Installing bottle cage mounts to a frame without them - any better way than rivnuts?
#2
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Yes, there are better ways. It really depends on your bike and your budget.
There's no way I'm going to drill holes in my '75 Grand Record or my '72 Torpado. Instead, I use aluminum clamps on the down tube and the bottle cage of my choice (V.O.).
If I were going to make other changes to those bikes and they needed a repaint, then I would look to a frame builder to add bottle bosses.
There are other ways to carry water as well. For example, a cage clamped to the bars. Now that's really old school. And on the right bike, it looks totally badass.
But if it's a beater that you don't care about, go ahead and drill holes in the frame.
There's no way I'm going to drill holes in my '75 Grand Record or my '72 Torpado. Instead, I use aluminum clamps on the down tube and the bottle cage of my choice (V.O.).
If I were going to make other changes to those bikes and they needed a repaint, then I would look to a frame builder to add bottle bosses.
There are other ways to carry water as well. For example, a cage clamped to the bars. Now that's really old school. And on the right bike, it looks totally badass.
But if it's a beater that you don't care about, go ahead and drill holes in the frame.
Last edited by MyRedTrek; 04-18-22 at 06:05 PM.
#3
Mad bike riding scientist




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There are any number of bottle mounts. Zefal Gizmo, Elite VIP cage mounts, and Minoura cage mount are but a few. I’ve used all of them and they work well.
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Stuart Black
Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#4
Dirty Heathen

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From: MC-778, 6250 fsw
Bikes: 1997 Cannondale, 1976 Bridgestone, 1998 SoftRide, 1989 Klein, 1989 Black Lightning #0033
You can also use plain old Hose Clamps from the hardware store to mount a wire cage on.
No need to spend $30-40 to mount a bottle cage on a $100 beater
#5
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Back in the day we used radiator hose clamps and the bottle cages had tabs for the hose clamps to clamp against. Some cages still have these tabs. The beauty of hose clamps, besides their wide availability and low cost, is that they conform to non round tubing and have an adjustable circumference. Andy
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#7
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#8
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If all you want is a bottle carrier, Zefal has a cage that mounts with Velcro straps. Same aisle you got the bike from.
You can also use plain old Hose Clamps from the hardware store to mount a wire cage on.
No need to spend $30-40 to mount a bottle cage on a $100 beater
You can also use plain old Hose Clamps from the hardware store to mount a wire cage on.
No need to spend $30-40 to mount a bottle cage on a $100 beater
#9
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From: Oakland CA
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I'm using the Universal Support Bolts made by King Cage. link to King Cage site
They are good, 6 bucks each. I like that they're metal. I also like the simplicity of the Velo Orange ones.
They are good, 6 bucks each. I like that they're metal. I also like the simplicity of the Velo Orange ones.




