Nothing says swag, the promotional items that are given away to advertise a company or product, like a can or bottle koozie. Koozies are those collapsible neoprene or foam rubber insulating sleeves designed to keep a canned or bottled drink cold.
Generally, most of the swag I get at bicycle events is useless junk and gets tossed in the trash immediately, except for koozies. While I’ve never used a koozie to keep a drink cold, they’re ideal for transporting a bicycle packed in tight spaces. Since the cleats on my touring pedals can easily scratch the interior of my car or other items packed in with my bike, I’ve found that slipping a koozie over the pedals is an ideal way to prevent scratches from my pedals. They work great!
While I hope you will share this tip about koozies with your cycling friends, please don’t let anyone in the bicycle industry know. Otherwise, instead of getting koozies free at cycling events, they’ll be selling for $50 a pair at your local bike shop.
Ken Whittaker