Reshaping a water bottle with heat

Anyone done it successfully, on a Fidlock or similar?

It turns out the bottle bosses on my frame can only take the manufacturer’s own non-adjustable Fidlock base, which is positioned such that the only bottle that’ll fit is the Fidlock 600. That’s the one without a flip mud cap, and of course Fidlock have different threads on each cap style which aren’t compatible so leak.

The 590 (type with flip cap) almost fits but they’ve changed the offset of the bottle along the mount by a few mm, so the corner of that bottle contacts an internal corner of the frame. I need to reduce the protrusion marked by the red line, by about 5mm:

Unlikely edge case, but given the moulding is likely to be a bit thicker on the corner, I reckon it’d work by pressing it on a hot, flat surface. Try it with an old, cheap bottle first.

But what ridiculous frame uses a proprietary version of a proprietary product? Do the community a favour and out this nonsense so people know to avoid it.

Pour some boiling water in the bottom and press on a flat surface for a bit?

Or try a hair drier?

But what ridiculous frame uses a proprietary version of a proprietary product? Do the community a favour and out this nonsense so people know to avoid it.

Mondraker Neat.

The upside is that all frame sizes (I think) can carry both a bottle (under the top tube) and range extender (on the downtube) at the same time.

There’s rectangular recesses in the frame into which the Fidlock bases fit exactly. You could flip them to reposition in theory but then you’d lose the aforementioned ability.

Photo 1/3rd of the way down here https://ebike-mtb.com/en/mondraker-neat-rr-sl-2023-review/, and this is the base https://www.mammothbikes.com/en/mondraker-kit-base-botella-fidlock/p-535739

Ah right. Well I guess there’s all sorts of compromises to make if your legs don’t work properly. #brokenemojis

Boiling water inside to warm the plastic up. Then apply more heat to the outside and press against a piece of wood to flatten.

Alternatively put it in a microwave and heat it up, or put in a pot of boiling water

You might need to bind it in the shape you want as it cools, some objects have a propensity to return to their original moulding

A YT Thirstmaster (4000 or 5000) might work for you – they have a chamfer in the area you mention. You can buy the bare bottle and transfer your connector. You might even find they use the same cap thread you need too..

Turns out there’s a seal available to make the flip cap compatible with the old style bottles.

Do you have a link to the adaptor seal? I’m struggling to find it on Google.

Check what plastic the bottle is made of and if it’s a thermoset-plastic (can’t be remoulded) or thermo-plastic (can be remoulded) before applying any heat, else you might just end up melting a hole in the bottle

Do you have a link to the adaptor seal? I’m struggling to find it on Google.

No, it doesn’t seem to be for retail sale. Will update here once I hear back from support.

@minus It’s not available retail, and they’re unwilling to send it to be due to the post-Brexit cost of doing so. I offered to pay but still no.

So either I’m making my own ring to fit the new cap on the old bottle, or remoulding the new bottle to fit the bike.

Check what plastic the bottle is made of and if it’s a thermoset-plastic (can’t be remoulded) or thermo-plastic (can be remoulded) before applying any heat, else you might just end up melting a hole in the bottle

Thanks, it’s polythene which I found is thermoplastic.

You can’t put a couple of washers under the lower mount position to angle the bottom of the bottle out?

A YT Thirstmaster

These have the old style cap without the mud flip cap, so just like the bottle I already have, have the wrong thread type.

You can’t put a couple of washers under the lower mount position to angle the bottom of the bottle out?

Maybe. Not ideal as the mount fits into a recessed area and has a seal all the way round to prevent mud and water entering the frame.

t’s not available retail, and they’re unwilling to send it to be due to the post-Brexit cost of doing so. I offered to pay but still no.

If I understand correctly – a company that makes one off proprietary products that require you to try and modify them won’t sell you a solution that they have because of the postage cost of a Jiffy bag?  Idiots. Serves them right if they go bust.

I think they’ve just decided I’m not worth the trouble.

They don’t need me and they’ve no reason to fear what I could do to them, i.e. I’m not an influencer or journalist.

@minus Got it from ISON distribution UK no bother. And it works.

Camelbak Podium mud cap also works fine on the old style top, just leave the popout valve half open so there’s space for the mud cap’s retaining ring to drop into.