MaxChill Water Bottle '02

Price Paid:  $8.00 at Online bike store

Favorite Ride:
Blacktop back roads

Bike Setup:
Giant OCR 2 comp

Summary:
With the summer heat, I thought it would be nice. Although, it does keep the contents cooler for a while....it is heavy....messy getting in and out of cage

Strengths:
Does keep contents cooler.

Weaknesses:
HEAVY and messy

Similar Products Used:
Polar bottle

Price Paid:  $11.00 at Nashbar

Favorite Ride:
Morning ride

Bike Setup:
Specialized Crossroads Ultra with alloy cages; Specialized Hardrock GX with Rib Cage.

Summary:
The theory behind this product is that its specialized shell, when wet, slows the rate of evaporation and keeps the bottle cooler, for hours. How? The water trapped in the shell is thought to evaporate first, keeping more heat away from the bottle. Unfortunately, the wet shell is better at promoting rusting of cage bolts and attracting dirt than at keeping your bottle cool. After a 30-minute rides under conditions ranging from cool mornings to hot summer afternoons, I found this bottle to be no better than any run-of-the-mill bottle. It actually might be worse.

Strengths:
None, though the purple shell looks nice.

Weaknesses:
Expensive. Simply does not work. To add insult to injury, you get your bike all wet and dirty. Also, the wet shell adds considerable weight to your bike.

Similar Products Used:
Specialized wide mouth bottles, without any shells, worked as well or better. Polar insulated bottles worked great as long as you keep them in the freezer for a few hours before filling them (the manu

Price Paid:  $10.00 at store

Favorite Ride:
anything with a bike

Bike Setup:
Guerciotti & Colnago. STI 9 speed. yada yada

Summary:
I like long (50-100 mle) rides, even in our hot, humid Midwest summer. Even on sagged rides, you usually have bottles of hot water after a mile or two. This product is a miracle. It works better than anything I've ever tried.

Strengths:
COOLS water. I've "re-wet" the liner and tasted the water a few minutes later and can tell the difference. Unbelievable. Until they event a 1-oz.refridgerator this is the best bottle you can have in hot weather.

Weaknesses:
It isn't cheap. Some people don't like a wet covering on a bottle. In some climates it could collect dust. I think the ability

Similar Products Used:
"isulated" bottles; can't remember the brand.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Giant TCR 0

Summary:
These suck. If your looking for an insulated bottle, stick with Polar. It works better and its cheaper.

Strengths:
none

Weaknesses:
must stay wet, heavy when wet, dries quickly, does not work

Similar Products Used:
Polar bottles