Water Bottle - 02

WATER BOTTLE:
Specialites T.A. - water bottle - 600 milliliter / 20 ounce capacity - White - Light Blue band with "Contrex" logo and "contrepoids" in Black - model 200 Professional ... [Unlike the rest of this bicycle which is but a replica (...albeit as accurate of one as I might assemble without violating certain conventions which I believe invite one to cross that fine line between replica and forgery), this particular Specialites T.A. water bottle is a genuine bit of vintage Tour de France paraphernalia. Contrex is a brand of mineral water from the world renown spa of Contrexéville in the Vosges region of France. The very first mineral spa in Contrexéville was constructed in 1774 under the direction of Dr. Bagard, personal physician to King Louis XV, and since that point in time, Contrexéville water itself was recognized as a Natural Mineral Water by the French Government in 1861 and thereafter first offered for sale in bottled form in 1908. The branded Contrex beverage is a highly mineralized water boasting an extremely potent Calcium content as well as being rich in Magnesium and Sulphate, absent all but trace elements of Sodium, Chlorides, or Nitrates, and having only a modicum of Bicarbonate. As the official beverage sponsor of the Tour de France for several years during the 1970’s and 1980’s, bidons emblazoned with the Contrex logo were made available at feed stations to each and every Tour rider during those corresponding years. And while its logo and associated graphics changed in subtle manner over time, the specific iteration of genuine TdF issued Contrex water bottle seen here dates from 1976 through 1978 exclusively.]