i40.tinypic.com/2pt8ck2.jpg"

"Graphite color, stainless steel insulated bottle with stainless steel
liner, 17 oz. Push button lock/unlock for opening the drinking cap.
Silicone rubber seals inside lid to prevent leakage. Double-wall
construction. Designed for hot or cold beverages. Easy-to-grip curved
body. Dimensions: 10" H x 2.87" diameter."

Seriously, I'm rather surprised that there aren't bicycle shops selling
this type of bottle, with all the bicycling coffee drinkers, and all the
health benefits of coffee, especially for athletes.

wrote:
What thermos would people recommend for hot drinks when cycle touring?

You might look at my web site, "http://bicyclecoffeesystems.com" for
recommendations.

There are a limited number of stainless steel double wall vacuum bottles
with sip through caps that are suited for both hot and cold beverages.

I'm still trying to get the ST630 to resell, but I may not be able to do it.

Of course for "cycle touring" you have to have a way to make that hot
beverage in the first place. Either a small backpacking stove or an
immersion heater (assuming there's some electricity around).

Look at the Blue Marble stove,
"http://obrecht.org/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3".

I know the guy that makes them. You use denatured alcohol as the fuel
(available as HEET® Gas-line Antifreeze & Water Remover at any auto
parts store or Wal-Mart).

SMS writes:

wrote:
What thermos would people recommend for hot drinks when cycle touring?

You might look at my web site, "http://bicyclecoffeesystems.com" for
recommendations.

There are a limited number of stainless steel double wall vacuum bottles
with sip through caps that are suited for both hot and cold beverages.

Wonderful thanks!


I'm still trying to get the ST630 to resell, but I may not be able to do it.

Of course for "cycle touring" you have to have a way to make that hot
beverage in the first place. Either a small backpacking stove or an
immersion heater (assuming there's some electricity around).

Yes, I have a burner ... But just to clarify, I was only looking for
recommended flasks suitable for the bike and knocks to keep a drink warm
having warmed the liquid first ....


Look at the Blue Marble stove,
"http://obrecht.org/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3".

I know the guy that makes them. You use denatured alcohol as the fuel
(available as HEET® Gas-line Antifreeze & Water Remover at any auto
parts store or Wal-Mart).


I use a DragonFly. As soon as I realised that it roaring like a demented
t-rex was normal I was soon boiling my water in seconds as opposed to
minutes ....

--
Web : http://www.shamrockirishbar.com, http://www.richardriley.net