Home -> Stories

I don’t normally use a dirt cap on my bottle when riding. I’m a fan of putting a dirt cap on my bottles when I’m going through the airport, just to protect the nozzle from airport grime. Until a few days ago, I hadn’t used dirt caps while out on a ride.

I had signed up to ride in The Ranger, a gravel ride in Tunbridge VT, notorious for its classic Vermont views, relaxed vibes, and big climbs. I saw rain in the forecast, so I knew the riding would be quite muddy, and I decided to give the dirt caps a try! 

Dusty the Dirt Cap is loved among customers, but we get the occasional comment about how it makes it more difficult to maneuver the nozzle. Someone recently wrote “the only issue is that with the dirt cap, it's harder to pull up the spout.” Fair! 

I had a similar experience. Popping the dirt cap on and off while riding hard took some getting used to. 

So, between a few customer comments and questions and my own recent experience, I wanted to write a post about how to drink with dirt caps while riding to make sure all of you are fully informed of the best practices and set up for success!

How to put on and take off the dirt cap

Our dirt caps come with their own tether to the nozzle so it can stay attached to the bottle, whether it’s covering the nozzle or not.

So, to put the dirt cap on, pop the tether around the nozzle, then flip the top over to fully cover the nozzle.

Taking it off is simple, just use the lip on the dirt cap to peel it back and let it hang from the nozzle. Some people find removing it while riding to be more of a challenge. 

How to remove the dirt cap while riding

What I realized (with a bit of trial and error 😂) when riding at The Ranger the other day was that it was easiest to remove the dirt cap one handed while my bottle was still in its cage. 

Many of you have already figured this out and have shared this advice to others in reviews:

“Pro tip, flip the cap open before removing the bottle from the cage, trust me!!”

“I just pop open the dirt cap while the bottle is still in the cage, as I snag it for a drink.”

Rather than stopping to use two hands to pop the dirt cap off or trying to flip off the cap with one hand while continuing to pedal, remove the nozzle off with your thumb while your bottle is still in its cage.

Pulling up the nozzle while riding with a dirt cap

A reviewer noted that they find it harder to pull up the nozzle while the dirt cap is on. It’s true that with the dirt cap’s tether wrapped around the neck of the nozzle, there is less room to pull up the nozzle with your fingers. 

When pulling up on the nozzle with my hand, I find I put my fingertips around the base of the ledge of the nozzle to pull up. But, with the dirt cap on, you can’t get your fingertips positioned there as easily.

All of us at Bivo have found that it is easiest to use our teeth to pull the nozzle up, and the dirt cap doesn’t get in the way with that method.

However, if you’re someone with sensitive teeth, we recommend leaving the nozzle up and open during your ride, and, when popping the dirt cap back on, do it lightly so as to not push the nozzle closed again.

Overall, I loved using two dirt caps on my bottles while riding in Tunbridge last Sunday. At the end of the 42 mile ride, every inch of my bike and my person was muddy, but my bottle’s nozzles stayed clean!

We always love hearing how all of you are using your bottles, so thank you everyone who reached out with questions and comments on using their dirt cap. Do you have any other questions about using Dusty the Dirt Cap? Comment below or reach out at thirsty@drinkbivo.com and we’ll be able to help!