Burton

Have briefly seen some photos and reviews of some dual water bottle cages that mount on the seat post and comments range from `fantastic` to `bottles fall out`.

I`m thinking I may have enough steering tube to mount one up front just above the stem. The on-line dimensions look OK but would rather hear from someone thats already done it.

And I can`t believe no-one has tried this already. For lots of commuters and for bikes with a step thru design it could be pretty interesting.

Anyone?

bradtx

Burton, I've seen a system (bottle+cage+straw) that may be what you'd like. My sister's new Trek step through has a cage mount that looks 100% useless as it's on the lower downtube and I haven't found a bottle short enough for her to use with the cage I gave her. She doesn't have much steerer sten to work with so will probably use a seat post mount.

Brad

Machka 

All these can be used with aerobars:

https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...4_10000_202546


https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...6_10000_202546


https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...4_10000_202546


Have a look around through a variety of sources. Where do you normally look for cycling stuff?

And I would think that many commuters would use handlebar bags ... or baskets.

Northwestrider

I had seen a bottle holder in the past that would allow a 1 1/2 litter water bottle.

Northwestrider

Yes here it is https://www.topeak.com/products/Bottl...s/ModulaCageXL I wasn't sure if it was available still.

Machka 

A different style of aerobar waterbottle holder

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=47121

fietsbob

50's there were double bottle holders with spring clamps to grab the aluminum bottles,
with cork stoppers.

I've seen a handle bar mount for 1 bottle that clamps along side the center of the bar,
Buy 2.

DavidLee

Strange, I was just thinking about the same thing today for the trekking bars on my hybrid. Google pulled up this, I like the Pyramid & Sunlight options. The 3rd option down looks interesting also.

Burton

Well first of all thanks for all the suggestions. Some of them might be usefull to someone else and thats probably one of the nice things about forums.

Perhaps I should have been more specific about my own situation. The bike has FSA flat bars but they`ve been cut down an inch on each side, have Ergon GC-3 grips/barends installed and the controls are Shimano Hone integrated shifter/hydraulic brake levers that sit so close to the bars that there is literally no room to put anything else on the handlebar.

So the dual bottle cage I was looking at is a Profile Design Aqua Rack which is intended to mount to a seatpost (27.2 to 31.6mm). Cost is about $40 which is actually in line with the cost of two seperate water bottle cages and two seperate adapters.

Except that instead of mounting this on the seatpost behind me I kinda thought it might be more practical to mount it above or below the steering stem in front of me.

Anyway - I have one on order as well as a couple Topeak water bottle mounting brackets for handlebars (they make the slimist version I`ve found) and want to also order a couple Topeak Modular Java units.

For the record - I already have a Topeak Modular XL bottle cage designed to carry 1.5 liter bottles and it has been dragging a liter of coffee into the shop for the guys in a SS thermos beautifully.

Picked up one of those side entry cages and returned it because although it does grip a specially designed water bottle beautifully - it won`t grip a GatorAide or any commercially available soft drink or bottled water container properly.

Have also come up with a second steering stem and a cut-down handlebar which can mount below the current steering stem and serve to mount lights and/or bottle cages. Some of this will probably work better than others but between about 5 bikes it`ll all find a use at some point.

I`ll post my experiences to save someone else some possible headaches. Probably be a week before some of the stuff shows up.

BHOFM

My Trek has a place for two, but the seat post is too short for a standard bottle with
the cap on it. So I cut the nipple off the lid, hot glued the hole and filed the holes a
bit longer and it fits perfect.

w98seeng

How's this for a stem mounted cage?
https://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?ID=95043

Burton

OK So the first item to show up were those Topeak bottle cage mounting adapters. For the few dollars these cost I was blown away by the build quality and versitility

A stainless steel band will adjust to a huge range of tubing diameters, and the ultra thin profile actually let it slip in that miniscule gap between the Hone reservoirs and my bars! Construction is otherwise resin components with brass inserts and SS screws. The mounting plate for the bottle cage can be installed at 90 degree positions so is perfect to orient a cage regardless of installation placement - handlebar - seat-post or bike frame.

So I currently have two bottle cages mounted on the handle bars facing me. The hydraulic reservoirs did prevent mounting them on the front of the bars. The also do clear the top tube but that's just my bar setup. If I mounted them on a second bar they`d have to be out front because they`d be too low to clear the top tube.


So the Profile Design should be in next - lets see how that stacks up and at that point I`ll post some photos.

Burton

OK So the Profile Design Aqua Pack showed up today. All metal construction with CO2 cartridge holders that can be installed optionally. I installed them using the spacers and longer allan head bolts included with the kit.

The system is fairly versitile in that a metal split ring spacer is provided for smaller tube diameters. The mounting adapters are reversable and the bottle cages themselves have a variety of holes for attaching so height adjustent of the whole assembly is excellent. The cages themselves are the KAGE model which is also suitable for off-road and incorporates a rubber tensioning band. Can`t see how anyone could lose a bottle from these.

So yeah - they would actually fit up front on the steering stem but would be further back than I`d be happy with. And cage angle is non-adjustable so the Topeak mounting adapters are more practical. I do like the cages though and will order a couple more for up front.

Speaking of fit - PowerAide fits poorly in any cage I`ve tried whereas GatorAide fits without issue. At least some people at GatorAide actually drive bikes!

So looks like Topeak wins for the front and Profile Designs wins for the back. If after a week I still really like this - I`ll set up the hybrid similarly.

fietsbob

there is a piece made to substitute for a threadless stem cap on top of the stem.
It has ears on it to screw in and mount 1 bottle there .

there are also 2 Fish velcro and rubber, block, bottle cages, strap then on anywhere.