The kettle is a common equipment for long-distance riding. We need to have an in-depth understanding of it so that we can use it happily and safely! The kettle should be a personal hygiene product. It contains liquids that are drunk into the stomach. It must be healthy and safe, otherwise the disease will enter through the mouth and ruin the enjoyment of the journey. Bicycle water bottles currently on the market can be roughly divided into two categories: plastic bottles and metal bottles. Plastic bottles can be divided into two types: soft glue and hard glue. Metal pots are also divided into aluminum pots and stainless steel pots. The above classifications are essentially based on material distinctions and a comparison of these four different materials.
Soft plastic, the white opaque bicycle water bottle that accounts for a large market share is made of it. You can turn the kettle upside down and you will find some symbols printed with material descriptions. If there are not even these and it is blank, it is recommended that you call 12315 immediately to report this fake product. Closer to home, plastic containers generally have a small triangular logo on the bottom, and there is an Arabic numeral in the middle of the logo, from 1-7. Each of these numbers represents a material, and there are different taboos on their use. Generally, soft glue kettles are made of No. 2 HDPE or No. 4 LDPE. Plastic No. 2 is relatively stable and can withstand heat up to 120 degrees Celsius, but plastic No. 4 cannot directly hold boiling water, and the maximum water temperature cannot exceed 80 degrees, otherwise it will release plastic agents that cannot be decomposed by the human body. The most annoying thing is that no matter whether you fill it with hot or cold water, there is always an unpleasant glue smell in your mouth.
Hard glue, the most famous representative of which is Nalgene’s transparent bicycle water bottle OTG from the United States. It is known as the “unbreakable bottle”. It is said that it will not explode even if it is run over by a car, and it is heat and cold resistant. But to be on the safe side, let’s look at the bottom of it first. There is also a small triangle with the number “7” in the middle. The number “7″ is the PC code. Because it is transparent and resistant to falling, it is widely used in making kettles, cups, and baby bottles. A few years ago, there was news that PC kettles would release the environmental hormone BPA (bisphenol A) when exposed to heat, which would have adverse effects on the human body. Anyway, Nalgene responded quickly and launched a new material, euphemistically called “BPAFree”. But will there be any new tricks discovered in the near future?
For pure aluminum, the most famous ones are Swiss Sigg sports kettles, which also produce bicycle kettles, and French Zefal aluminum kettles. It is a high-end aluminum kettle. If you look closely, you will see that its inner layer has a coating, which is said to prevent bacteria and prevent direct contact between aluminum and boiling water to generate carcinogens. It is also said that aluminum will generate harmful chemicals when it encounters acidic liquids (juice, soda, etc.). Long-term consumption of aluminum bottles may cause memory loss, mental decline, etc. (i.e. Alzheimer’s disease)! On the other hand, pure aluminum is relatively soft and is most afraid of bumps and will become uneven when dropped. The appearance is not a big problem, the worst thing is that the coating will be cracked and the original protective function will be lost, which will be in vain. But the worst part is, it turns out these synthetic coatings also contain BPA.
Stainless steel, relatively speaking, stainless steel kettles do not have the trouble of coating, and can be made into double-layer insulation. In addition to thermal insulation, the double-layered one also has the advantage that it can hold hot water without scalding your hands. Don’t think that you don’t drink hot water in summer. Sometimes in places where you can’t find a village or store, the experience brought by hot water is far better than that of cold water. In an emergency, the single-layer stainless steel kettle can be placed directly on the fire to boil water, which is something other kettles cannot do. Nowadays, many domestic stainless steel kettles are of good quality and are more resistant to bumps. However, stainless steel water bottles are heavier and heavier when filled with water. The plastic water bottle cages on ordinary bicycles may not be able to bear it. It is recommended to replace them with aluminum alloy water bottle cages.
Post time: Jun-26-2024