Abstract: This is an improvement in the subject of my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,812, and relates to an apparatus installable on a bicycle or other vehicle to enable the rider to drink water or other liquid while riding and without distracting his attention. A flexible drinking tube is retained on an improved retracting reel mechanism in a housing preferably attached to the upper horizontal frame member of a bicycle. The tube is continuous, with no rotary joints. The fixed inner end of the flexible tube is connected to a rigid or semi-rigid supply tube which extends into a water bottle mounted separately from the reel housing. In the improved retracting reel mechanism, the flexible drinking tube passes around two spaced sheaves. One sheave is guided for displacement in translation against the urging of a tension spring. When the rider pulls out the mouthpiece end of the drinking tube, this sheave moves linearly in the manner of a block-and-tackle to a degree, e.g., half the extension of the drinking tube.

Abstract: An apparatus installed on a bicycle to permit the rider to drink water or other liquid while riding. The apparatus comprises an extensible drinking straw which communicates with a water bottle. In a preferred form, the straw is a flexible tube coiled in a retracting reel mounted on the upper horizontal bar of the bicycle frame, with the water bottle mounted below the saddle. A form of retracting reel is shown which requires no rotating seal, but permits the flexible tubing to remain in one continuous length. An alternative form comprises a length of retractile coiled tubing in a lidded container mounted within reach of the rider. Another form employs a telescoping drinking straw of rigid tubing.