Anti404

I didn't. I'm saying that your point is incorrect.

dark13star

The steel cages were constantly ejecting bottles on me, and the carbon ones never have. There is a functional difference. I bought the carbon ones with a special and I think they cost me $12 each.

Retro Grouch 

You're still trying to critique somebody else's purchase decision based upon your function vs esthetics vs cost judgement.

Frankly, I agree with you. I've admired some beautiful carbon fiber water bottle cages but couldn't bring myself to buy them. I can also understend why somebody else might make a different choice. Everybody balances those factors differently.

astonmartinag

To add to the list of dumb carbon purchases...The felt f5c, the frame weighs about 1400 grams. The caad9's frame weighs 200 grams less.

Coyote2

While I agree that the obsession with bike weight can be a bit silly, and it's easy to get diminishing returns, I find arguments such as those above to be equally silly. Whether you leave the banana, socks, or second water bottle at home or not, shaving 200 grams is shaving 200 grams, period. I'm not saying it makes a big difference for most rides and riders, but it is simple math. If you can leave the banana at home and shave 200 grams from the bike, now your total is 400 grams lighter. And if you think that makes no difference in a climbing race, then why do pros ride very light bikes? Are they just foolish?

s4one

+1, I figure if you have a cf bike, might as well get a cf cage. Looks better. Plus if you can buy a cf frame, you can easily afford a cf cage, lets not bet tooo cheap here.

monk

Here we go again . . . "just lose a 1/2 pound of body fat" or "don't carry one of your water bottles," etc. As long as you don't compromise safety, lighter IS better, let's face it. You can debate all you want about if saving 100 grams is worth $100, etc. But if someone can afford it, then what's wrong with it? Frankly, I bet most of these threads are started by people who CAN'T afford the expensive stuff so their way of coping with it is cutting down those that do purchase it. Sure, there are lots of cheaper ways to save weight off of yourself or the bike. But, ALL OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL, lighter is better for a road bike. Period.

Suzie Green

As long as you're not assuming that the 400 gram savings really matters to all of us.
To some, maybe...to me, not really. Other than tubes, tires, and cables, I haven't changed a thing on my bike in the 5 years I've owned it. I wheel it out of the garage, I ride, I wheel it back in again. Everything else is superfluous. Did I buy the bike with component weights in mind? Er, I was more interested in the paint color.

Suzie Green

Define "better"...for you or me?

furiousferret

The difference of a few grams can mean alot over a 20 mile climb. If you just ride the mup or flat areas all the time, it may not be worth it, but for those of us who like to ride up pretty high elevations, its helps.

halfspeed

Lets not overlook the especially questionable wisdom of skipping breakfast, not wearing socks when appropriate or carrying less food or water than optimal for a ride. Between that and paying a premium for bottle cages, the cages look eminently more sensible.

DrPete 

Yup. Nobody ever bonked by saving weight on their carbon cage.

Retro Grouch 

A few grams? Not even an ounce? Now we're getting into the "kidding ourselves" side of the issue.

bikeM3987

Carbon cages look better than aluminum ones, and I don't really see paying for looks to be a waste of money. No one I have ever met has claimed they made them faster.

tekhna

The dumb component purchase part of my brain is kicking myself for wanting to replace perfectly good spokes with Sapim CX-Rays at a price of 150 bucks, just for the hell of it. So I don't want to hear it about carbon cages.

mazdaspeed

If your bike weighs less than the UCI weight limit, and you spend more money to make it lighter, I'm sorry but you're a fred.

Coyote2

Of course it only matters to a few people, and for some of them it is blown out of proportion. Of course.

valygrl

I'm thinking about buying a whole new bike for like $6000 to save less than 4 pounds and because it's soooooo cool..... that's $1,500 per pound saved.... how dumb is that?

(stupid Orbea Orca thread, gosh-darnit!)

CrimsonKarter21

People like putting new stuff on their bikes. I doubt anyone on this forum has ridden the same bike year-in, year-out with the same exact componentry without thinking of upgrading something.
Some of use guys who race like the upgrades because with new bars or a new stem, we can feel a more solid power connection. Does it come at the risk of failure in a crash? Yes. But did it's price justify it's percieved benefit? Probably.

Quit *****ing about what other people do, you'll get an ulcer.

Cdy291

Servo888

You can't make a comparison between frames and water bottle cages. A steel frame will ride different then a carbon frame, which will ride different than an aluminum frame, etc. When it comes to water bottle cages, their job is to hold a water bottle. Just about every cage, does fine job at doing that. I rock a stainless steel cage on my mountain bike, and a fiberglass one on my roadie. Cheap, gets the job done, QED.

MikeLD

I don't give a rip how people spend their money ... I buy things that I like that some would think are stupid, uneconomical, and a waste of money ... bike stuff and non bike stuff.

But, as long as we're on the subject ... I think clothes and shoes that cost alot just because they have designer label are a big steaming pile of waste. But hey, that's just me.

furiousferret

...or someone who makes enough money that they don't have to budget their hobbies.

TarmacAG

Comma, but.....

Hickeydog

buy what you want, ride what you buy.