Cheap velcro strap around the bottle and downtube will ensure the cage isn't strained and the bottle wont jump out.

King. Made in US. Made in Durango, Colorado. Made in a garage in Durango by a grumpy old guy but...damn!

Look at his Iris cages too.

I've had a couple bikes with the under the DT bottle cage. I kept it clean by covering it in Saran Wrap until I was ready to use it. I'd switch it out with an empty bottle and then wrap the empty before placing it in the lower cage to make cleanup easier later on.

Water
 

You fellas sure put a lot of credibility in "jersey pockets."

+1

Personally I would rather just wear a hydration pack that is actually designed to carry stuff well on my back than shoving my pockets full of water bottles.

That said, as much as I prefer my water in a pack for MTB, on the road I just don't see any reason to carry stuff on my person rather than on the bike.

You could always mount one on the front of the handlebars.

Yeah, or two. I can mount five on mine - three on the front bar and one each side of the stem on the inner bar. With straws? Ooh, go on, then.

https://i.imgur.com/OAuKX6v.jpg

I've worn a hydration pack while road cycling on long rides, and it's literally been a lifesaver while riding in rural areas with no services, that is, no place to get water. During a hot summer day I sweat so much I can go through two 24 oz. water bottles and a 2 liter hydration pack before I get home. Took the pack along yesterday on a 27 mile ride. Normally I wouldn't need the hydration pack for a short ride like that, but it was so hot out with no wind, and I was on gravel with absolutely nowhere to get water, so the extra water was handy even if I didn't drink it all. The hydration pack has been the best cycling accessory I've ever owned.

Another +1 for King Cages - hold the bottles super securely, don't mark like AL cages and tension strength can be adjusted by bending slightly unlike carbon or plastic cages. Never lost a bottle under the DT.

I rarely need 3 bottles - so I purchased Fabric Cageless Keg and use it on the downtube. If I am touring and need to mount another bottle, I swap out the Keg (put it in the bag) and use a Fabric cageless bottle. All pretty cheap and keeps the bike looking clean.

But ... every aluminum cage I have ever used has broken off the bike and shed the bottle. (Except ones I retired before that happened,) I discovered cracks happening in nearly all my steel cages in the shop and replaced them before they shed a bottle. (Often after decades of use.) Losing a bottle on a screaming descent on a hot day is something I consider a very bad outcome. Yes the OP was talking aluminum but he was also talking of wanting security.

And $20 for a cage is expensive? For a cage that will do its job the next 20 years? I don't blink an eye paying that for that quality. Not for items that are that important. (I keep my mouth shut, but I do laugh rather cruelly on the inside when I see a cage and bottle rolling along the road. And those cages are either aluminum or very light in almost every case.)

Ben

I just stop at the next place that has water, but then I never leave town.

And I drink that evil diet soda.

Lots of people would gladly pay twice (or three times) for something cheap but having it last half (or 1/3rd) as long as paying a lot for something that will last twice or 3 times as long. As the saying goes "buy nice or buy twice".

I have King cages on my road bike. In what I believe was a very rare occurrence, my ex-GF had one break on her. (Likely caused during transit from the east cost to AZ in a trailer crowded with other bikes.) She mentioned the failure to King when we saw him at the Philly Bike Expo. He was there bending cages. He flipped her a new one for free.

$5 and I just wire it to the inside of the front basket.

FYI I came across this on ebay. Kind of cool.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RockBros-Cy...item58f9a44c2e

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/fGYAA...2y/s-l1600.jpg