that's what I was thinking, I thought it was like a fixie faux pas or something, I figured might as well take it off, I can save like 5g in weight

If you build a bike for looks, which I fully assume is the story on this bike.... you don't put a water bottle cage on it. It's like sandals and socks. Let's debate on socks now. Cotton socks kick ass. Discuss.

Edit: Now I'm Keith Keep the thread alive.

yeah I get what you're saying, which is why i'm taking it off, it looks much cleaner without it anyway; I just don't have any other way of carrying water until I get my new bag

So keep the cage on there and stay hydrated. You're going to look a lot less hip when you show up panting like a dog and showing serious signs of cotton mouth.

Plus, any idiot willing to discredit you because you have a bottle cage on there is not worth anyone's time.

Yeah, because the ONLY place to carry water is on your bike. This isn't a functional issue... this is based PURELY on the look of the bike. Want a clean looking bike? Carry water in your bag. When I'm thirsty, I buy a little thing of bottled water for .99 cents at the nearest liquor store. And then when I'm thirsty again... I stop at the next liquor store. They're everywhere! $2-$3 a ride aint bad.

That's absolutely terrible advice. So you could spend upwards of $1000 per year on bottled water, then swiftly dispose of the bottles in the trash, or you could use the bike the way it was designed, keep the cage on, and spend the few cents per years that it cost you to fill a water bottle from the tap.

To the OP, ignore this blather and keep the cage on there. Drink lots of water and forget about having a "clean looking bike."

It is not a track bike, and it never will be a track bike.

The seat tipped forward puts more strain on arms, hands, shoulders. You gotta holdyerself form sliding forward all teh time.

Much harder to get cookies out of ur jersey and dunk frosting froms ur frosting cup cage.

I didn't realize that Popov was making bottled water, now....

my guess is he spends $6-8 a year during his biannual rides.

Zing!

To the OP: Use 2 brake levers to one brake for symmetry!

you need a beer helmet and then you can loose the cage. just fill it up with water on the way to work and some brrrr for the ride home. plus you'll look steezin!

I keep beer in my panniers. I usually stop to drink though because I'm afraid of a BUI (bicycling under the influence).

why would you want to "loose" the cage?
then it would rattle

he has a nice bike.

it has spd pedals so as long as he uses his shoes it shouldn't be a problem.

as for how often he rides, maybe he just needs some encouragement.

camelback anyone? Don't leave home without mine.

keep the cage... looks are for posers; which probably explains why my bike looks like crap... ok fine I'm just lazy.

Touche.

Looks aren't for posers. Aesthetics are important. They're not the end all and be all, and function should always come before fashion, but there's nothing wrong with wanting to make your bike, or anything else attractive. One can make a very good looking bike without compromising the performance; imho, many extremely good looking parts, are also very high quality. examples: Phils, most NJS frames, Nitto stems/bars, Tashis, Brooks, Selle Italia saddles, and many more.

Looks are for posers, in a sense.

If function is your main goal and the looks happen to come along with it, like with the products you mentioned, then your main goal is still function. But if your main goal is Aesthetics and you just happen to buy quality parts but your main reason for buying them was the look, well then arguably you are a poser.

I dont subscribe to that belief, but it could be argued.

Though I pretty much hate the talk of posers and hipsters. If you do it for looks, great. If you do it for function, great. Just dont hate on other people for their reasons to ride.

Your point is totally irrelevant.

... not really? Responding to a statement I didn't agree with. If I had started talking about the delicious chili I had for dinner, or the Phillies game I went to this afternoon, that would have been irrelevant. But most of this thread is about the guy's water bottle cage and whether he should take it off for looks, or leave it on so he can drink. AESTHETICS. Yes, what I said did not respond directly to the issue of the water bottle cage, but it did reply to the blanket statement that "looks are for posers."

well i'm not building for looks, I built this baby to ride, but if I can make it look good without really having to go out of my way, why not right?

Touche'. I really can't believe people still say that.

I think you're one of the few

Dude, everybody in my fencing club says it. What do they say in yours?