Bottle Cage

Raam

Anyone know of some good bottle cages? Something light, nice looking and secure?

lukester

Interested in the outcome of this thread, as I bought some new bigger bottles that are too loose in my current cages.

I have Tacx Tao, which are a nice design, and light, but seems like you're restricted to Tacx bottles. If you want the ability to have a variety of bottles they're not ideal.

CheGuedara

The elite pase is good, if expensive

TinyExplosions

Cheap Carbon, nice Ti, or classic steel?

ednwireland

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Cheap Carbon?

i was going to suggest the cheapo carbon fibre ones been tempted myself (might not buy a CF bike off ebay but will risk a bottle cage) in fact just gone and done it

bcmf

I know that for the spring classics a lot of pros revert back to the old trad style cages as they can be pushed in on the bootle as the bumpy roads can shake loose bottles in the new fancy style.Not that we have bumpy,uneven pothole strewn roads.

rottenhat

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Cheap Carbon, nice Ti, or classic steel?

Classic steel for me naturally, but I find the Nitto T holds a bottle more securely than the Nitto R.

These also are pretty sweet and half the price.

blorg

Tacx Tao are light (39g in aluminium, 29g in carbon), good looking and very cheap in the aluminium version. You are not entirely limited to Tacx bottles, I have stuck in other ones, but retention may not be as good and bottles of wine are entirely out (too wide.)

The main issue with the Taos is that there is not much variation possible in the grip on the bottle, other cages are far more flexible. On the plus side this means they keep their shape for ever and keep working the same as the day you got them. On the negative it can be very difficult to get a bottle all the way down into them (using Tacx bottles) and indeed to take it out if it is all the way down. They are pretty good for retention when you have the bottle in though.

Quigs Snr

I have these...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=36651

They hold the bottles securely but feel flimsy. They are the same shape as the planet X carbons I have on another bike, but the planet X is stiffer and better (if you can find them, they are great, hard to get in stock though).

I do like these....

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=18345

and if you were looking for a cheaper option...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=35556


I thought the Tao's were rubbish by the way. Most bottles seemed to rattle around inside them. If you want TACX only compatible, I have a set of BTP Tune 9g cages spare. Look like a pair of shoelaces, 9grams each. Hold the bottle very well. Don't let go of the bottle so well at times though, you'd nearly have to grease the inside of the cage or you end up wrestling the bottle out in a race. For the weight weenies only !

Acoustic

Raam how about these ???

carbon BBB cage only 22g

http://www.bbbparts.com/bottlesandcages_carboncage-bbc08.php

blorg

Quigs Snr wrote: »

I thought the Tao's were rubbish by the way. Most bottles seemed to rattle around inside them. If you want TACX only compatible, I have a set of BTP Tune 9g cages spare. Look like a pair of shoelaces, 9grams each. Hold the bottle very well. Don't let go of the bottle so well at times though, you'd nearly have to grease the inside of the cage or you end up wrestling the bottle out in a race. For the weight weenies only !

I've only had rattling with non-Tacx bottles in the Tao, Tacx bottles never. If the bottle is in firmly it can be a bitch to get out though. I use them myself as they were aesthetically pleasant and cheap but not sure they are the most functional cages.

mloc123

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Cheap Carbon, nice Ti, or classic steel?

Any idea what the cheap carbon are like?

TinyExplosions

mloc123 wrote: »

Any idea what the cheap carbon are like?

AstraMonti has 'em and rates them. I'm a Tacx Tao man myself -my bottles are all Tacx or Camelbak and fit in perfectly

niceonetom

mloc123 wrote: »

Any idea what the cheap carbon are like?

I have these and they're quite good. They are not on a par with ones that cost five times the price naturally, but they do the job and look good. They work well with my tacx bottles, but are a tiny bit loose for my specialized ones. Interestingly, the pair I have are not perfectly identical in shape so there's definitely a human hand involved in the manufacture whereas i'm sure the Zipp ones are cnc all the way.

DirkVoodoo

I think I have the D5 cheapo ebay carbon bottle cages (thanks to Home:Ballyhoura for the links) and they look very nice, weight 22g each excluding bolts and seem good so far.

Plus they were a bit under 20 euro delivered, arrived quite quickly too.

For that price I think they are worth a punt, if they fall apart after a year of use then you have got plenty of value out of them.

Only problem I had was clearance issues with my FD clamp.

Raam

Acoustic wrote: »

Raam how about these ???

carbon BBB cage only 22g

http://www.bbbparts.com/bottlesandcages_carboncage-bbc08.php

Already have em

Acoustic

Raam wrote: »

Already have em

good man

AstraMonti

I have the cheap carbon on the beone and i am waiting two more for the planetx. They look lovely, they are lightweight (20-22g) and they hold the bottle securely with no rattling. I would certainly recommend them for their price, I paid 18euro for two with shipping.

(Although i admit, i was tempted to buy two elites for 45quid each..)

DirkVoodoo

AstraMonti wrote: »

(Although i admit, i was tempted to buy two elites for 45quid each..)

I think I saw the Campagnolo Record cages for 130 euro each, madness! Still, if I had record I might be tempted to complete the look.

Quigs Snr

Record cages are rubbish. Too fragile and bendy. Don't hold the bottle well, one of the lads on the RAS team used them and we had to take them off, they looked very pretty but just weren't adequate when it mattered. He replaced them with the BBB ones, which worked fine (although I despise BBB stuff).

Junior

Quigs Snr

Thats what I have one my bike Junior. They are a looker and they work, they don't throw the bottles no matter what abuse you throw at them, but they are a little flexy and sometimes its an awkard fit. My Planet X ones are the same mold but seem thicker (but strangely just as light), they fit better, feel better etc...

That said I still have the Zipps on the A bike. Why ? Because I'm a poser. Thats the why !

Raam

Yay or nay?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=29876

Nietzschean

you'd get a non-carbon cage where they dont' seem to include any weight info on the page? not very euro...

still though they do look nice, quite like the black carbon one

Raam

Nietzschean wrote: »

you'd get a non-carbon cage where they dont' seem to include any weight info on the page? not very euro...

still though they do look nice, quite like the black carbon one

I sure would!

I actually thought the silver one was white though.

Nietzschean

what colour is your frame? white would be interestingly different for a cage, alas it probably is the usual shiny silver in real life...

Raam

white

Ryaner

I have the black one as my second cage. Can't fault it.

lukester

Raam wrote: »

Yay or nay?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=29876

Yay. Simple and light. Got something similar in CSS, holds different shaped bidons well and is unobtrusive.

niceonetom

Raam wrote: »

Yay or nay?

NAY!

I have a pair of them (black ones). They're very effective, but they are nowhere near cervelo worthy. They're fairly standard alu cages with oh-so-naff fake crabone fibré bits. Fake carbon. On a cervelo. Fake carbon on a cervelo. No. That won't work at all.

They were fine for my cube, but I wouldn't even put them on my Planet-X FFS (I got the ebay ones above ^^ instead).

Try harder!

petethedrummer

I had one of those BBB ones and thought it was rubbish. It went out of shape and wouldn't grip the bottle.

Quigs Snr

I second Pete on that BBB cage. Had a pair on a winter bike once, the one on the seattube snapped and the one on the downtube deformed. Load of rubbish.

If you are looking for cheap and cheerful, I put a pair of these on the better halfs bike (got em in a local shop). They seem ok and would look pretty spiffy on your white Cervelo...

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=NP03361

72hundred

I've those BBB cages for the last 12months and they're fine for me.

Although Quigs's link looks very nice.

Home:Ballyhoura

Quigs Snr wrote: »

I have a set of BTP Tune 9g cages spare. Look like a pair of shoelaces, 9grams each. Hold the bottle very well. Don't let go of the bottle so well at times though, you'd nearly have to grease the inside of the cage or you end up wrestling the bottle out in a race. For the weight weenies only !

How much?!? I'm turning into a ww with my new bike, haha. I saw them new on ebay for €21 and 25 including bottles....sow how much would you be willing to part with your used ones for?

Is it difficult to find conical bottles around for use with these cages, or will the tacx ones work? Maybe this, this or this would be more suitable with the holder at the bottom! Any idea where I can get them, they look good here and here! Love at first sight when I saw this and this!

Quigs Snr

http://www.adecadentexistence.com/blog/random/tune%20carbon%20bike%20cage%2002.png

Is the ones I have. That ebay auction was pretty cheap, be hard to find them for that price on a regular basis. Not sure if I would be bothered selling them, have one on my TT bike at the minute and if the room full of bike porn in my house is anything to go by I am not overly pushed for cash at the moment (although it does upset me to see exotic stuff sitting in a drawer). Might possibly swap them for something interesting, but its a whole lot of hassle shipping low value items like that otherwise.

If you do pick up a set, don't put them on your race bike, I did a handful of races with them last year and they are fine but I don't trust them sometimes if I need to get a bottle fast.

Also, note that these BTP cages are not really carbon, they are 2 transparent plastic layers on top of each other covering a sheet of carbon in between... thats how they get them so light. I didn't get bolts with mine, you have you to use bolts from shoe cleats because they sit flush with the cage, regular bottle cage bolts stick out and don't let the bottle fit into the cage, so make sure if you are buying that bolts are included...

By the way, all tacx bottles work perfect. In fact the BTP Tune bottles I bought for mine, were just standard issue tacx bottles with Tune logo's. Exact same as my CSC bottles etc.... again though can be a pain in a race if you go back to the car for a bottle or go to a neutral car etc... you really need to make sure you have your own spares and that your support people know which one to give you, failing that you will be going thirsty. So overall, they look great, are pretty functional, and are superlight, but there are more practical cages out there.

Home:Ballyhoura

Thanks for that, I kinda thought you were selling them! No worries, I'm gone off the idea now (thanks for the sound honest advice! )

I might give this or this a shot because at €18 each (36 for the pair delivered) they are not bad value in comparisson to others and also for such superlight 10g cages that seem to be a bit more functional indeed.

My "hopefully" new bike to be (have a loan of it to test at the moment) is an Orbea Orca which I am almost certain I will buy looks like [url=https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/183126/83149.jpg[/url] (another picture [url=https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/183126/83150.jpg[/url]) and I hope to bring it in close to the 6.8kg when I'm finished.

It doesn't come with wheels, but what is included is the frame, Dura-Ace groupset, Easton EC90 SLX handlebars (worth €140), Easton EC90 Zero seatpost (worth €180) and an Easton EC70 100mm stem (worth €140) so all the bits are quite expensive (3 bits worth around €500 included is not bad really!) and light, a good starting point. I might get a lighter saddle and Speedplay pedals if necessary!

I meant to mention wheels earlier! I will probably be going for a set of 2nd hand Corima Aero tubulars as my race wheels and some Mavic Ksyrium ES/Sl clinchers as a more all rounder. Both wheelsets come in between 1400-1500g and I might get myself some good lightweight skewers off ebay too! Haha

The last thing I have to do is get a cassette, I can get Ultegra ones for €50 and they weigh around 235g whereas Dura-Ace cassettes are roughly 60g lighter at 173g but cost over €100 (around 120-150). I'm not sure I can afford that huge cost, especially when I'll be getting 2 cassettes! I might even have to get a 52t outer chainring because there is a 53t on it at the moment and Junior gear regulations are max 14/52. They are usually around €100 but I found one here for €78 but it's not in stock!

Anyway, sorry for the long post. I got a bit carried away, just a bit excited about the new bike as you can see! It is in mint condition and comes with a lifetime warranty at a very good price! Good Luck

Cheers, H:B

EDIT: The wheels, bottle cages, pedals, saddle etc seen in the pictures are temporary! They will not be there for long, just until the weight weenie side of me decides to upgrade parts unnecessarily just to save a few grams here and there and to make it look a bit nicer! Haha....oh no, this bike is going to cost me! Am I making a big mistake!!!

Lumen

H:B, you shoudn't bury this stuff in a thread about bottle cages

Home:Ballyhoura

Lumen wrote: »

H:B, you shoudn't bury this stuff in a thread about bottle cages

Alright sorry about that! As you can see I did initially talk about bottle cages (admittedly not for long though!) and I clearly got way too carried away.

I will post better pictures and more info on the bike in the "images of beauty" thread when it's actually mine to keep (as in when I pay for it!) and when it looks just as I want it to look. I will also try to get a good weighing scales and post up a few weights (is there any cheaper alternative to this and this? - I did find the Park Tool one for €47 on ebay and the Ultimate Alpine one for around the same as CRC). Just thinking, maybe the WeightWeenies forum would be more suited to stuff like this! Haha

Lumen

H:B, I'm not complaining about off-topicness, I'm just saying that a weight weenie comes up rarely enough on boards that it deserves it's own thread.

I agree that the "images of beauty" is better kept for discussion of completed projects.

Home:Ballyhoura

Lumen wrote: »

H:B, I'm not complaining about off-topicness, I'm just saying that a weight weenie comes up rarely enough on boards that it deserves it's own thread.

I agree that the "images of beauty" is better kept for discussion of completed projects.

No worries! I know exactly what you mean, it is a bit too good for a "bottle cages" thread alright! Next time you will hear about this bike will be in the appropriate thread, but until then you will have to wait and occupy yourself with staring at these two crap pictures of a beautiful bike! Haha, only messin....I'm still a bit excited

Home:Ballyhoura

MAYBE THIS IS A BIT MORE SUITABLE HERE: (also in images of beauty thread but no response!)

What are the bottle cages (make, model, etc) seen in both pictures below, I really like the look of them! Anyone know where I can pick them up, or would either of ye be willing to part with them?

cunavalos wrote: »

Bottle cage on the seat tube here!


And on the down tube here

Quigs Snr wrote: »

PedalForce QS2

I did come across this and this which look like them although I'm not 100% sure! Is it them? They are carbon right, do they work good....sorry for all the questions!

Is this the cages that ye are using here?

Quigs Snr

Hi there,

I see you found my old bike... flogged that one last year with those cages still on it. Anyway, yes the token is the same cage, they are all over ebay with different names on them. They are only about 16g, look a million dollars and are completely useless. The bottle gradually edges its way up and out of the cage when you are on anything other than smooth tarmac (i.e. anywhere in Ireland). Did it with absolutely every bottle I tried. Sent them back and the guy who sold them to me gave me another set with this grip thing on them, that didn't work either though. Perhaps others using the same mould might be better, but I did see a later version of them with a piece coming out the top to grip the top of the bottle, and that said it all for me. Obviously I wasn't the only one who had been launching bottles.

I am currently using Planet X cages and Zipps. The Zipps are copys of the planet X and are fine, but the planet X are sturdier for the same weight. Nonetheless both work and come in at around 24g although the zipps are twice the price. Not that weightweenie but work very well and the Zipps look great.

Have you been to weightweenies forum by the way, lots of like minded individuals over there. I was a total weightweenie myself, that bike in the picture there was built up with all sorts of goodies to come in at 6.1kg when I did the etape on it. When I started racing though I took all the weightweenie stuff off. Practicality has to come first when you and the bike are both on the edge of what they can do.

If you are looking for skewers, they are not cheap but I love the controltech ones.

The easton stuff on your new bike is great. I had the EC90 stem and bars at one point, loved them, my favourite bars ever, but sold them again due to racing. Saw a pair of carbon bars snap in a race and that was me put off them for life, I now ride Deda Newtons which are ugly but not much heavier. The whole Carbon vs Aluminium debate for bars is one which has been raging on the web for a long time now!

Get yourself a selle italia SLR saddle too if weight is your thing. If you are getting the Corimas make sure to get yourself the swisstop yellow pads also, unlike the Dura Ace Carbon pads and even the Corima carbon pads, the yellows will actually stop you in the wet. Can't help you with the cassette, if you want Dura Ace you need to bite the bullet ! The come up cheaper at times, I got 2 at 88 each on Chainreaction a couple of months ago, but they are way more than that now. The Sram 0G1070 is 210 grams for about 58 euro..

cunavalos

What are the bottle cages (make, model, etc) seen in both pictures below, I really like the look of them! Anyone know where I can pick them up, or would either of ye be willing to part with them?

cages on the orbea are ambrosio venturi carbon got them from dave hinde in uk a couple of years ago
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=37941
+1 on what quiggs says, cages are absolutely rubbish the rubber pad on the inside of the cage that grips the bottle comes off when wet needed epoxy glue to stick it back down but bottles still tend to shake loose when descending on poor surfaces.
Having said that if you want them you can have them for nowt just pm your address and their yours.

your plans on a weight weenie orca have forced my hand and if you keep your eyes peeled on the images of beauty thread you might spot something special on it over the next few days.