Elite Mia stainless steel bottle 650ml

The 650ml Elite Mia stainless steel bottle is useful for commuting by bike, fitting securely in a bottle cage, but it does scratch easily and can't be used one-handed.

While many people choose to use a metal bottle for everyday drinking, to reduce their use of plastic, if you're commuting by bike this can create a conundrum as most metal bottles do not sit well within bottle cages.

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Elite has attempted to hit two birds with one stone with the Mia, which is made almost entirely from stainless steel, is 100% plastic-free – including the lid – and fits in a bottle cage.

I tried it in several different cages and it held firm over multiple surfaces, helped by the ridge running around the upper half of the bottle that corresponds to the lip of most bottle cages.

Although it sits securely in a bottle cage, it isn't particularly useful beyond commuting or short rides, as you need two hands to use it. It's fine if you just want to carry a drink, but isn't really practical on a long, hot ride where you have to stop, unclip, unscrew the lid, take a drink, put the lid back on, place it back in the cage, then start again, every time you want to use it.

There are still plenty of practical elements to like, though. Elite has included a silicone seal in the lid, which means no spills; it has a handle; and being stainless steel it's very easy to clean and doesn't taint your drinks.

One slight let-down is that after a couple of weeks of commuting a few chips and scratches are showing up on the black areas of the bottle. This has no impact on its usability, but if you're buying it partly for its looks, it's less than ideal. You can't buy it without a coating either (four colours are available – black, green, black and silver and beige and silver).

We haven't looked at too many bottle like this on road.cc to compare it with, the closest being the Hydro Flask 18oz which Dave tested a few years ago. That's now £29.95, but you can change the top (for additional cost) so it can be used one-handed.

> Buyer’s Guide: Best casual cycling commuter wear

Overall, this isn't a bottle I would choose for a long, hot ride, but for everyday use and moving a drink from your bottle cage to your desk, it works very well; it sits securely in a bottle cage, it's easy to wash, and it doesn't affect the taste of your drink.

Verdict

An environmentally-friendly and useful everyday bottle, but not the most practical for use on the bike