Hot drinks on the road

I was out riding a few weeks back in torrential weather and, after stopping to wring myself out and warm up at a cafe, I was reminded that there's nothing quite like hot, sweet tea to revive oneself.

As soon as work finishes for the year I am intending (as long as the ice stays away) to put in a lot of miles before the end of January and I want to carry hot, sweet tea with me.

I found a bottle cage type thing called a Bike Buddy that looks promising.
http://www.bikebuddy.co.uk

I'm now looking into Thermos flasks.

Does anyone already do this? If so, what do you use? How do you carry it?

I have an elite deboyo flask, which works fine. But you want to wrap it in gaffa tape or put it in a plastic bottle cage or else it rattles irritatingly.

Ps the plastic sports cap isn't very insulating. They give you a metal cap which works fine but then you have to unscrew it to drink, like a normal thermos. Meh, it fits in a bottle cage.

I'll check it out. I assume it'll keep hot for 5/6 hours in low temps?

Good tip about gaffa tape. I was thinking that rattling may be an issue.

Or use a plastic bottle cage, like the Elite one that's pretty much the best you can get.

I am a casual city rider and although there are cafes to pop into every 50metres I still carry a thermo flask in my rucksack to save money. It is by Thermos - it keeps tea and coffee nicely hot for 3 hours but after that it becomes lukewarm. I suspect you will find that all thermo flasks are like that cause they use same technology be they cheap or expensive.

How long do you think your rides will last?

that bikebuddy is a very useful kit.

I have carbon cages, but if the flask/bottle is hard plastic or metal then it'll rattle whatever the cage is I'd have thought.

I'm hoping to find a thermos that will keep drinks warm for up to six hours or so. Is this not realistic do you think?

There's the Biologic (01, 02) which fits a standard bottle cage and allows one handed operation, although I can't say I'm convinced that slurping something hot while riding is a good idea.

I'm thinking more of something for when I stop, ideally teamed with a hip flask: French onion soup (blended) and sloe gin anyone?

Use one of those neoprene, beer cooler sleeves perhaps?

No rattling and added insulation.

warm is realistic TTM, hot and invigorating isn't as far as i can tell.

@Scilly.Suffolk "French onion soup (blended) and sloe gin anyone?" This has been my breakfast menu for the last 6 months : )

Zojirushi

These are the king of vacuum flasks.

Camelbak Chill / Big Chill podium: http://www.camelbak.com/en/Canada/Sports-Recreation/Bottles/Podium-Big-Chill-25oz.aspx

An insulated version of the best bottle out there :)

coleman do a good all metal one, so no glass to break when things get rough

Er, not really...

They look great.

Also, in terms of heat retention, they are claiming 204 deg. Fahrenheit down to 167 in 6 hours. Which sounds impressive.

I would have thought that the movement of the bike and the airflow around it would affect the efficiency of any flask. Why not just stop at cafes - it's part of the fun, no? Unless you're touring perhaps...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B003BI7VBO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1418125655&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40
I've used one of these in a variety of regular cages for my morning coffee on my day commute for the last few years. It does the job but only for about an hour.

I usually do, but would rather the flexibility of carrying my own if I'm out on longish training rides in areas I don't know very well. Also, these won't be social group rides with a chat over a cuppa.

@Vesalius may have some solution as he longed for hot drink during multi-day audax ride.

Timeless classic solution: a big baggy Carradice and one of those Thermos flasks with a tartan exterior

back when I had to carry hot water for the kids, you could get flasks with a insulating cover. That should keep stuff warmer for longer and stop rattling in the bottle holder.

All of this, in future id just carry one of my normal thermos flasks id i wanted a hot drink, the deboyo is good for about 40-50km at the most

regularly carry hot coffee in a 350ml vacuum flask, usually elastic banded into a bottle cage to stop the annoying rattle. stays warm for a few hours.

Team with green corduroys.