As about two-and-a-half of you may remember, I mocked-up a wire toeclip a while back. Well, since a statistically insignificant number of my bikes actually have bottle cage braze-ons I figured I try my hand at a bar-mounted bottle/coffee/beer cage. Because, y'know, it'd be so much easier than buying one .









I rather like it but I'm interested in everyone else's reactions (if they're printable). I'd also be willing to hear stories of onlookers throwing peanuts at the screen if that's all I can get. And, of course, if you don't hear from me again it'll be because one of the local hipsters saw this and stabbed me to get it .

You have talent. Any chance you'd be willing to make me a set of toe clips? They would look great on my commuter.

That - is - so - COOL. Talent and imagination, I dig it!

Next project: custom racks?

I want one - no, make it two.

Fantastic!

Nice design! Ingenious clip. How do you braze-solder-weld the wires?

Next- molding a pair of gum rubber brake lever hoods- you need some!

I love it cinco, makes a perfect set with those toe clips, which I'm still lusting after!

like it a lot. i'd also like details of how you made it.

I like it,
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and remember the toe clips as well.

You going into the handlebar cage business?

Seriously nice work.

I love it, I tried to do something similar, but If I have any talents, they apparently lie in other areas.

Damn that's pretty nice. just make another so you can even out your bar and have one on each side. Are you going to leave it in mounted on just the one side or put it directly in the middle? I wish I could find another REG bottle cage to match my other one. You going to make any more of those?

+1

I think it looks great. I was just thinking I would like to get something like this, but for two bottles. Nice job!

Maybe a weird aside, but I believe that I read somewhere that in Ye Olde Days they used to actually put metal bottles in the front racks and wrap them in a wet cloth bag to keep them cool plus to reduce rattle. Also, they had a proto-camelbak system and used a long straw so they didn't have to fiddle with whatever they would have used for tops before plastic!

Love the work... will have to do this when I am between jobs at the frame shop since finding any suitable bar mounted bottle cages is such a pita.

The details have a bit of a haphazard, acid-trip bent to them since I was figuring all of this out as I went but I'll try to hit the important stuff. I threw together a basic mockup out of old steel spokes to make sure my design idea looked decent in real life but didn't bother with the details like the clamp or accurate sizing. The stainless wire I used is 1/16" and 3/32" TIG rod and bent completely by hand. It was brazed with 56% silver material one joint at a time since things always seemed to shift around a bit. Aside from the fiddly work of bending matching pieces which fit properly, the hardest part was actually figuring out how to hold things together while I brazed. I managed to do it with a set of "helping hands", a bench vise, a ball-mounted mini vise, and a few random alligator clips... sometimes all at the same time. If I'd been wearing one of my watchmaker's double loupes and somebody had walked in on me I'm sure I'd be in jail right now . Anyway, I have some different ideas about how to how to hold things together next time so we'll have to see. By the way, I brazed one of the joints crooked and decided that it'd be a good chance to test strength - I'm fairly convinced that you'd have to step on it to cause any structural damage and even then I don't think more than half the joints would pop.

Err... umm... well... the toeclips are still being tested and I'm making another set for the owner of "my" LBS so he can give 'em a workout as well. I'm leery of making any commitments at the moment because I don't want to sell anybody something which will explode if they look at it cross-eyed and, of course, a few other nagging detail-esque reasons. Suffice it to say, though, that I do plan to make several more sets of clips and several more bottle cages once I get the designs completely sorted out and when I'm able to find materials that I'm completely happy with. It's a learn-as-you-go thing and I'm still learning in preparation to going.


I also have to say thank you to everyone for the very kind words and support. I've never considered myself any kind of artist and occasionally think that doing things like this is something of a waste of time. From a practical standpoint it probably is but that doesn't really matter, does it? It does me good to know that there are others out there who appreciate the unusual things I get up to in my spare time.

And yes, I've gotten somewhat behind in the application of campy-size brake hoods . Make them? No - rubber is mysterious to me. Buy them? Yes - money isn't nearly as mysterious .

That's pretty slick... I'm going to try it with some old spokes at work this week. Imagine that - you're now an inspiration Keep up the good work.

Ne, sir ...you may not be an artist but you're certainly a talented artisan. And no, this is not a waste of time of course. This stuff is splendid. I love seeing this kind of thing. Thanks for showing us.

how 'bout a helmet?

I'd buy some. Can never find enough bar-mounted ( or clamp-on) bottle holders. Nice work!

I want to join the chorus of your admirers, and I also remember the toeclips (just forgot it was you who made them). Ya know: we are getting a nice little band of talented artisans who hand-make C&V accessories...might be time to make a separate sticky to help promote them and their products.

You could market that. It's beautiful!

I remember that thread also. I wanted to try weaving a toe-clip from spring steel wire. I never got around to it. Your cage looks really nice.

Very nice bottle holder. Custom fabrication is the heart of our Bicycle hobby. Keep up the great work.

Mike