The intersection of professional athletics, environmental stewardship, and creative expression has reached a new milestone with the release of the Protect Our Winters (POW) x Bivo collaboration, featuring a custom-designed stainless steel water bottle by professional gravel cyclist Sarah Sturm. This partnership represents a strategic effort to merge functional outdoor gear with a message of climate optimism, specifically aimed at the growing community of gravel cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts who are increasingly witnessing the impacts of a changing climate on their training grounds. Sturm, a veteran of the professional cycling circuit and a prominent member of the POW Bike Alliance, transitioned from the podium to the drafting table to create a visual narrative that emphasizes joy and protection over the often-paralyzing rhetoric of environmental crisis.
The Genesis of a Multi-Dimensional Collaboration
The project originated from a shared mission between three distinct entities: Sarah Sturm, an elite athlete with a background in design; Bivo, a performance-focused hydration company committed to reducing plastic waste; and Protect Our Winters, a non-profit organization that mobilizes the outdoor sports community toward systemic climate solutions. For Sturm, the collaboration was more than a commercial endorsement; it was a reclamation of her identity as an artist, a facet of her life that had become secondary to the rigors of professional racing.
Sturm has spent the better part of a decade carving a niche in the high-stakes world of professional gravel racing. Over the last nine years, she has navigated the high deserts and rugged mountain terrains that define the sport, earning a reputation for endurance and technical skill. However, before the sponsorships and the grueling miles of the Life Time Grand Prix and other major gravel events, Sturm was an artist. This collaboration provided a rare opportunity to synthesize her two worlds. Unlike traditional design processes that begin in a studio, Sturm’s creative journey for the Bivo bottle began on the saddle. During five- and six-hour training rides, the rhythmic nature of cycling provided the mental space for brainstorming, allowing her to visualize the "cylindrical canvas" of the water bottle while physically engaging with the landscapes she seeks to protect.
Design Philosophy: Joy as a Tool for Advocacy
The resulting artwork on the POW x Bivo bottle is a departure from the stark, often urgent imagery associated with environmental activism. Sturm intentionally leaned into bold shapes, textile-inspired patterns, and a vibrant aesthetic to create what she describes as a "visual antidote" to climate anxiety. The design features a complex tapestry of flower petals woven into stylized lettering, blooms that transition seamlessly into the circular geometry of bicycle wheels, and an abstract representation of a cyclist whose head is crowned with flowers.
According to Sturm, the decision to avoid polarizing or overtly aggressive imagery was tactical. In the context of outdoor recreation, where individuals seek solace and connection with nature, the artwork serves as a gentle reminder of the stakes involved in climate advocacy. By focusing on the beauty of the natural world and the joy of movement, the design encourages users to "protect what they love." This philosophy aligns with a growing trend in environmental communication that emphasizes positive reinforcement and community building over fear-based messaging.
From a technical design perspective, Sturm had to account for the unique ergonomics of a water bottle. Because the bottle is held in a cage on a bicycle frame, only a portion of the design is visible at any given time. Sturm utilized this constraint to create a continuous theme that functions as multiple individual pieces of art depending on the vantage point. This attention to detail ensures that the bottle remains visually engaging whether it is being used on a high-speed descent or during a casual hike.
The Role of Bivo and Sustainable Hydration Technology
The choice of Bivo as the hardware partner for this collaboration is significant within the context of the cycling industry’s environmental footprint. Traditional cycling bottles are predominantly made of plastic, which can degrade over time, leaching microplastics and odors into the water. Bivo, founded by Carina Hamel and Robby Ringer, sought to disrupt this market by engineering a stainless steel bottle that offers the same high-flow "squeeze" experience as plastic through a unique gravity-fed nozzle system.
The Bivo bottles used in this collaboration are designed to be carbon neutral, with the company actively tracking and offsetting its manufacturing footprint. By utilizing 100% recyclable stainless steel, the partnership addresses the "throwaway culture" often found in professional and amateur cycling, where plastic bottles are frequently discarded or replaced. The integration of Sturm’s artwork onto a durable, long-lasting vessel reinforces the message of sustainability—creating a product that is intended to last for years rather than a single season.
Protect Our Winters: Leveraging the "Outdoor State"
The proceeds from the POW x Bivo bottle directly support the advocacy work of Protect Our Winters. Founded in 2007 by professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones, POW has grown into a formidable political force, representing what it calls the "Outdoor State"—a massive demographic of skiers, snowboarders, trail runners, and cyclists. The POW Bike Alliance, of which Sturm is a member, specifically targets the cycling community, a group that is uniquely positioned to witness the degradation of trails and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events like wildfires and droughts.
POW’s strategy focuses on non-partisan climate policy, advocating for renewable energy transitions, electric vehicle infrastructure, and the protection of public lands. By purchasing the collaborative bottle, consumers are not just buying gear; they are contributing to a fund that supports legislative lobbying and grassroots mobilization. This model of "commerce for a cause" has become a staple of the outdoor industry, but the Sturm-Bivo-POW partnership stands out for its deep integration of athlete identity and technical innovation.
Analysis: The Shift Toward Value-Based Athlete Identity
This collaboration highlights a broader shift in how professional athletes engage with their fanbases and sponsors. In previous decades, an athlete’s value was measured almost exclusively by podium finishes and performance metrics. However, in the modern era, athletes like Sturm are increasingly viewed as "whole people" with multifaceted identities and personal values.
Sturm’s admission that her art had fallen "by the wayside" as her cycling career accelerated is a sentiment shared by many professional athletes who feel pressured to maintain a singular focus on performance. By reclaiming her artistic practice through this project, Sturm is signaling a new paradigm where creative expression and social advocacy are integral to an athlete’s professional brand. This shift is particularly resonant in the gravel cycling community, which often prioritizes "the vibe" and community connection alongside competitive excellence.
Furthermore, the project addresses the psychological toll of climate change on outdoor enthusiasts. "Climate anxiety" is a documented phenomenon, particularly among younger generations who see their favorite landscapes changing rapidly. Sturm’s focus on "lightness and joy" is a deliberate attempt to keep people engaged with the environment rather than retreating into apathetic despair.
Industry Implications and Future Outlook
The release of the POW x Bivo bottle comes at a time when the cycling industry is under increasing pressure to address its environmental impact. From carbon fiber manufacturing to the global shipping of components, the industry’s "green" image is often at odds with its industrial reality. Partnerships that emphasize durability, recyclability, and direct funding for advocacy are becoming the gold standard for brands looking to demonstrate authentic commitment to sustainability.
As the bottle enters the market, it serves as both a functional tool for hydration and a portable billboard for climate action. The success of such collaborations often paves the way for more integrated projects, where athletes are given greater creative control over the products they endorse. For Sarah Sturm, the project is a reminder that while she may be a racer by profession, she remains an artist by nature—and that both roles are essential in the fight to protect the natural world.
The POW x Bivo bottle is currently available through the Protect Our Winters online shop. As a limited-edition release, it is expected to garner significant interest from the cycling community, providing a much-needed infusion of resources for POW’s upcoming advocacy campaigns. For the riders who carry it, the bottle is a small but tangible connection to a larger movement, a reminder that every pedal stroke is taken in a world worth fighting for.
