Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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pedalsheep
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by pedalsheep »

Nearholmer wrote: 8 Dec 2022, 12:47pm You folks have cost me money now: I was thinking about buying a robust “thermos” for winter bike rides, and having learned of Mr Stanley, and that Go Outdoors stock his indestructible flasks, I just bought one.
Nothing will save you more money than a decent flask! I usually take a flask or even a stove when out on my bike but yesterday I was persuaded by a few friends to join them in the cafe. £2.50 for tea! :shock: I'm out 6 days a week, if I went to the cafe every day I would have spent almost the cost of a new bike by the end of the year let alone a flask! :lol:
'Why cycling for joy is not the most popular pastime on earth is still a mystery to me.'
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nirakaro
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by nirakaro »

Ever since I was a kid, I've been amazed at the impressive manufacturing involved in producing that double-walled glass bottle. Anyone know how it's done? (I don't imagine they're hand-blown any more. :shock: )
Nearholmer
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Nearholmer »

£2.50 for tea! :shock:
You clearly live in a cheap area.

I don’t drink tea, but like coffee or hot chocolate it seems to rack-up at over £3 locally.
fastpedaller
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by fastpedaller »

I worked at Thermos in the Uk 40 years ago. It was on a downward (re sales) even then. the biggest problem was 1/3 of production went to Boots, who set the price. Any other hardware/independent store couldn't compete with Boots sale price. As employees we could get a discount but some products were cheaper for us to buy in Boots. The cost of a replacement glass refill was sometimes more than a complete new flask. poor business model - I can see where Dyson/ Brompton and Apple score by setting the retails price.
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pedalsheep
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by pedalsheep »

Nearholmer wrote: 8 Dec 2022, 3:17pm
£2.50 for tea! :shock:
You clearly live in a cheap area.
Not really, coffee started at £3.50, hot chocolate probably more. Perhaps I'm just a cheapskate!
'Why cycling for joy is not the most popular pastime on earth is still a mystery to me.'
Frank J Urry, Salute to Cycling, 1956.
Nearholmer
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Nearholmer »

In which case, it seems a bit unfair that tea is cheaper than the other drinks, IMO.

If I go into a cafe, I tend to get gulled into buying cake or sausage roll too, so it can easily be £7, which is OK occasionally but not a daily habit you’d want to acquire.
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pedalsheep
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by pedalsheep »

Nearholmer wrote: 8 Dec 2022, 4:39pm In which case, it seems a bit unfair that tea is cheaper than the other drinks IMO
Why? It's only hot water and a teabag. I assume the ingredients and the machine required to make fancy coffee are considerably more expensive.
'Why cycling for joy is not the most popular pastime on earth is still a mystery to me.'
Frank J Urry, Salute to Cycling, 1956.
rogerzilla
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by rogerzilla »

The Wilko 330ml stainless flask goes nicely into a bottle cage if it's first wrapped in a sock to prevent rattles. The sock also helps with extra insulation!
Nearholmer
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Nearholmer »

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Last edited by Nearholmer on 8 Dec 2022, 5:15pm, edited 1 time in total.
Nearholmer
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Nearholmer »

Why? It's only hot water and a teabag. I assume the ingredients and the machine required to make fancy coffee are considerably more expensive.
Why? Because I don’t like tea, but I do like coffee.

((Don’t take everything I say too seriously)
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foxyrider
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by foxyrider »

Nearholmer wrote: 8 Dec 2022, 3:17pm
£2.50 for tea! :shock:
You clearly live in a cheap area.

I don’t drink tea, but like coffee or hot chocolate it seems to rack-up at over £3 locally.
'ow much? :shock:

I only paid £1.75 for a pot of tea today, my regular tea stops range from free (with food) to a maximum £2. Three rides a week will see me spend @ £15 with food included, money which goes into the local economy and is similar to what i'd spend if i was eating at home on those days. Cafe drinks do, on the face of it look expensive as does food but of course you are paying for so much more than the water and teabag, fuel, wages, rent, hygiene materials, heat and so on. bit of a bargain if you ask me.

In the past, during lockdown for example, i have taken a flask out on rides but given the option of a cafe/pub i know which i prefer and its not stood shivering in a bus shelter sipping tepid coffee. (coffee stains less than tea). As a teen i had several glass flasks break on me, stainless flasks were a godsend and i own several in different sizes from @ 500ml to 1500ml depending on what i'm doing.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Tangled Metal
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Tangled Metal »

Isn't coffee just coffee beans and hot water? You are simply infusing tea leaves or ground up m coffee beans in hot water. It's the same basic process! Boil water, add to infusing element, wait a bit then serve. Why does tea cost a pound less than coffee? I know imho the tea is overpriced by £2.50 and tbh I'd say no even if you paid me that sum to drink it!
Tangled Metal
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Tangled Metal »

During lockdown I continued to go to work after a month of furlough. They shutdown the basic canteen of hot water urn, kettles, stove, microwave and fridge freezer. So everyone brought in drinks and flasks of coffee or tea or other. Now the canteen is open but I'm still bringing my flask. I realised the water at work made anything taste bloody awful. So whilst my, flask is only good enough to be called wet and warm (in my kayaking days that was the only two criteria for drinks and was amazing on cold winter trip). Despite it not winning any batista awards it is very wet and nicely warm when poured into an insulated mug. I need the mug because I can be away from coffee for quite some time.

BTW my flask is a lifeventure one and my mug is a stanley insulated mug. The flask keeps things wRm for all day but the mug only for an hour or so. But that's OK for my needs.
fastpedaller
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by fastpedaller »

Tangled Metal wrote: 8 Dec 2022, 6:49pm Isn't coffee just coffee beans and hot water? You are simply infusing tea leaves or ground up m coffee beans in hot water. It's the same basic process! Boil water, add to infusing element, wait a bit then serve. Why does tea cost a pound less than coffee? I know imho the tea is overpriced by £2.50 and tbh I'd say no even if you paid me that sum to drink it!
We all need to see Dave Gorman's Modern Life is Goodish 'feature' on tea and coffee prices :lol:
I really dislike some places that 'serve' tea as a moderately hot mug of water with a tea bag floating in it :( I won't have it, and would prefer instant coffee. Tea 'not from a pot' isn't really tea, and using water which isn't boiling hot is the last straw. Rant over.
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