Best way to freeze bike water bottles

Step 1: Put bottle in freezer
Step 2: Wait a few hours
Step 3: Take bottle out of freezer.

What am I missing here?  I've never had any problems.  I usually bring two bottles with me on rides.  When I get back I fill them up, put one in the fridge and one in the freezer.  When I'm done with the first, the second is nice cold water

LOL, you forgot step to fill w/water.....LOL

I should have been clearer.  In the past, with uninsulated ones, they'd usually end up splitting rather frequently for me.  So I thought maybe the tip I read to lay them on their side helps prevent that, but it would then flow out without the cap, and with the cap on the cap would freeze shut.  Or, given that, I was looking for a tip like maybe just make sure to fill only half way, which might prevent the splitting.

Now it's been a few years since I did this, so maybe newer bottles don't split as easily, or maybe I was filling them too full.  I'd usually freeze one half full, and one 3/4 full for the last half of the ride,  filling the rest of the way up with water in each before I left the house.

I guess I should just try it, but those bottles are $10 each, so wanted to prevent the splitting of one.

Edited by Steve59 2010-07-09 12:47 PM

fill up, put in freezer without top on. freeze. remove, replace cap

I had a lid freeze on a polar bottle before a race, so I wouldn't freeze a bottle with the lid on again.  Now I just place ice cubes in the bottle and fill it up. 

OK, I feel like a complete idiot, but most bottles I used to do this for ended up splitting, after that the 3 step approach mentioned above wouldn'tt get me past step 1 successfully. 

I'll try this again.............maybe I have hard water.  lol

Thx

Yeah, once I realized I was going through too many bottles, I started using cubes, which don't last as long.  Now that it's so hot, and I ride 4 -5 times as far as back then, I was remembering how long the frozen bottles would last.

Thx

I had the same issue with them splitting.  I now fill mine about 1/3 full and then tilt it at an angle in the door of the freezer, I either leave the top off or leave it loose, this way when it expands it has room to expand up and out and not split the sides.  I angle it as much as I can without water coming out the top.  Then when I grab them I'll top them off with some water and put the lids on.

Great, I'll try this first.  I just bought some Polar bottles to match the colors on my new bike, so I'll experiment with the old ones.

Thanks for the tip!

Great, makes sense.   I'll try this out on a long ride tomorrow, and maybe Sunday too.

This way I can always have a couple bottles frozen and ready to go!

Thanks !

........those of us who have been hit with frozen bottles coming through transition, or dodged them as they scooted quickly toward my S60 ready to take me out like a torpedo - wishes you would just deal with some warmer water - its better for you anyway.

As long as you don't fill it to the tippy top, you should be fine.  Water expands when it freezes, so if it's up to the top it need to go somewhere... and.... SPLIT!  Only fill it 3/4 full at most.

If only it were that easy for my Speedfil.  If I turn it one way I can't get the top on.  Turn it the other and the water in the tube freezes.  It is HOT in Arizona and like my water to at least be cool on my longer rides.