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Keeping water warm in winter

lpd2lpd2 Posts: 10
in Road beginners
Being of the skiing persuasion, I don't often cycle in Winter. But this year skiing is off and cycling is on.

I went for a ride yesterday, quite often above the snow line, and ended up really dehydrated because my water was too cold to drink. I could only manage a gulp or two before my throat and chest started hurting.

So does anyone have any tips for keeping water warm? It doesn't need to be hot, just above 5 degrees really. I've seen insulated bidons online, does anyone know how long these are effective for?

Posts

  • mrb123mrb123 Posts: 4,481
    3 possible solutions:
    Sip your water rather than gulping it.
    Take a thermos flask.
    Use a Camelbak which will keep your water warmer as it will be against your back.
  • pangolinpangolin Posts: 5,951
    You need an insulated tube too if you use a camelbak, otherwise the bit you drink is always the bit that's had time to cool down.
    - Genesis Croix de Fer
    - Dolan Tuono
  • monkimarkmonkimark Posts: 1,347
    I just blow the water back down the tube a bit, although I'm usually more bothered about it getting hot rather than cold.

  • super_davosuper_davo Posts: 1,094
    All the "how long will an insulated bottle be effective for" answers will be for keeping liquid cool in hot conditions, but they should work equally well in cold conditions.
    I would just buy a Camelbak podium chill and try. Probably about as good a solution as you can get other than a thermos flask and not a lot of money to try.
  • oxomanoxoman Posts: 11,726
    I tend to put my bottle I'm drinking from in my back pocket and let my body heat keep it drinkable. If on my mtb I use a camelbak type set up with insulated tube with protected cover for the mouthpiece to stop freezing. Blowback method also works.
    Too many bikes according to Mrs O.
  • rafletcherrafletcher Posts: 1,235
    The camelback Podium thermo bottles, if filled warm (I use about 1/3 just boiled water added to cold water) it works OK for a couple of hours.
  • MattFalleMattFalle Posts: 11,644
    Could you put your spare bottle/s in your back pockets under your jacket to keep them slightly warmer?
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • prcodyprcody Posts: 67
    I bought Elite insulated water bottles last year for this kind of scenario. Half cold water and half boiling water and they stay to a tepid enough temperature for a few hours. I got the ones with lids as well as the roads in Ireland are mucky enough so I am also keeping myself from getting sick or think I am anyway.
  • lpd2lpd2 Posts: 10
    Thanks for all the good suggestions, I'll try keeping a bottle in my back pocket, and if that's not comfortable I'll give one of the insulated bottles a try.
  • navrig2navrig2 Posts: 1,809
    I have the camelbak with the insulated tube. I tried to use it when skiing in France. At some point during the first 2 hours it froze solid - I could hear the ice cracking as I bent the tube.

    It was -15 degrees with a -10 degree wind chill. Glad I had goggles on.
  • pippi_langsamer-2pippi_langsamer-2 Posts: 1,470
    You could try one of the Contigo flasks. I was using them here in the winter. They're not bike specific, but fit in a cage and work pretty well- probably better than PFTE Camelbak bottles. They're twin-walled alu. Sure, they'll get scuffed-up quickly (try get a non-coloured one as it soom falls off anyway). I found they kept liquid warm for a couple of hours- at the end of a three hour ride it was lukewarm, but that's ideally the temp I'd like to drink at. I've used the Byron and West Loop. West Loop has the easier Autoseal button.

    https://mycontigo.com/en/thermal
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