Innovative Water Bottle Design Addresses Stink And Mold
Water bottles are one of those items that tend to be taken for granted by many athletes. And why not? It’s just a container for water. Yeah, it’s got a handy release spout on the top so you don’t have to unscrew it, but it’s certainly not something most would even give a second thought. It carries the water.
But in reality, a neglected bottle can be a problem – specifically a moldy one. Who hasn’t had the issue of a moldy bottle at one point? Sure, diligent and timely cleaning and all, but some would say if you have the energy to wash your bottle after your workout, you’re not working hard enough. The problem can be even worse when carrying a sports drink or supplement.
Some solutions to that moldy bottle that athletes have tried include special brushes, baking soda, denture cleaner, vinegar, soap & water, toothpaste, and some combinations that border on the unbelievable. And usually, that smell never goes away. Heaven forbid you ever throw one away…
So I was interested when Dave at The Clean Bottle sent me out one of his bottles to try. The unique part of the design is that both the top and bottom are wide-mouth screw tops. Yep, you can easily remove the caps to get a cylinder that’s easy to rinse, clean, brush…
I’ll admit, I didn’t let the bottle accumulate rot just for testing purposes, but it does seem to do the job. Ends can unscrew and go in the dishwasher (top rack, with the rest of your plastics) and is really easy to clean by hand as well. It fits a standard water bottle cage, and the tip spout is certainly firm, ensuring no accidental opening.
At a price point of $10 available at some bike retailers (or online here at REI Clean Bottle Water Bottle – 24 fl. oz.), the Clean Bottle will not break the bank, and will almost certainly last longer than a standard $3 water bottle. Especially when you’re too tired after a ride to clean your bottle!
Why I Have To Pass On All Of The World’s Most Expensive Bicycles
Think your dream bike is expensive? Citi Ergo has put together a list of “The 10 Most Expensive Bikes on Earth”. A couple of them look pretty good to me, but wouldn’t you know it… not the right size! Plus they probably all suck in the Colorado snow!
Guess I’ll have to pass this year.
Check out one of the descriptions:
The Aurumania Gold Bike Crystal edition is plated almost entirely plated with 24 karat gold… right down to the spokes. The Brooks saddle seat is made with the finest leather; and the hand sewn handlebar grips are made from, chocolate brown leather. The numbered badge is even made of high grade leather. This top of the line bike is called the “Crystal edition†because it is decorated with more than 600 Swarovski crystals… right down to the crystal encrusted Aurmania brand name emblazoned along the crossbar in Braille.
See the full post here.
Run A 5K Race Via Twitter?
For those athletes looking for an excuse to jump on the Twitter bandwagon, you may have your answer. The Tweet 5K is just like a regular 5K road race, except that…. well… Okay, it’s nothing like a regular 5K road race. It does have sponsors, including (appropriately) internet-based Seesmic Desktop and Zappos.com, you can get a t-shirt, they offer prizes, and it’s a fund raiser (beneficiary is Athletes For A Cure). Oh, and you’re supposed to run. But it’s the actual running of the race that’s, well, different.
To “compete” in the race, you run a time trial on any measured course or 400 meter track. Record your time and then report in via your Twitter account. You get three tries, and the “race” concludes the evening of May 30th. All times are to be reported on the honor system, and winners must verify their time with a documented “real” race time within 3% of their Tweet 5K time.
While there have been many other report-your-own-time races, and virtual races, the Tweet 5K is presumably the first race promoted and managed totally via Twitter. Indeed, the tag line of the event is “the first race produced entirely in 140 characters” – the size limit of a Twitter message, or tweet (sigh, I hate using that word…).
Regardless of the fact that this event offers no real head to head competition, it will present an interesting case study of how Twitter and other web 2.0 tools can be leveraged for event marketing and fund raising. With a $1000 cash prize offered, it’s significant enough to draw attention. Participants using the #tweet5k hashtags create a self-perpetuating community (see http://twitter.pbworks.com/Hashtags for explanation of hashtags). And they do a great job of keeping momentum with their tweets announcing daily prizes such as a pair of running shoes, a slot in the NYC Marathon, and even cash money!
So if you’ve not used Twitter and are looking for an excuse to try it out, the Tweet 5K (tweet5k.org) will give you a chance to join an active-minded community and try out some of the features of Twitter. An account is easy to set up, and you might find it to be useful. And yes, Racing Colorado is on Twitter and provides updates on events relevant to endurance athletes in Colorado. Feel free to follow us at twitter.com/racingcolorado.
Lance Armstrong Pushes For Cycling Stage Race In Colorado
This just emerging from the rumor stage… 850 KOA radio is announcing that they’ve confirmed with Governor Bill Ritter that he and Lance Armstrong have had two meetings to discuss bringing a major stage race to Colorado. Gov. Ritter stated that they discussed the return of the Coors Classic, although it’s unlikely that Coors has been secured as a sponsor. In fact, among the topics discussed in the meetings was reported to have been potential sponsor support.
Other Colorado race directors have recently been looking at bringing in a new stage race to the state, but a major event has yet to be developed. The star power of Lance may be the ingredient needed to really give legs to such an event. His part-time residency in Colorado has helped to bring the spotlight to the state, especially legitimate when he actually races. His participation in races such as the Leadville 100 and 12 Hours of Snowmass brought national attention to the competitive Colorado mountain bike scene. And according to Lance’s Twitter feed, he convinced Levi Leipheimer to join him in this year’s Leadville 100.
Since it seems to make the news any time Lance pees (or doesn’t pee), we’ll certainly all be the first to know if anything develops…
Community Classic Bike Tour – Free Entry!!
Free Entry to the 22nd Annual Community Classic Bike Tour – May 17th
Racing Colorado is offering a limited number of free entries to this beautiful ride through the foothills of Larimer County. The ride starts in Loveland, and you can choose to ride 10 miles, 30 miles, 37 miles, or the full 62-mile course.
The “CCBT†is a great way to enjoy spring time on 2 wheels in Colorado. It’s also good training for other rides later in the season. For full details of the ride, click here.
“So how can I get the free entry?”
There are two options to enter the drawing. You may click here to complete a short survey about active events in Colorado. Alternatively, just add a comment to this or any post here on RaceBlog. Be sure to mention something like, “Hey, set me up with a free CCBT entry!” Note: Your email address will NOT be published and will only be used to contact winners (so be sure to include an email that you check regularly).
Upcoming Colorado Events- Ralston Creek Half Marathon
- Valentine`s Day 5K
- 3W Heart Throb Run 5K
- Cupid`s Undie Run
- Love `em or Leave `em Valentine`s Day 5K Run/Walk
- Dick`s Sporting Goods Loveland Sweetheart Classic
- Dick`s Sporting Goods Loveland Sweetheart Classic
- HRCA Sunday Bloody Sunday 5k Challenge
- Super Bowl 5K
- Gold Rush Nordic Race Series
- Super Sunday Fun Run 5K
- SnowDash Extreme 5K / Echo Mnt. Colorado
- 5 k Moonlight Snowshoe
Oakley Offer