Two bottles, not one
The default advice for riding here is two full bottles on anything over an hour. Cape summers are hot, the wind is dehydrating in a way that hides how much you are losing, and there is nowhere to refill on the good stretches of the coast road.
Almost every frame has bosses for two cages. Use both.
Size, and what fits your frame
750ml is the standard large bottle and what most riders want on the down tube.
600ml is the one to reach for on a small frame, where a full-size bottle fouls the front wheel or will not clear the seat tube, and for the second cage on compact frames.
If you ride a small frame and have struggled to get two bottles in, a 600ml on the seat tube with a 750ml on the down tube usually solves it.
Keeping them clean
Sports bottles get unpleasant fast, particularly with drink mix in them and particularly in this climate. A few habits help enormously:
- Rinse it out the same day rather than leaving it in the car
- Take the valve apart occasionally — that is where the mould actually grows
- The clear bottles have one real advantage: you can see when they need cleaning
If a bottle has gone permanently sour, it is not worth rescuing. They are cheap and replacing one is easier than drinking out of it.
Common questions
Will these fit my cage?
Yes. Bottle and cage sizing is effectively universal across brands, so anything here fits any standard bottle cage.
What about carrying tools instead?
A storage bottle sits in a spare cage and holds tools, a tube and levers. See multi-tools — a neat solution if you dislike a loaded jersey.
Come and grab a couple at Hout Bay Cycle Co on Main Road next time you are past.
