May 13, 2008
Make your own bite-valve hydration system
Make your own bite-valve hydration system
Problem to be solved: Like many folks who bicycle or hike, I've used bite-valve, hands-free hydration systems for years. Unfortunately commercial hydration systems include a plastic bladder that is easy to puncture, difficult to clean and expensive to replace. In addition, wearing a backpack that holds the bladder is annoying to cyclists. Far preferable for cycling would be to have a bite-valve system that works with a bottle that sits in the frame-mounted bottle cage. Far preferable for both cyclists and hikers would be to replace the dismal plastic bladder with an ordinary PET soda bottle.
The solution in a nutshell: combine a few purchased components with a purpose-designed Delrin stopper in order to make your own bladder-free hydration system! Here's how make one!