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Cycling App of the Week: Refill

A super handy app that allows users to find locations where they can refill water bottles for free, now with over 20,000 locations nationwide and growing...

What is it?

Refill was launched by Bristol-based environmental initiative City to Sea in September 2015, with the aim of making it easier for people to refill water bottles when they're out and about by showing users designated refill points in their area - which has obvious benefits to cyclists who may have fell short on their hydration needs out on a long ride. Refill hope to make a big contribution towards eradicating the need for single use plastic bottles: "Our aim is to have a Refill Station on every high street and through social change, we’re making it the norm to carry a reusable bottle, so you’ll never have to buy a plastic bottle again."

The refill points can be anywhere from shops, bars, restaurants and fountains, with over 200 stations across Bristol’s city centre and now over 20,000 nationwide. Refill received funding from Geovation to help scale up and develop their free app - they now have their own branded bottle, that can be purchased with a £5 discount for a limited time if you subscribe to their mailing list.   

19 of the best cycling apps
Cycling app of the week: Relive
 

refill 2.png
The Refill app straight away showed two premises within a hundred metres of our offices that offer free tap water refills

When you open the app it automatically shows you the nearest refill station, and to register points you just tap on the one you're going to, and then tap the Refill droplet to register that you've refilled. When you've built up 1000 points you can claim a free stainless steel bottle,  and there are also plenty of discounts and rewards to be had from their various retail partners by being a Refill user. 

What makes it unique?

There are other apps in existence that show users where they can access free water, but Refill's quick and easy access to water from shops, restaurants and fountains, plus their incentive scheme is quite different to anything else out there. It's also very easy to add a new refill location yourself - you just tap and hold on the map point and enter the details of your refill station, which takes seconds.

With endorsements from TfL, celebrities and TV stations among others, Refill are now arguably much more than just a handy app and are a considerably influential organisation when it comes to reducing plastic pollution... not many tech startups have their own 'day'.   

How can it help me?

If you're out on a ride and have run out of water, it could certainly help you! By not having to stop at a shop and buy yourself another bottle you're helping the environment too, and vice versa it could also be a useful covert way for business owners to promote themselves - so it's a winner all-round!  

Where can I get it?

You can get Refill on both Android and Apple's App Store. Their handy and informative website also gives plenty of information on the wider movement to reduce plastic bottle use and pollution. As mentioned before, Refill points are already in 20,000 locations and growing, found everywhere from bars, to clothing shops to tube stations. 

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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14 comments

Avatar
mattydubster | 6 years ago
1 like

Ha ha I just Googled The Golden Boar in Freckenham

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Zjtm231 | 6 years ago
0 likes

Great idea for an app. Either I can't work it or nobody in London wants you to fill your bottle up!

Avatar
Jack Sexty replied to Zjtm231 | 6 years ago
1 like

Zjtm231 wrote:

Great idea for an app. Either I can't work it or nobody in London wants you to fill your bottle up!

Refill is only available in the south west at the moment - plans to role it out further are coming soon though we're told, Brighton and Norwich are next! 

Avatar
part_robot | 6 years ago
1 like

Relive was mentioned last week I think. And yeah - it's bloody brilliant.

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Kapelmuur | 6 years ago
1 like

Bring back horse troughs.

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stevie63 | 6 years ago
4 likes

I wonder if the Golden Boar at Freckenham have registered their interest on going on this app

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ktache | 6 years ago
0 likes

There is a tap supplying drinking water just outside a farm along the ridgeway.  It's well signed.  I notiiced it when riding the other way.  When I was riding west to east, I knew it was coming up and so I drank freely and refilled my 4 bottles.  A fantastic thing.

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Rick_Rude replied to ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes
ktache wrote:

refilled my 4 bottles.

You must be a thirsty soul.

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Chris Hayes | 6 years ago
1 like

App of the year has to be Re​live.  A mate introduced it to me earlier today.....fantastic!  Not sure whether you can view this but here's this morning's ride: https://www.relive.cc/view/g12143996921

The spike is Yorks Hill, which on a 39/25 wasn't funny. 

Avatar
ragtimecyclist | 6 years ago
4 likes

An app showing the re-laying of smooth tarmac is what we need here in Lancashire.

Perhaps with a countdown clock to completion, so a queue of cyclists can form and take turns to experience cycling on a level surface.

Maybe a camera, like on the log flume, to snap their happy little faces as they emerge at the other end.

Tarm-app, it would undoubtedly be called.

 

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part_robot | 6 years ago
0 likes

All churches with gardens or a cemetery have hoses. I've not found one yet that I couldn't get some fresh water from.

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nniff replied to part_robot | 6 years ago
0 likes
part_robot wrote:

All churches with gardens or a cemetery have hoses. I've not found one yet that I couldn't get some fresh water from.

 

Except this one  https://binged.it/2siYUWg

The pub up the road rpvided one, but it was on the hottest day of the year and they obliged with a botlle of hot water.......

Avatar
stenmeister | 6 years ago
9 likes

last time this happened, I just ran up someones drive and used their outside tap. It was the same feeling as running through a field of wheat.

Avatar
Jack Sexty replied to stenmeister | 6 years ago
6 likes

stenmeister wrote:

last time this happened, I just ran up someones drive and used their outside tap. It was the same feeling as running through a field of wheat.

Perhaps an app where wheat field owners can advertise their land for running across is on the cards, we wouldn't need to break the rules then! 

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