Scorer75

Time for new bottle cages. I have narrowed it to 2 choices:

Choice A
Cannondale Aluminum Water Bottle Cage




Choice B
Tacx Tao Water Bottle Cage



It's going on this bike:

botto 

can we pick you first childs name as well?

Scorer75

Nope, and not the second either. But I will take recommendations on my third.

I asked my wife and she gave me her opinion, is it ok with you if I ask others what they think?

botto 

ooops. forgot to include one of these " "

Scorer75

No problem.

FIVE ONE SIX

i say definitely the Tacx Tao bottle cage, i use 2 of them, and i would never use anything else after trying them. i will admit, they do mark water bottles pretty easily, but i personally feel that you won't find anything better for anywhere near that price...

https://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=a1149

botto 

back on subject. the c'dale cage looks kind of flimsy for a cyclocross bike.

i just started using the tacx tao's in april. they don't hold the bottles as well as my old profile cages, but nothing comes close to those. i like 'em, but on of them has already broken (the little plastic nub that keeps the bottle from sliding through the cage snapped off when i was washing my bike).

fwiw i voted for the TT

Scorer75

Thanks for the input.

I've actually used the Cannondale before. It's ok until the weldbreaks. That takes a fall or about 1-2 years of use.

I thought the TT was sturdier as it's a single piece instead of two wings. If you broke yours just washing the bike, I'm pretty nervous aboutthat choice.

I do not ride cyclocross. I got this bike at an awesome deal from a friend who bought it, put 500 miles on it, and let it gather dust for a year. I am pretty hard on my equipment though.

The Cannondale also mark bottles. How bad do the TT mark bottles???

botto 

tt only mark the bottles if you ride in the rain, and don't wash the grit out. at least that's been my experience.

i'll be replacing my broken one with a new one. i still like the design, and if truth be told, the broken one did get a decent amount of use before breaking.

voltman

Which Profile cages were those? I've heard mixed reviews about their various cages.

botto 

not exactly the prettiest, but i used these cages on and off for over 14 years. i NEVER lost a bottle, whether that was racing in central park, or bouncing over cobbles in belgium, or high speed descents in the dolomites, or chip seal roads in scotland.

Scorer75

I tried that profile cage and I found it hard to remove the bottle while riding. I also didn't like the o-ring as part of the design, it's another thing to break and I'll be darned if I'm doing maintenance on my water bottle cages.

botto 

the O-rings weren't part of the original design, and are completely unnecessary IMO

bbattle

I can't believe the thread has gotten this far without the mandatory "flip it" suggestion.

I'd go with the C'dale cage, especially if you can get it in the same red as the bike.

voltman

If you flip it, won't the bottle fall out?

BrianJ1888

hard to flip it on the stock website pic.

botto 

flip what? that's not a pic of the OPs exact bike.

gabiker

Tacx

Phantoj

Bought a used bike a couple months back and it came with these. Stainless, classy, about $20.

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/produ...il.asp?p=ELNOX

Scorer75

I do not like the gel insert look.

Additionally, I'm not liking the stainless steel look.

They are more expensive that the other choices.

Phantoj

They are more expensive because they are better.





I didn't know 'crossers used water bottle cages, thought they just grabbed a bottle in the feed zone, gulped, and threw it back.

jeremyb_nz

I have the Tao's on my Trek, only issue with them is that they only seem to fit the tacx bottles well, unlike a normal cage which will take most sizes

djninjamusic

I'm surprised no one has asked about the cage weights yet.

From weightweenies:

Tacx Tao Aluminum 41g
Tacx Tao Carbon 31g weight including bolts
Elite Ciussi Inox Stainless Steel 50g
Profile Design Kage (Nylon/Fiberglass) 54g weight w/o bolts
Profile Design Karbon Kage 33.5g weight w/o bolts
Profile Design Karbon Lite KK-2 27g weight w/o bolts

Minoura Dura Cage Aluminum 38g weight w/o bolts (what I have on my bike)

From the Cannondale website: Aluminum Water Bottle Cage 40g claimed weight

R900

I vote neither, Elite makes my favorite alloy cage.

John

Scorer75

Ummmm, not everything that costs more is better.

If you read my post above, I don't ride cross, only a cross bike.