DIY Leather Bottle Holder for Vintage Bicycles

Bicycles are an integral part of our lives. Very often, on weekends, we push off for a long bicycle ride in the country side and the bicycle is our favorite means of transport since it allows us to enjoy the nature in the best way possible. Unlike motorbikes or cars, a bicycle is quiet and allows us to experience the serene peace of the outdoors. Apart from this, we also use our bicycles for regular commuting within the city, this is not only cost effective but also keeps us healthy and fit.

The issue arises when cycling in the sweltering summer heat. Living in a tropical region, summers can be brutal and staying hydrated is crucial. Purchasing a bottle holder mount for our bicycle was an option but since we are both avid makers, we decided to create our own, which allowed us to customize the looks and taste to match perfectly with our vintage cycles.

Follow on to create your own DIY Leather Bottle Holder and do drop us a favorite and a follow if you enjoyed this project and decide to build your own version. We would love to see your own versions so do post your creations using the "I made it" section.

Supplies

Here is the list of all the materials and tools required to make your very own Leather Bottle Holder for Vintage Bicycles. All supplies should be commonly available in local hardware stores or online.

Materials:

• Scrap pieces of leather (or a similar material)
• Rivet buttons

Tools

• Scissors
• Pencil
• Rubber based adhesive

Assuming that you need to buy all the materials, the total cost of this project is roughly 5$.

Step 1: Making the Bottle Holder

Begin the making process by measuring out the right amount of material required. Wrap a piece of leather around a bottle to determine how much you need. Make sure to leave an overlap of about 1 inch and make sure that the bottle holder is just as tall as the bottle.

Cut the bottom edge to make it straight, fold 1 cm over and stick it with some glue. We decided to add a slant along the top surface, therefore we marked out an angled line and cut the material along it. We repeated the process of reinforcement by folding 1 cm inward and sticking.

Step 2: Making the Holes for the String

We decided to use some string made out of leather to hold the cylinder in place. For this, we made holes using a hole punch at equal intervals along the two edges and along the top edge. The string would later be used to secure the bottle holder to the bicycle.

In our case we followed a hole pattern with gaps of 3cm and 1.5cm.

Step 3: Attaching the Holder Base

The base of the bottle holder is made from a rectangular piece of leather. Place the bottle into the cylinder to determine the length and width of the piece. Fold the edges in and stick the base to cylinder from the inner surface. In addition to the glue one could also use leather rivets to strengthen the joint.

Step 4: Adding the String

To make the string we cut out a long piece of leather that was approximately 5mm wide. In case you don't have a long piece you can stick to pieces together to make the string longer. Begin by passing the string through the bottom two holes at the bottle of the bottle holder and work your way up by making a criss cross pattern. Once you have reached the top, weave the string in and out of the top layer of holes. Now you can use the string to tighten and loosen the bottle holder to accommodate different sizes of water bottles.

Step 5: Adding the Securing Straps

The final step of the leather water bottle holder is to add a strap with which you can secure the holder to your bicycle. Cut a long rectangular piece of leather, fold the edges in and glue them down. Stick this piece to the top of the bottle holder with some glue or a rivet. Finally add a rivet button to the strap so that you can attach and detach the water bottle holder from your bicycle and with this the build is complete.

Step 6: Mounting to the Bike and Final Results

Now that the bottle holder is built, mount it to a convenient location on your bicycle and go for spin! We found that mounting it to the handlebar or the rear carrier was most convenient. You can either hand it by the strap at the top or use the string to tie the holder in place.

The DIY Leather Bottle Holder is not only functional since it keeps you hydrated on long bicycle trips but it also adds an aesthetic value to your bicycle and it is often a conversation starter.

We hope you enjoyed this Instructable and it has inspired you to build your own DIY Leather Bottle Holder for your own bicycles. We would love to see your very own versions of this project so do post them using the "I made it" section. Apart from that, feedback, questions, comment, concerns can be addressed in the comment section below.

Happy Making!