Stupid question: Can Specialized H2O bottles handle repeated freezing?

[Louis]

Let's say I take one of my Specialized water bottles (non insulated) and fill it halfway with water, put the cap on, but pull the valve so air can exit, then put it in the freezer standing straight up (i.e. not tilted at an angle).

The next day I take it out of the freezer, fill it the rest of the way with water, then go.

Has anyone done this a lot, and if so, did the bottle eventually fail, or have you been doing that over and over with no issues?

TIA

[ridethecliche]

I would recommend filling it up halfway and laying it sideways to freeze with the valve closed. Your way of opening the valve may help, but I've cracked bottles leaving them right side up as things turn to ice.

I might be wrong, but I think sideways gives the ice a bit more room to form around the edges instead of trying to blow out the bottle.

[Willy]

I would recommend getting Camelback Podium “Ice” bottles. It has to be the ice version not chill. I put ice from the freezer and top it off with water - On a hot day, I still have ice in the bottle 2 to 3 hours later.

[Louis]

RTC, I have read about the "sideways" option. One reason I didn't propose that in the original description was that once frozen I wasn't sure if I'd be able to open it to top it off with water. I'm thinking that part of the valve may get the "Shackleton/Endurance" treatment and get trapped in the ice. One way to avoid that would be to tilt it only part of the way, so the water doesn't reach the valve, but then I'd have to figure out a repeatable way to put it at that angle, at which point I decided that that was way over-thinking it...

Amazing how complicated one can make such a simple problem.

[Richard]

Can't speak to freezer degradation, but I have had water bottles crack during MTB rides in sub-freezing environments. I would make sure that it regains suppleness before using.

[benb]

I've done plenty of rides where the bottle just started freezing (even with electrolyte mix) while I was riding and never saw any issues. The most likely thing to see is that the water starts freezing at the top up near the valve first and ends up clogging the valve/top and you can't get water out of the bottle even though there's plenty of unfrozen water in the bottle.

The bottle is not super full in your example, it is not likely IMO you're going to damage the bottle unless the plastic itself can't take that cold.

The ice expands but you're leaving plenty of airspace.. even with the valve closed the air can easily compress inside the bottle without the bottle changing shape.

The ice only expands 7% IIRC. We're not talking freezing an aluminum can of beer or soda here where all kinds of other stuff is going on.

You could always just get an insulated bottle and throw ice cubes in it before the ride.

[old fat man]

I put Specialized bottles in the freezer most every night during the summer. I now leave them upright and don't bother screwing the top on. They're in a secure spot and won't tip over. Makes it easier to top off and then screw on cap in the morning before my ride

I do prefer the Camelbak insulated bottles (I sometimes freeze those too) for particularly hot days.

[cinema]

it's fine

leave the lid off

point of failure on these bottles is the spout

they eventually disintegrate in your mouth after a few years.

[Louis]

Thanks guys, sounds like that works for you.

[benb]

If you freeze the entire bottle does it actually defrost inside say 2 hours to drink it while you're riding?

E.x. do you start with one bottle frozen and one with just ice in it? And if you drink the first bottle in 60 minutes the second one has sufficiently melted to drink it?

I've never tried this.. I can also see the 2nd bottle already being warm before you even start drinking it despite freezing it I guess as well.

[Louis]

If it warms up and melts too quickly my plan is to switch from Specialized bottles I already own to insulated bottles (e.g. Polar) that I'd have to buy. Trying the cheap approach first.