Best water bottles for cycling 2025: Stay hydrated on the go

Everyone will have a different set of criteria but, as a general rule, if you want to choose one of the best water bottles for cycling, opt for something that carries a decent amount of water, that's free of BPA-free (Bisphenol A is a chemical used in the manufacturing of some plastic containers that can transfer into food and drink) and doesn't leak.

No one likes a plastic aftertaste, so that's another consideration to make; some bottles come with an internal lining that prevents it, while another option is to choose a stainless steel bottle instead.

There are bike-specific insulated bottles on offer, which are designed to keep your water colder for longer – and even some with Thermos-style properties to keep hot drinks hot. Consider how long you're likely to be out riding, and whether it's worth investing a little more for one of these.

It's good to find a bottle that's easy to drink from while on the go and there are a variety of different caps on offer – some with fast-flowing valves and some with self-sealing ones that you don't have to wrestle open with your teeth. However, not everyone drinks while they ride, with some people preferring to stop and sip. Depending on your personal preference, choose a bottle that will suit your needs and match your style.

It all depends on the ride and the weather. If it's a long ride and a hot day, even two of the biggest bottles you can find won't be enough. On the other hand, there are actually reasons not to always carry every last bit of water you can.

It might sound silly to consider weight when it comes to water but it really does add up. Lots of gravel bikes have the ability to carry three water bottles. If you were to use three 26oz (750ml) bottles in each of the available cages, that's around 2.2kg (4.8lbs) of weight. If you need it, that's well worth the weight penalty, but it's significant if you're riding where a top-up is easily found. Our list of the best water bottles for cycling features options ranging from 12oz (350ml) up to 32oz (950ml), so there is a lot of variety on offer.

There's also the fact that if you're riding in super hot temperatures all day without insulated bottles, your water will become increasingly warm over the course of your ride. If you don't want to buy multiple insulated bottles, your best option is to carry fewer and top them up more often.

There's also frame size to consider. Most road bikes have plenty of space in the main triangle for water bottles, but not always. As the frame gets smaller, or if you add a frame bag, you might actually run into issues trying to fit the biggest bottles. Varying cages will work a little differently, too, so check out our list of the best bottle cages for cycling if you are having trouble and consider how tall the bottle you are thinking about is.

What it comes down to is that there's no right answer all the time. For short rides, a single bottle will likely see you through. As you stretch out the time, or when things heat up, you will want to go as big as makes sense while also trying not to go way over.

Most bikes have fittings to mount the best bottle cages, most commonly on the down tube, where it is tucked out of the way and easily accessible to the rider. Many bikes will have a second set of these fixings – or bosses – on the seat tube and many of the best gravel bikes come with a third set. However, if bottles weren't at the top of your shopping list when you were buying your bike, there are alternatives, such as carrying a bottle in your jersey or adding cages onto the back of the seat or the front of the handlebars – although these are far more cumbersome and less aerodynamic.

Most people don't want to spend a fortune on water bottles, so it's understandable to question those that make great claims and demand a slightly higher price. However, when it comes to insulated cycling water bottles, we'd say it's definitely worth it.

Insulated water bottles contain an internal lining that helps to keep your water at the same temperature for longer. There's nothing worse than taking a mouthful of warm water when you're craving something cold and refreshing, and that's what insulated bottles are designed to prevent from happening.

However, they can be overkill if you're just going on a short ride on a comfortably temperate day. When deciding whether or not they're worth it, think about how long you tend to ride for, and whether your local climate is likely to badly affect the temperature of your water.

There's no hard and fast rule to this one. Plastic water bottles will last forever in practical terms, which has its environmental implications. Companies such as Elite are starting to think about the materials they use for their bottles from a sustainability point of view – ensuring they can be recycled or use materials that are better for the environment. Cannondale even unveiled a 100-percent compostable water bottle for the EF Education-EasyPost team to use at the 2022 Giro d'Italia.

The challenges for professional cycling – in which thousands of bottles are thrown away each year – are, however, different from those for the average cyclist, who wants to get the best use out of their purchases. Over time, however, water bottles become more difficult to use, the outside gets scratched and it starts to be harder to get them out of the cages. They also start to look worn and can be hard to clean, even after a few months of heavy use.

If you are careful about cleaning them, they will last longer. It's also helpful to clean the inside of your bottle cages from time to time as a way to extend the life of your bottles. If you want something that lasts even longer, consider a metal bottle instead of plastic.

The last thing you want is to be drinking mould and old remnants from past rides.

The first thing to keep track of is what your particular bottle can tolerate. A dishwasher can be an excellent way to get a bottle clean, but the high heat could also destroy it if it's made of plastic. Some bottles are dishwasher safe and some are not, so make sure you check to see what yours can handle. Along the same lines, some bottles can handle a good scrubbing, while others only need a rinse.

If you want to be safe, stick to gentle cleaning only. Dish soap and warm water is enough to kill germs and it's far more important to get the pieces exposed to the soap and water than it is to aggressively scrub. Even if all you do at the end of a ride is take your bottles apart and thoroughly rinse them, you'll have gone a long way to keeping them clean and safe.

Sticking with the gentle cleaning suggestion, the other important thing you can do is make sure your bottles dry thoroughly. Never leave your bottles sitting in your bottle cages after storing your bike. That's a surefire way to get mould. Instead, open up your bottles, give them a rinse with soap and water, then let them sit with the tops removed. The exposure to air and a thorough drying will do a lot to make sure your bottles are clean and fresh the next time you grab them.