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Jody Wilson is one seriously incredible human, and we count ourselves lucky to know him. The memory of our first encounter with Jody is etched in our minds - Robby and I were at Rooted VT, exploring the cycling scene while deep in the development phase of the Bivo One. Sporting our first Bivo hats, we were descending the stairs when Jody called out, "Hey, I was your 100th Instagram follower!" That moment sparked an instant connection, and Jody has been an integral part of the Bivo story ever since. From testing our initial prototypes to linking us with top-notch reps in his area and capturing stunning photos each season, Jody has truly embraced his role as our celebrated 100th follower. Jody, we can't thank you enough for being so awesome - you truly rock, and our journey wouldn't be the same without you. - Carina

Since I can remember, I’ve always used plastic water bottles to hydrate while playing sports. Growing up during the 1980s, my parents didn’t trust me with glassware, so I drank from Tupperware cups and cherished my reusable plastic Star Wars cup from McDonald's. In grade school, I remember the white plastic sports bottles with red lids, which my coaches carried around to every game in the very convenient 6-pack holder with a handle. I would guess these bottles were never cleaned, and everyone in my school shared them. This was normal at the time, and I never really gave it much thought.

By the early 90’s, as I entered high school, I was spending a lot of time hiking and camping.  The trend at the time was to have a plastic Nalgene bottle and mine became a symbol of belonging amongst my peers. I carried it everywhere. I’ll never forget the blue silhouette of a cougar with its front legs perched on a rock outcrop and the bold type “Nalgene Trail Products” below it. It followed me to university, accompanied me to classes, gym sessions, and even held beer during keg parties. Eventually, that bottle was retired when my student life ended and my adult life began.

Sometime during the 2000s (from what I can remember), research began showing the dangers of plastics for both human health and the environment. I remember watching the evening news when the ban on BPAs was introduced here in Canada. The recall of plastic drinking bottles, food containers, and even baby bottles was such an eye-opener; it was definitely a wake-up call for me. I had spent a lot of my life drinking from plastic, blindly trusting it was safe.

When my wife and I took up road cycling in 2008, she searched for stainless steel cycling bottles but found only plastic ones. We reluctantly used them. Over a few years, these bottles started to build up from cycling events we had attended. Having a branded bottle was a memory of a place you had been, definitely sparking emotions from the day you received it. Eventually, the top shelf of our kitchen cupboard was taken over by plastic water bottles. They would get moldy, never fully dry, and the water always tasted off, even in BPA-free bottles. Hot summer rides made it worse, as the water tasted more like chemicals than water itself.

In 2014, I purchased a new bike, and along with it came my first Purist bottles. I have to admit, I was thrilled with the idea that these bottles might solve my problems and finally help me avoid the plastic taste. They were better, but I could still taste chemicals in my water, and the longer I used them, and the more they were exposed to hot summer days and UV rays, the worse the taste got.

My cycling hydration life changed for the better in the summer of 2019 when I met Carina and Robby from Bivo at the Rooted Vermont Gravel event. They introduced me to their stainless steel cycling-specific water bottle, which was silicone-coated to avoid rattling in bottle cages. I was sold on the idea, though the product was still in development. I followed their journey on Instagram, eagerly awaiting the release, eventually receiving my first set of Bivo bottles in the mail in May 2020.

The change from plastic to stainless steel was easy for me. A former boss of mine used to say, “We always reserve the right to do better, to know better.” This resonates with me as I reflect on my past reliance on plastic not only in the cycling world but in my everyday life. None of us are perfect. There are times we try hard to replace plastics with better options, and then there are times when we just give in for the convenience.

According to Strava, I spend around 520 hours a year cycling. That’s more than 520 bottles a year at a rate of one per hour. To me, that’s a lot of water (outside of normal hydration) to be drinking to support my cycling habits. To support this, I want to make sure that I'm making the right decision about what’s holding that water. Since 2020, I’ve prioritized only using Bivo bottles to keep my water clean and chemical-free. I no longer deal with moldy bottles or plastic taste, and I’ve proudly reduced my plastic consumption.

I’m now going on 4.5+ years of plastic-free riding, and I’m very proud of that. Switching to Bivo bottles for cycling has been a huge improvement for both my health and the environment. Unlike traditional plastic bottles, Bivo bottles keep my water tasting fresh every time I ride. It has also been great to say “no thank you” to free plastic bottles over the last few years. It feels good knowing I’m cutting down on plastic waste and reducing the need for recycling. As tiny as this may seem to some, in the end, every little bit helps lower carbon emissions and stops more microplastics from invading Earth's ecosystems. It’s a small but impactful way to stay healthy and contribute to the fight against climate change.

Know better, do better.