02/21/2026
A 128-year-old piece of cycling tech showed up at the shop.
Our friend Dan Sanders brought in a Cyclist’s Cup, patented February 23, 1897.
This isn’t just a novelty. It’s U.S. Patent No. 577,764 — designed by John Lines and manufactured by Scovill Manufacturing Company in Waterbury, Connecticut during the height of the American bicycle boom.
Here’s what makes it wild:
It’s a fully collapsible, telescoping metal drinking cup made from stacked rings that slide upward into position. When extended, the joints form tight liquid seals. When collapsed, the entire cup nests into itself and snaps shut with a protective lid.
No soldered seams.
No gimmicks.
Pure mechanical design.
In 1897, riders didn’t have hydration packs or bottle cages as standard equipment. If you were riding long distances, you stopped at wells, pumps, or streams. This cup lived in your pocket, ready when you needed it.
It’s early bikepacking gear.
It’s industrial design.
It’s American manufacturing at its peak.
And watching Ari examine it felt like holding the DNA of what we still believe in:
Carry smart.
Build it right.
Ride far.
Would you carry one today?
