How many is too many?
So my wife says to me, “How about for the new year… you clean out your cycling box and get rid of some of those water bottles?” “But… but I need those”, I said in an almost confident voice. Then I did a quick count. I have 17 water bottles. I thought to myself… that’s probably average for a cyclist, right? Oh… and my wife and son use a couple of them. I immediately asked on twitter and another cyclist I know quickly responded with 29. That’s counting what his wife and daughter use too. I must admit there are some bottles I’ve never used on a ride. I have a few that I got from entering events and others that were giveaways.
So then… why do I hold on to all these water bottles? Is it some deep seeded fear of dehydrating somewhere along the way. Is it a hoarding problem? OR, it could be that I’m just a considerate cyclist. How you ask? Because I always take extra bottles on trips just in case cycling buddies forget theirs (we’ve all done it at some point) or someone needs an extra bottle to carry in their jersey. Anyway, we’re almost two weeks into the new year and I still haven’t purged any bottles from my collection. But I am considering it. Unless… I come up with a cool way to display them in the cycling man cave! I think my wife may have something to say about that.
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JENNIFER– It doesn’t surprise me that Mike has a great collection as well. I didn’t doubt that you, Janice and many others wives would be able to commiserate. But thanks so much for sharing the ideas!
Purge?! Each of those bottles have a reason and to get rid of some of them would be wrong. Please let the family know that at least one of them was given to you by me and you can’t remember which one. 
That should buy you some time.
I started to count mine but then ended up organizing them by theme and lost count. I still have an entire box I ordered that I haven’t used yet. Need a new one?
IAN– Great idea… but between us… I remember exactly which one you sent. Funny thing is… there are some others out there I’d like to get. Hopefully I’ll be coming home from France with one or two new ones from a LBS there. Gotta bring back some cycling souvenirs. 
My wife asked me to clean out a few recently as well. I was able to give a few to a friend who just started riding and I tossed a few that were turning yellow from age. It was sad getting rid of some of them. I was at least able to replace some with new team bottles and some from Lance’s shop down in Austin. Not as cool as bottles from France but better than old yellowing bottles!
JONATHAN– Wow.. good for you. You have more points now with your wife than I do with mine. I must admit there are a few I could toss because they seem to have taken on the color of the Cytomax I use. Sounds like you got some good news ones though. I don’t know if I’ll actually find something cool or different in France as far as water bottles go. But I’ll certainly look.
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I have the same conversation with my husband and Nalgene bottles. Just cause you work at a place that you can get them for cheap, doesn’t mean you need it!
I’ve seen water bottle deck lights before with colored Nalgene bottles and bird feeders
Have fun!