How To Protect Water Bottle Mounted to Bottom of Down Tube?

[mtnbound]

I carry a water bottle on the cage attached to the bottom (underneath) of down tube.  The water bottle gets real nasty, particularly on wet, muddy sections and when going thru livestock areas, such that I hate to drink from it (I have been just unscrewing the top and drinking it that way, though some crud usually falls into the water anyway while screwing/unscrewing).

I was thinking about how to resolve this issue and, so far, my idea is to cover the top end of the water bottle with a stuff sack.  My current water bottles have an indent that circles the bottle about one to two inches from the top (not sure if the indent it to make it easier to grasp or is primarily for looks).  I was thinking of getting a small stuff sack, wrapping it upside down around the top of the water bottle and cinch it around the indent and then tying/wrapping the small cord that remains around the bottle cage.  I would think this would protect the nipple of the bottle and keep it clean, while making sure the stuff sack doesn't fly off.  I would think that is light, cheap and shouldn't add too much time to take it on/off.  It does require me to stop riding in order to drink but that is OK.  I usually drink while riding from the camelback and the water bottle holds drink supplements so I don't drink from it that often, usually when I am taking a break.

Any thoughts on this potential setup? Haven't tried it yet but plan on this spring.  Any suggestions for alternatives? Thanks!

[dream4est]

I made a small drybag with simple hook and loop 3/4" velcro sewed in instead of a side release buckle.

[Adam Alphabet]

For the same reasons you've described above I don't drink from the bottle stored under my down tube. For me it's simply a carrier for water until I finish my other bottles. I give the down tube bottle a quick wipe with my hand to get some of the crud off, unscrew and transfer to one of my empty drink bottles.

I've been thinking of either trying a bottle with a cover over the nipple or for simplicities sake using a different bottle with no nipple to keep things cleaner. I like 1L zefal magnum bottles but they can be a bit leaky from the tops so something light in the 1L range with no nipple would be ideal for me.

[Area54]

Cheap drybag, nothing fancy. I stitched one up from a piece of polytarp to cover my MSR bottle and pump.

[Buttermilk]

Yeah, covering with stuff sack or only using as a carrier and transferring water out are the best options.

This got me thinking of CTR as I was nearing Stoney Pass. Absolutely beautiful section of riding. However the trail was littered with sheep dung mud. Quality mix of fresh rain and hundreds of sheep. It was flying every where...I rode slowly to keep it to a minimum. Eventually the continuing rain washed everything clean but not a pretty site. So covering the bottle is a god idea.

[bmike-vt]

[sslos]

http://shop.camelbak.com/podium-mud-cap/d/1044
Fits the bottles you already have, and works pretty well.

Los

[Colorado Cool Breeze]

What about a plastic bag and rubber band? Cheap and weights nothing.

[Cosmo K]

Thanks CCB - I was over thinking this.  Plastic bag, which I'll have plenty, and a rubber band, which I'll carry a few.  Perfect!

[mtnbound]

Thanks for all of the great ideas!  I see some good options, though CCB's seems the cheapest with the least effort - I'll try that one out first and see how long the plastic bags and rubber bands last.  I guess I was over-thinking it too!

[SlimJim]

Back when I worked at an REI store, those nalgene fliptop bottles first came out. We sold a lot just by mentioning "cow pie splatter". Two seconds of hesitation, and people would buy a $6 bottle over the $2 bottle.