Steel Bottle Cage

rowlers

I've currently got 2 Blackburn Chicane steel bottle cages on my Deda Acciaia.
To be blunt they are absolutely PANTS! Bottles are a struggle to remove, yet the bottles rattle about - very annoying!
My brother has the Elite More'O Inox, these, he says, are very good... So is there anything else I can look at to avoid copying my brother!?!

Cheers

arthur_scrimshaw

King cages, stainless lovelyness.

anjasola

Arundel best I've used.

rowlers

cheers for replies.
Is the steel "strong", i.e not bendy like the blackburn...

kingstonian

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679196#p19679196]anjasola[/url] wrote:

Arundel best I've used.

This.

earth

I got a plastic elite one. I think its the best I have had.

I've used Tacx and they were alright but not the easiest to get the bottle in and out.
Then I had the Blackburn Ti one because I like the traditional shape for easy access to the bottle. It was ok but Ti snaps and it did after a year. Tried the Arundel Mandible and still have it but relegated to the seat tube because it holds the bottle far too tight.

The Elite plastic one has not failed so far after about year, easy to get the bottle in and out, never had a bottle come out over a bump, as light as carbon or Ti and it only cost a tenner!

keef66

I'm not clear if the OP is after recommendations for a steel cage or alternatives to one...

If the latter, I've happened upon the Lezyne Flow cages. Made of some kind of tough plastic. Grip Podium bottles really securely, and as a bonus are completely silent. I have them on both bikes and now my son has one on his too.

They also do one with a couple of foam pads and a little velcro strap so you can attach a mini pump if you have no mounting bracket for one.

mattyboy199

check out LVWA carbon cages just bought 2 for £20

mercia_man

If you are willing to consider alloy bottle cages I can highly recommend the Specialized E. I fitted what is effectively the same cage to my touring bike 25 years ago and they are still going strong. The alloy is stiff but bendable so you can adjust them to get just the right compromise between firm grip and ease of access. In plain alloy they look appropriate on any steel frame. A quick search on internet shows you can buy them for a fiver each.

For expensive carbon cages I can recommend the Arundel Mandible. Far superior in grip to cheap carbons like Planet X but still easy to get bottle in and out. Like the Specialized alloy, it is rattle-free. Arundel also do a stainless steel cage in the same design for around £20 which gets really good reviews and might be a good option for OP.

buddy_club

just to the post above mine, I have a Planet X carbon bottle cage on my hard tail MTB and have done for about a year now, never lost a bottle (700ml high5) over some really rough terrain.

mercia_man

Never lost a bottle with my Planet X cages but I couldn't stand the rattling noise on bumpy roads amplified by the resonance of my carbon down tube. I glued bits of rubber on the inside of the arms to make the fit a bit tighter and reduce the rattle but the carbon is so bendy it was still noisy. Arundel Mandible cages are a massive improvement for increasing bottle grip although I know some people find they grip too tight. The make of bottle also has an effect. I find SIS bottles are a good fit in most cages. Cambelbak Podiums are really tight. That's why an adjustable old school alloy cage makes sense. There's a reason why a classic design remains the same.

Another rattle-free cage I can recommend is the Elite Pave which has a sort of BOA dial on the top which squeezes the arms together to clasp the bottle firmly. But you have to undo the dial a couple of notches to remove bottle and then do it up again when replacing bottle.

matt_n-2

I've got Elite Cussi Inox SS on my Master, look perfect on it and grip my bottle nice and tight.

ayjaycee

I bought a couple of Elite Custom Race cages from Wiggle to go on a new bike last week and sent them back. Given time, they might have 'loosened up' a bit but I found it quite hard to get the bottles in and out - and they were Elite bottles as well! As I say, I sent the Elite cages back and moved the Tortec Airs from another bike and they are much better. The LBS that I got the other bike from put them on for me gratis but I think they usually charge about £9 for them. Only problem was that the black rubber outer had a habit of coming off them but a bit of superglue soon sorted that out.

bobmcstuff

Elite Ciussi Inox for me too - can be bent to be as tight or loose a grip as you want.

dean7879

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19681785#p19681785]bobmcstuff[/url] wrote:

Elite Ciussi Inox for me too - can be bent to be as tight or loose a grip as you want.

Whats the point of a steel bottle cage in this day and age

matt_n-2

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19681798#p19681798]dean7879[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19681785#p19681785]bobmcstuff[/url] wrote:

Elite Ciussi Inox for me too - can be bent to be as tight or loose a grip as you want.

Whats the point of a steel bottle cage in this day and age

For me, aesthetics.

Plastic or carbon ones do not look right on my Colnago Master, whereas the SS Elite ones look perfect.

All imo.

bobmcstuff

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19681798#p19681798]dean7879[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19681785#p19681785]bobmcstuff[/url] wrote:

Elite Ciussi Inox for me too - can be bent to be as tight or loose a grip as you want.

Whats the point of a steel bottle cage in this day and age

What a daft question.

There's one point in my post - you can bend them to get as tight or loose a grip as you want. I've had plastic ones which don't hold some bottles as well as others.

Also appearance wise they look much better on my steel framed Condor. I had a plastic one on for a bit but it looked out of place. Although I assume you think steel frames are pointless too :roll:

rowlers

Sorry folks, been away camping with family.
Yes to confirm I want a steel cage to keep the steel theme going. I have Elite Custom on my other bikes and they are great, but think they would look daft on my Acciaio.