Road Cycling - Bottle cage recommendations?

Just broke my third (fourth? can't even remember) Tacx (http://www.tacx.nl/) Tao bottle cage. :mad: Always the same problem: they are brittle in the area that is bolted onto the frame. A few cobbles and the thing breaks. I've had it.

Can you recommend another bottle cage that is as light, affordable and attractive as the Tao, but more durable?

I've always had good luck with the Specialized cages. I use the plastic one on my MTB and the metal one on my RB. They're fairly light and cheap although some people don't give it much style points. I find they look fine with respect to my bikes.

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/cycling/bikes/Aegis/2001-Aro_Svelte/images/PICT0018.JPG

Glass-reinforced nylon works well. Ive had one by Elite, for 7 years, and it gets a lot of abuse

Is it possible you have the bolts too tight? I've been using the Tao cages with no problems.

I've always had good luck with the Specialized cages.

Thanks for the recommendation! I will see whether any of the LBSs have them available.



Glass-reinforced nylon works well. Ive had one by Elite, for 7 years, and it gets a lot of abuse

Cheers! Could you tell me which model that would be?



Is it possible you have the bolts too tight? I've been using the Tao cages with no problems.

Perhaps... On the other hand, why do they last for many 'smooth' miles and then break when I hit the pavé?

Maybe the Tao cages are also sensitive to the brand/size of bottles being used. So far, I haven't been working with Tacx bottles (which might fit more tightly and hence not vibrate as much). I use 0.75 litre tanks; could they put more stress on the cage?

Glass-reinforced nylon works well. Ive had one by Elite, for 7 years, and it gets a lot of abuse

This is the Specialized plastic (it's probably a GRP) cage I bought back in 1987. I've been transferring it from bike to bike. It's currently mounted on my MTB.

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/cycling/bikes/K2/1999-OzM/images/10620620/PICT0015.JPG

i am currently using Zefal Al cages. had been using it for more than a year now. good cages.. no problems yet.

http://www.profile-design.com/product_pages/images/kk1.jpg
This or
http://www.profile-design.com/product_pages/logos/kk2.jpg
this.

Not being a weight weenie roadie I use this:
http://www.profile-design.com/product_pages/images/kage.jpg
http://www.profile-design.com/

Just broke my third (fourth? can't even remember) Tacx (http://www.tacx.nl/) Tao bottle cage. :mad: Always the same problem: they are brittle in the area that is bolted onto the frame. A few cobbles and the thing breaks. I've had it.

Can you recommend another bottle cage that is as light, affordable and attractive as the Tao, but more durable?

Mine havent broken for 2000 miles. What might YOU be doing wrong?

http://www.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/2004/equip/04CageRibPro_l.jpg

This is what I have on my bike.

I use the Profile Design plastic cage shown at the bottom of message 8. It's not the nicest cage, but it doesn't stain the bottles and has neither broken nor dropped a bottle so far, in spite of the potholes we have.

Regards,

Bruco, you big, burly, bottle cage breaking boyfriend,

I second the suggestions about Specialized and Profile cages. I've used them both, and they are both nearly indestructible. In fact, I've had the Specialized cage on both road and mountain bikes for years without a bit of trouble.

I suspect that you may have a problem, though. Maybe you have misaligned water bottle cage braze-ons. If that is the case, the only solution is to use a sturdy composite cage. It's also possible that your front derailleur clamp is in the way and distorts the bottle cage on your seat tube leading to premature failure. If this is the case, you can fix the problem with a couple of inexpensive spacers.

If this helps, Bruco, gimme a smooch!

:love: :love: :love:

American Classics.

I like stainless.
http://www.worldcycling.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MSCM640&Category_Code=TDFGEAR

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=72&subcategory=1025&brand=&sku=9827&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/medium/MH-CC.gif

Light and can be mounted 3 different ways.

http://www.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/2004/equip/04CageRibPro_l.jpg

This is what I have on my bike.

You must be thirsty! Eight water bottle holders on one bike? :D

You must be thirsty! Eight water bottle holders on one bike? :D

Maybe the bike is a triplet. I've seen them with six cages, so it's not inconceivable to think that one could be built with just two more.

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/2003STP-1/PICT0029.jpg

Just broke my third (fourth? can't even remember) Tacx (http://www.tacx.nl/) Tao bottle cage. :mad: Always the same problem: they are brittle in the area that is bolted onto the frame. A few cobbles and the thing breaks. I've had it.

Can you recommend another bottle cage that is as light, affordable and attractive as the Tao, but more durable?
Uhmmmm this is what I use

I'm just a simple guy that uses the simple King Stainless steel cages and never any problems with over 35,000 miles on them.

I think the key to your problem is, and I quote you-

"A few cobbles and the thing breaks"

Only time I ever broke a cage was riding the Paris-Roubaix cyclo in '91.

I use plastic cages off-road. If I ever ride in Flanders or Northern France again, I'll be swapping them over!

Delta Inox
http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/medium/dc-ox.gif

http://www.bg4533.com/bikeforums/DSCF0044.JPG

I like the Delta!

Maybe when my Blackburn cages wear out I'll get a couple. 'course I may never live to see them wear out...

:beer:

Thanks for all the recommendations! Some of those cages really look terrific; I will check what's in store at the various LBS.

Regarding the TAO, it remains a nice design. Some of the teams also used it in last weekend's Tour of Flanders (http://www.rvv.be/). So the cage can't be that weak. :rolleyes: I think that I have got them installed correctly (no problems with braze-on alignment or derailleur clamp). But using the TAOs with large, other-brand bottles (which do not fit tightly) on rough terrain just puts too much stress on them, probably.

http://www.chickencycles.com/products/accessories/images/TA130.jpg

how about one of these...??
i use two of them

I've got a blackburn alum. cage and fiber cage, the alum. cage leaves black marks on the waterbottles and really makes the bottles look dirty. And the marks don't come off. Does this happen to all alum. cages? What about stainless steel? I'm tired of putting a new bottle into the cage and after one ride it looks like it's been through the garbage.

I've got a blackburn alum. cage and fiber cage, the alum. cage leaves black marks on the waterbottles and really makes the bottles look dirty. And the marks don't come off. Does this happen to all alum. cages? What about stainless steel? I'm tired of putting a new bottle into the cage and after one ride it looks like it's been through the garbage.

It happens with all aluminum cages.

It is not supposed to happen with stainless. I've never had stainless cages, though, so I can't say.

I use plastic cages almost exclusively. It keeps the bottles looking decent.

I've had great sucess with Trek's bat cages. My bottles are really scuffed up as it is, so I don't know if they cause any damage, but they do hold bottles really well.
http://www.trekbikes.com/accessories/images/product/313.gif

Just broke my third (fourth? can't even remember) Tacx (http://www.tacx.nl/) Tao bottle cage. :mad: Always the same problem: they are brittle in the area that is bolted onto the frame. A few cobbles and the thing breaks. I've had it.

Can you recommend another bottle cage that is as light, affordable and attractive as the Tao, but more durable?

I love the new Zipp

Just got some Tacx Tao cages in the mail today. Not sure if I will keep them - the bottles I have don't seem to fit snugly - my concern is that they will pop out over bumps etc. I think I'll go back to the more traditional type cage.

I've just bought the Specialized Rib Cage Pro. Not expensive (19 usd) and very light.
If you can afford it, try the Campagnolo Record, very nice and very light, but...very expensive (120 usd) as well!

$120 for ONE cage? "Afford" is a relative term I guess. I DO think you get a "free" Campy water bottle with the $120 cage though :-)

Spend a couple hundred on a magnesium/borium cage. Weighs only 2 grams. During your next trip to McDonalds, stop at your LBS and pick one up.

Another vote for the Rib Cage. They have the added benefit of fitting over a rear derailleur bracket too if your bottle bolt holes straddle it.

Spend a couple hundred on a magnesium/borium cage. Weighs only 2 grams. During your next trip to McDonalds, stop at your LBS and pick one up.

:roflmao:

Reminds me of when I used to work in a Pub as a student. You'd get these huge-as-houses women coming in asking for tripple vodkas with diet coke ... :rolleyes:

I could could write a thesis on this......

Do yourself a favour and get one (or several) of the plastic Profile cages posted by Raiyn. I have six of them and the first one I bought I've had for at least ten years.
They NEVER break, your bottle will NEVER fall out (even if it is filled with lead), but best of all they are very safe. They are safe because you barely have to aim to get the bottle back in; you just go 'BANG/SLAM' and it's in. This is important if you are riding in a frantic race or in other precarious situations.

I'm wondering about stainless also. My aluminum cages wear (leaving that residue fogrider) mentions. Even with fenders protecting from grit, the rain and vibration take a considerable toll. Within a year the contact points are worn flat through about 1/3 of the material - but my bottles are noticably easier to sqeeze since they're a bit thinner :)

I imagine stainless would be more durable?

Also serves as a helmet! haha Could it be rigged to a bike helmet??

I use the Cat Eye Nylon nylon cage. Just 40 grams and I even cut a half moon out of the back so it would fit over the derailleur clamp. Many bikes, many miles, both on and off road without a problem.

The Cateyes have been awesome for me. I think I've had the same cages since 1993 and never thought of replacing them until all these carbon cages came out touting how I could save 30g if I only spent and extra 50 bucks ;)

Bah, screw that. So I bought a couple of Salsa/Nitto stainless cages. I'm going for a ride now so I'll see how they go. The do look the money though. Very 'svelt', very 'steely'.

I'm wondering about stainless also. My aluminum cages wear (leaving that residue fogrider) mentions. Even with fenders protecting from grit, the rain and vibration take a considerable toll. Within a year the contact points are worn flat through about 1/3 of the material - but my bottles are noticably easier to sqeeze since they're a bit thinner :)

I imagine stainless would be more durable?

The Delta Inox I posted above is stainless steel. I have only used them for a few months, but I am very happy with them. They hold my bottles very well, and dont show wear or anything. I have no idea how they will hold up over the years, but they look like they will be better than the aluminum cages I have used. Link (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=9195&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=)

Update.

Not exactly 100% functional - bit tricky to line the bottle up and drive it home. Minor inconvenience if your cruizing.....frustrating if your shagged. The other stainless on page one of this thread looks like a slightly better design.

Now, if only the Arundel people woulod return my emails.....

They are safe because you barely have to aim to get the bottle back in; you just go 'BANG/SLAM' and it's in. This is important if you are riding in a frantic race or in other precarious situations.

I'll double this. I had a race last weekend where the average pace was 25mph-27mph and we were hammering along the flats at up to 30mph and these cages were a huge help. I was even drinking mid bunch with no problems (on the slower head wind section though!)

Brendon

I also have the plastic profile cages that Raiyn posted, they came standard on my Aqua Rack. Which btw is very nice and really shows the thought behind the cage design. I can get my bottles in and out of the cages with out even being able to see them. For those that arent aware, the Aqua Rack is a twin bottle cage system that mounts to the seat post and allows you to carry two bottles behind the seat. If i am going to have anything bad to say about these cages is that the rubber band thingies that come with them broke on the first day i used the cages (though it doesnt make any difference to me, everything is working fine still.)

http://www.profile-design.com/product_pages/images/aquarack.jpg

42 posts on a bottle cage,wow!

I use the painted Velocity brand cages. They come in a lot of colors ,are fairly light, and inexpensive. "Cheap and cheerful" as they say.

hey, ditch the Taos and get the Tack Allure instead. They are as beautiful as the Taos, cheaper, and a hell of a lot sturdier. The Allure is made of aluminum, not plastic, and it used to be Tacx's top of the line cage before the Tao came out.


Just broke my third (fourth? can't even remember) Tacx (http://www.tacx.nl/) Tao bottle cage. :mad: Always the same problem: they are brittle in the area that is bolted onto the frame. A few cobbles and the thing breaks. I've had it.

Can you recommend another bottle cage that is as light, affordable and attractive as the Tao, but more durable?

:roflmao:

Reminds me of when I used to work in a Pub as a student. You'd get these huge-as-houses women coming in asking for tripple vodkas with diet coke ... :rolleyes:

Not quite as bad as going into a all you can eat resturant and there are these huge folk in there and each eating as if feeding 5 people and they order diet cokes! why?

Wouldn't buy carbon cages because i think they're not very durable, especially if you crash, and are a very expensive rip off just to save a few grams of non rotational weight. Though i must admit the Campag Record carbon cages are the most beautiful i've ever seen.
I have a pair of Elite Ciussi Inox stainless steel cages, not too expensive, as light as you're ever going to need, strong, totally classic looks, they don't leave residue on my bottles unlike aluminium cages and i also happen to love how the red bottle tabs on them are colour coded with my Specialized Allez Comp frame :)

If you crash in a way that gets to the cages,what would last in a crash like that?

If you crash in a way that gets to the cages,what would last in a crash like that?

The other day when mountaibn biking I got a toe clip strap caught on a tree stump and it pulled me down sideways. I got pretty tied up in the bike. The bike was fine, but if there was something fragile there it might have broke.

If you fall sideways you might put a knee or leg through the center of the bike and otherwise do no damage.