# Should I modify my bottle holder to accept Coke can?



## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

With all the performance food available to these guys, I'm surprised to see so many cans of Coke being consumed in the TdF. I'm assuming 3 weeks of said performance foods is just too much to bear. Or, is there more to it, e.g. the carbonated drinks helping as they scarf down so much food on the bike - we all know a good burp helps settle the stomach. It's cold, sweet, sugary... 

How much ya wanna bet the execs in Atlanta are scrambling "Holy #*&@, those Tour de France guys are drinking our red DURING the race! Quick, get the red brand team up here... call the agency... call R&D... we need to launch another carbonated sports drink!" 

But unless you've got a team car behind you... It's not going to work - either you keep it sealed, and it explodes when you open it... or it's flat by the time you need it. Damn pros... get all the cool stuff. ;-)


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## BicycleBastard (Mar 5, 2011)

Its all about a change of pace and has little to nothing to do with any actual benefit the drink gives the rider. Its just that after drinking so much water and sports drink, they want something that tastes completely different and something they can enjoy which helps boost their mental outlook for the remainder of the day.

They do the same thing with the food that they eat. Mostly its bars and gels and such but the seigneur(?) for a given team will often mix things up with a sandwich or some unique food to keep riders from getting bogged down by the same damn thing over and over again.


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

OldZaskar said:


> But unless you've got a team car behind you... It's not going to work - either you keep it sealed, and it explodes when you open it... or it's flat by the time you need it. Damn pros... get all the cool stuff. ;-)


I think most pro riders prefer it flat. They want the sugar and the caffeine, not the carbonation. (And as pointed out already, a change of pace from water and sports drinks).


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## pr0230 (Jun 4, 2004)

OldZaskar said:


> With all the performance food available to these guys, I'm surprised to see so many cans of Coke being consumed in the TdF. I'm assuming 3 weeks of said performance foods is just too much to bear. Or, is there more to it, e.g. the carbonated drinks helping as they scarf down so much food on the bike - we all know a good burp helps settle the stomach. It's cold, sweet, sugary...
> 
> How much ya wanna bet the execs in Atlanta are scrambling "Holy #*&@, those Tour de France guys are drinking our red DURING the race! Quick, get the red brand team up here... call the agency... call R&D... we need to launch another carbonated sports drink!"
> 
> But unless you've got a team car behind you... It's not going to work - either you keep it sealed, and it explodes when you open it... or it's flat by the time you need it. Damn pros... get all the cool stuff. ;-)


http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=coca+cola+bike+bottle


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

In the 80's and early 90's Coke was the official bottle sponsor of the tour. All riders used red bottles with a coke label. It wasn't team specific then.


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

They've always done it. Someone posted a video here a while back that had Eddy Merckx talking about opening bottles of coke with his rear brake caliper.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

Eddy Merckx - 1974 Giro d'Italia - 03 Give me water.mpg - YouTube


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## Rundfahrt (Jul 16, 2012)

Coke gives a quick shot of energy. Next time you ride long let yourself get on the brink of a bonk then down a Coke.

They still use Coke water bottles from the bottle motorcycles.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

i think they use the smaller cans, too. they started carrying those in the US about 3 years ago. from what i have read, they do, in fact, refer it flat. the carbonation lays tricks with the stomach. some like it warm, too. 

havent you ever gotten done with a ride and just craved a coke?


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

btw, if you are gonna modify your cage, just go whole hog and see surly:


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## Rundfahrt (Jul 16, 2012)

weltyed said:


> i think they use the smaller cans, too. they started carrying those in the US about 3 years ago. from what i have read, they do, in fact, refer it flat. the carbonation lays tricks with the stomach. some like it warm, too.
> 
> havent you ever gotten done with a ride and just craved a coke?


One of my favorite things after a long, hot ride, is to pull a can of coke straight from the fridge.


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## superjesus (Jul 26, 2010)

weltyed said:


> btw, if you are gonna modify your cage, just go whole hog and see surly:


Now THAT is a bottle cage!


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## FlandersFields (Jul 16, 2010)

In Belgium here they sell these smaller coke cans (25 cl.) you can gulp them down at once. Personally I like something less sweet, as my mouth is alyways sore of the sports drink in my bottles.


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## juno (Jul 18, 2008)

I remember a thread a few years back where a number of posters were HORRIFIED that some riders grabbed a coke at the top of a mountain. How DARE they put that stuff into thier system.
Ha! 
Personally if I am really dehydrated water or a sports drink first, but once that edge is off a cold coke is the ticket. I am a true coke person, not a pepsi person so I probably have a different perspective. I may drink one a week or every couple of weeks nowadays, but damn, when I want it, I want it cold and real, no diet crap, no non-caffiene crap, a real coke, cold.
It is not just another soda or a cold drink, it's a coke!!
I have a theory that if you are a coke person (ie do not drink pepsi) that you have a lot less issue with a rider sucking down a coke. If you are a pepsi person you probably do not understand..
Why I say this is because I see a lot of folks who swear by Pepsi. But they are the ones who will drink coke if Pepsi is not available.For instance, as a mixer in thier cocktail or at a soda fountian. If coke is not available I will not drink Pepsi. 
These Pepsi people tell me to drink the pepsi, there is no difference. I just reply that if you can't tell the difference then that is why you drink Pepsi!

Any other coke-a-holics share that view?


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

*or Dublin Dr. Pepper.*

SW of the DFW metroplex is the little town of Stephenville, Texas. They host a bike ride on or around 4th of july each year. Around the mid-way point of the bike ride is Dublin, TX. Home of the "Dublin Dr. Pepper," A beverage bottler that, for a lon time, was licensed to bottle Dr. Pepper. Dr. Pepper made with cane sugar and not with corn syrup. They never switched over to corn syrup.

Firecracker 100 - Stephenville, Texas Bicycle Ride around 4th of July.

The Dr. Pepper used to flow at the Firecracker 100. But snapple, who a long time ago bought Dr. Pepper, fought the folks in Dublin to have them cease using the Dr. Pepper name.

Dublin Dr Pepper - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So, I guess now the Firecracker 100 offers "XXX Rootbeer floats" in lieu of the Dublin Dr. Pepper.

In your journeys, you may one day meet someone with a smallish bottle of Dr. Pepper in their home or office, sitting on a shelf or mantle. It is probably a "Dublin Dr. Pepper."

So now, if you want a cane sugar-flavored soda, and you are in Texas, you have to hunt around for a "Mexican Coke." People import these from Mexico and sell them in Texas convenience stores.


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## Ppopp (Jun 20, 2011)

Rundfahrt said:


> One of my favorite things after a long, hot ride, is to pull a can of coke straight from the fridge.


There are few things better in the world than a cold Coke straight from the fridge when you hit the door after a long hot ride.


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## stumpbumper (Jan 22, 2011)

Occasionally during a long ride I will stop at a convenience store and fill one of my water bottles with a bit of ice and a can of Coke. A nice change-of-taste treat, especially on an extremely hot day. Seems like the caffein gives me an energy boost but that may just be my taste buds playing tricks on me.


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## loubnc (May 8, 2008)

When I know it's going to be a long day, I usually carry one of the little 7.5 ounce cans in my jersey pocket. They don't take up much room and are quite refreshing at the halfway point of a ride.

Also, the look of "Hey, where'd ya get THAT?" is funny when you pull it out of your pocket at the proverbial "middle of nowhere" stop everyone always makes.


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## Maximus_XXIV (Nov 10, 2008)

weltyed said:


> i think they use the smaller cans, too. they started carrying those in the US about 3 years ago. from what i have read, they do, in fact, refer it flat. the carbonation lays tricks with the stomach. some like it warm, too.
> 
> havent you ever gotten done with a ride and just craved a coke?


The carbonation also causes letters to drop and caps to go small.

I think one of the jerseys was sponsored by Coke for a while too.


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## 4Crawler (Jul 13, 2011)

loubnc said:


> When I know it's going to be a long day, I usually carry one of the little 7.5 ounce cans in my jersey pocket. They don't take up much room and are quite refreshing at the halfway point of a ride.
> 
> Also, the look of "Hey, where'd ya get THAT?" is funny when you pull it out of your pocket at the proverbial "middle of nowhere" stop everyone always makes.


I usually strap a trunk bag onto my rear rack for longer rides. The bag is foam lined so fairly well insulated. I fill a 32oz. bottle with ice and water and throw a can of soda in there as well. Just the perfect refreshment at the top of the big climb of the day to have an ice cold drink in the middle of nowhere:










That is the only time I'll drink soda these days, so a 12 pack will last me a month or two.


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## Cavan (Jul 2, 2012)

I wonder how they feel about Pepsi


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## SFTifoso (Aug 17, 2011)

Are you sure you want a carbonated drink shaking around in the hot sun for miles and miles? Just stop at a store, grab a coke and some puffs and keep going.


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

pretender said:


> Eddy Merckx - 1974 Giro d'Italia - 03 Give me water.mpg - YouTube


So envious of how they can operate so well no-handed. There was a rider literally slamming his bottle against the stem to get the cap off and no twitch whatsoever.


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## OldChipper (May 15, 2011)

Ventruck said:


> So envious of how they can operate so well no-handed. There was a rider literally slamming his bottle against the stem to get the cap off and no twitch whatsoever.


Piles of miles and you can too!


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2012)

juno said:


> I remember a thread a few years back where a number of posters were HORRIFIED that some riders grabbed a coke at the top of a mountain. How DARE they put that stuff into thier system.
> Ha!
> Personally if I am really dehydrated water or a sports drink first, but once that edge is off a cold coke is the ticket. I am a true coke person, not a pepsi person so I probably have a different perspective. I may drink one a week or every couple of weeks nowadays, but damn, when I want it, I want it cold and real, no diet crap, no non-caffiene crap, a real coke, cold.
> It is not just another soda or a cold drink, it's a coke!!
> ...


I rarely drink sugary sodas anymore. For caffeine I almost always go for unsweetened coffee or green tea (sometimes iced). If I want a carbonated beverage I usually drink club soda. 

When I want a sweet drink though I definitely go for Coke-- particularly Mexican coke (in glass bottles, sweetened with cane sugar not corn). I never drink pepsi straight. Last time I had Pepsi it was mixed with rum and wasn't my first drink of the evening...


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## BassNBrew (Aug 4, 2008)

A can of Coke at the halfway point of my last ultra gave me a new outlook on life. After that I pounded one at every rest stop and actually negative split the event. I would describe as the exact opposite of a boink.


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