Thermos flask for standard cage

[Vantage]

silly priced products [are] just as good and in some cases better than their cheaper counterparts.

I think that's my new favourite quote from this forum

You know those moments when you look at something you typed earlier and realize what a complete and utter pigs ear you made of it?
I just had one of those moments

'Scuse me while I give myself a slap for being a world class muppet...

[breakwellmz]

Allow me-

Cheaper priced products [are] just as good and in some cases better than their silly priced counterparts.

Is that ok?

[Bikefayre]

Simple Topeak do adjustable ones and have found the Zefal plastic ones that expand to accommodate bigger bottles work a treat. You can get a bottle holder that will take a 1.5 litre bottle so that might be better. Have a look at the expandable cages, there's bound to be one to fit, the standard ones are only for normal bottles.

[Heltor Chasca]

Enough of all this tech bike stuff, now down to the most important things for next tour.... smoko (= morning tea)

Can anyone recommend a light weight (stainless steel?) thermos flask that fits in to a standard bottle cage (c. 70 mm diameter?), which is robust enough for the under-the-down-tube cage. About 0.5 - 0.7 litres. Standard flask, with screw lid and integrated cup, i.e. don't want to drink while on the move. Just needs to keep water hot enough for a few hours.

I have looked at a few old threads but most links are either dead or products don't seem to exist anymore.

Thanks

I've just re-read the op's thread. Hoping not to be the devil's advocate, but why not just brew up on the side of the road? Assuming you have space in your panniers.

I'm only saying this because I have only recently learned to 'slow myself down'. I'm a very driven person and in the past I've always tried to do everything as efficiently and quickly as possible. Very tiring on my spirit, my body and those around me.

I'm learning to STOP and take it all in. A Trangia in my panniers along with my coffee, tea and milk makes life much easier.

As my 12 year old says, 'Just saying.'

[bigjim]

I was on a club run in Cheshire a couple of years ago. we had just been for lunch at a new, to us, cafe. We were all in agreement that we had paid ,in our opinion, far to much for meagre fare. We were bowling along a quiet lane and passed a field gateway. There was a youngish guy sat there. His bike was propped against the gate and he had a pan of something or other on the stove and was sipping a brew whilst stirring his lunch. He only had a small saddlebag on the bike so it looked like a day ride.
The chap riding alongside looked at me and we both nodded and muttered the same thing. Nice....

[pedalsheep]

Members of the Wayfarer CTC ending the year with a fry up in a bus shelter.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater
and then starting the New Year with a brew.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

[Brucey]

I think the al-fresco cooking thing is a brilliant idea at times but when it is raining horizontally, or just plain freezing cold out, a caff (even with meagre, overpriced fare) seems strangely attractive to me.

cheers

[Edwards]

The cheapest solution is to get a small 0.5l flask. Then get an old plastic Bidon (cycling cage fitting bottle).
Cut the top off the plastic bottle so that the flask fits snugly inside. Remember to keep the original flask cup on the top as this is designed to help keep the heat in.

[ferdinand]

I've been experimenting with the Bike Buddy 3.

Love it, particularly the standoff screw arrangement that lets the keyhole mount on the bottle drop in to the mounting points. But it is a bit like a Meccano set.

I think what I really want is a couple of a stronger version of those buckle type rubber mounting straps that are used in Helmet attachments to go round the flask, with the keyhole mount attached, which should cost about 25p each, rather than all the metalwork.

Example:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/FireTM-Lumens-R ... B00J4QTEKS

Now need to find a flask, then I will be on the way to freshly brewed coffee in the countryside!

Ferdinand

[Brucey]

I happened to be in my local Tescos earlier on, and since the mad layout of the shop meant that the bike accessories were right next to the thermos flasks, I thought it rude not to experiment.

I can report that a 0.35l own-brand flask is a little skinnier than most bottles, but fits snugly into one of their (rather springy) plastic bottle cages. The taller 0.5l flask is the same diameter, so also fits OK, but might be so tall that it tips out of some cages unless an additional strap is used.

The flasks taper slightly, so should be easy enough to hold securely; they cost £3.50 and £4.50 respectively, and don't look too badly made.

cheers

[slogfester]

Happy to report that final setup worked fantastically over nearly 3000 km on and off-road touring in NZ

The 2 x 1 litre oversized water bottles were a simple and effective solution to surprisingly long distances between drinking water in hot and dry conditions in the South Island. Thermos with bike buddy held fast in what looks like a vulnerable position for about 2000 km before falling off due to a screw rattling loose on the bottom end stop bracket. Easily fixed with a zip tie and a (spare) plastic locking nut from a brake. At NZD4.50 (c. £2.25) for a coffee in a decent cafe (when you could find one), the Airspresso -despite being expensive- paid for its self within a couple of weeks! Often I could make a better espresso than some of the cafes! Worked brilliantly with my Lezyne micro-drive floor pump.

The convenience and speed of having hot water ready for coffee on the road, far out-weighed the gravitational weight. 0.5 l was enough for a mug of tea for Ms Slogfester, an espresso for moi and a little bit to clean the Airspresso.

One happy tourer

[stevemb]

I know it's already been mentioned but I use a Thermos Ultimate 0.8 l which fits in a cage if the 2 rubber bits , one at the bottom and a green ring 2/3 of the way up are taken off (Come off easily)

I did a temperate test using a digital thermometer over time at hourly intervals with all my flasks, up to 36 hours.
The best by a small margin was a Thermos Stainless Steel King 1.2L with the Ultimate a very close second. These were way clear of the other cheap flasks tested. The performance of the Ultimate was better as the larger the flask the better the heat retention so for its size it was very good. On my cage (A profile) it fits snug with no rattle and I can have a nice hot coffee in the afternoon as well.