Originally Posted by
Thrasymachus
@
chaadster:
That Kage design looks like it will not snag, but there is a problem.
According to one reviewer on the page you linked to he bought 6 and has been through an astonishing 4 in a mere 2 seasons. And both you 2_i and say that the "o-ring" to that cage eventually breaks. Well that one reviewer writing on 3/14/2007 says that for him when that happened it doesn't hold his bottles... So I am not sure about that cage, it is perhaps not made to last. I certainly don't know the full situation, was that a flaw that they eventually fixed? Anyway I don't like buying disposable things that won't last, so I will rule that out.
It is not so difficult to buy such O-rings, but it is a nuisance. For my most critical Kage, I replaced the O-ring with a piece of a shifter cable that has eyes at its ends, that I join with a short spring. With regard to holding bottles without an O-ring or a replacement, I guess that it can depend on the bottle, its precise dimensions and material. One more option, that I use on folders, is the
Sunlite foldable cage:
You can find more colors on Ebay.
Originally Posted by
Thrasymachus
This times a thousand. I suspect even on the commuting forum most are not even car-lite in their lifestyle and are overall motorists for the most part, with the bicycle being a rare transport modality for them. The more posts I read here and other cycling forums, the more I am convinced how doomed cycling culture is in the USA.
Precisely. There used to be once a concept of 'Sunday drivers'. One should presumably have one of 'Sunday fair-weather riders'.
Originally Posted by
Thrasymachus
Anyway I am gonna write to Topeak again to complain about the design flaw of their Mini DXG Master Blaster pump and also to Planet Bike to complain about their alloy cage which both get stuck in long sleeve pants from time to time. Actually if you complain to companies they will often give you free coupons, discounts, free replacements, etc. So if anyone really cares about this issue, we need to complain more to companies so they will understand we don't all think we need to wear special clothing just to cycle
I think that it can make sense to write to companies. If they hear no negative feedback, they may think that everything is all right. I doubt though they would change the model that is already in the market, given how long the production cycle is. However, they can take into account customer comments in their next design.