One of the most popular types of bottles on the market today are stainless steel bottles. Not only are they more environmentally friendly than traditional plastic bottles, but the stainless steel construction doesn’t have any taste residue and has a non-porous design that resists mold. While stainless steel bottles have become popular for outdoor use, the Bivo One claims to be the first specifically designed for cycling. With a clever Gravity Flow cap, the Bivo One provides a high-flow rate without the need to squeeze. The 21oz single-wall non-insulated stainless steel bottle has a non-slip silicone coating that is available in four bright colors and has a retail price of $39. Bivo also offers the Bivo One Raw, a brushed stainless steel finish version, that retails for a slightly cheaper $29. It’s also worth pointing out that not only is the stainless steel construction more environmentally friendly but that Bivo as a company is carbon neutral.
The Bivo One is a clever cycling bottle that combines a durable and environmentally friendly steel construction with a high flow gravity fed cap.
| Retail Price | $39 |
| Rating | 8.7/10 |
| Measured weight (in g) | 160 |
| Likes | + Unique colors + High-flow gravity cap and push-pull nozzle + No plastic taste with stainless steel interior |
| Dislikes | – No cap cover – Only offered in 21oz size option currently – Rigid construction is a crash hazard if dropped |
| Where to Buy (US) | Bivo |
UNBOXING
As an eco-friendly company, it isn’t surprising that the Bivo ships in a branded mailer cardboard box. The bottle is wrapped in brown paper to keep it from scratching during shipment. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Bivo One bottle
- Cleaning brush
- 2x bottle cage screws
The included brush is a nice touch for cleaning the inside of the straw that is attached to the Gravity Cap so you don’t have to go brush hunting. It’s also long enough to fully extend through the entire length which makes quick work of cleaning. Included with the bottle is a humorous note penned “we don’t have a loose screw” which explains that Bivo includes the flatter screws to replace taller screw heads that might scratch the bottle.
FIT & FINISH
The Bivo One is currently available in four eye-catching colors, the teal shown in this review as well as black, lavender, and red. Each of them has a color matched cap with an anti-slip silicone coating that also prevents the bottle from rattling. There is also a brushed stainless steel accent ring to contrast the otherwise simple tapered body. In order to ensure the Bivo One fits most water bottle cages, the bottle has a standard 74mm diameter. Additionally, there is a groove part way up the bottle that rests against the water bottle cage tab to prevent the bottle from sliding out. The bottle is currently only available in the non-insulated 21oz version shown in this review, but we’re hopeful that Bivo will introduce different sizes and insulated options in the future.
What sets the Bivo One apart from other stainless steel bottles is the cap – something Bivo refers to as a Gravity Flow cap. At first glance, the silicone cap looks very similar to an Elite FLY or Polar Breakaway with it’s large rubber push-pull nozzle (pushing it down locks it while pulling up unlocks it). On closer inspection, the nozzle has a small tab extension, from the top the extension is designed to match the “b” in Bivo logo, which covers an air vent. That air vent is attached to a removable silicone straw that extends nearly down to the bottom of the bottle. You don’t actually drink from the straw, instead it helps normalize the pressure inside the bottle as you drink from it at an angle. This ensures the water flows at a steady high rate without the need to squeeze the bottle to create pressure.
ON THE ROAD
Although it sounds odd, the Bivo One is a bottle that has a learning curve to it. It takes a few rides to break the habit of squeezing when going for a drink from the bottle. The Gravity Flow cap lives up to its name as the bottle flows water smoothly and quickly. Compared to traditional plastic bottles such as the Elite FLY or Camelbak Podium, the Bivo One is actually faster to drink from as you don’t have to squeeze and release multiple times to get more water going. We found that we actually drank more water while riding with the bottle due to the high flow rate. The silicone coating on the outside and tapered profile is also easy to grip and hold while riding. We’d recommend cyclists who ride off-road or in the rain to wait until Bivo offers a nozzle cover though, as the large exposed nozzle can quickly collect dirt or debris. Also we’d recommend against using the Bivo One in group ride settings as the rigid construction can be a crash hazard if it were dropped or fell out of the cage by accident.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Bivo One to be visually attractive and surprisingly easy to drink from. The clever vented Gravity Flow cap provides a continuous and high-flow rate that simply needs to be tilted to drink from. You’ll have to unlearn the muscle memory of squeezing or sucking from the nozzle with the bottle. Is the Bivo One a good cycling bottle? The answer to that is yes and no as it’s certainly well designed and easy to drink from. However, for more competitive cyclists the higher price and heavier weight of the bottle are big negatives. That said, the Bivo One is a great option for commuting or indoor cyclists as the stainless steel construction is environmentally friendly, easy to clean, and makes it easier to stay hydrated. We’re looking forward to larger capacity and insulated variations which would fully realize the benefits of the stainless steel construction.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Bivo. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.