After one that won’t throw the bottles away…

Any thoughts?

I like the older Specialized Rib Cage with the rubber band, they seem pretty secure.
They don’t do them any more though.

Sorry, that wasn’t very helpful, was it ?

a bit chocolate tea pot but thanks for the thought 🙂

The ‘standard’ elite bottle cages work for me. They can be bent to make them more secure if you want too

blackburn MTN cage are the best ive found

all the carbon/plastic ones ive tried end up baggy after a period of time – some better than others. bending em back doesnt work – they snap 😀

Ihave a selection of alloy ones and simply bend them in abit to make them more secure

These

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=37234

It also depends on the bottle, some of mine are loose some really tight.

If it’s vital it stays in then wrap a couple of layers of electrical tape around just below where the cage meets the bottle. This makes it less likely to bounce out.

They do turn up on ebay still though, even new ones.

Elite Patao for me – I’ve got ones that are 10 years old, still look and work like new.

The Elite Race Custom also work well (and contrary to trail_rat’s experience, the 7 year old on on one of my mtbs is still working just fine)
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-custom-race-bottle-cage/

I’ve been using those elite ones on my road bike, they hold bottles very well. Ran them once on the MTB, lost a bottle once in a crash, that was it.

I’ve always found plastic/composite cages will let a bottle go on rough ground. Alloy / stainless ones have always been fine.

Blackburn ones are pretty good and not expensive. Bikebuddy cages are very secure as the bottle is held in place with springs, you can also fit different sized bottles which may prove handy for you Matt.

Re: ribcage: there’s a very similar topeak one with a little rubber bit. I got mine on crc for about £4. It is plastic and weighs a few grams more than a carbon one so probably not for weenies. 😀

I found the side entry ones better for the MTB

http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/_bontrager_side_entry_cage.html

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5652

Blackburn stainless has never let me down

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14131

Tiger,

I have a few of the Bell aluminium cages with a rubber strap that clamps the bottle.
Adjustable for different size bottles.
Bought in the USA, but ot seen here or France.

I would gladly sell one if inetested.

paul.r.davisAThotmail.co.uk

Another vote for Elite – Ciussi for me. Have used them onroad, offroad and over the infernal cobbles of Flanders and yet to drop a bottle….

…except for the nice Camelbak Podium bottle I use for commuting, which has a tendency to release itself.

Bought a couple of the Blackburns

Cheers all 🙂

I’ve had the Topeak ones and found the little rubber bit split after a while. The Specialized ones use a full circumference rubber band and it’s a lot more durable.

I bought some plastic ones from tesco for my road bike. They seem to hold the bottles ok and were only a couple of quid.

Spesh “bog standard” (dunno the name) seems to work fine with bigger bottles (e.g Camelback Podium Chill) BUT bottles have a tendancy to foul against the shock and switch on the lockout half way down rocky descents… Now gone back to just a regular camelbak. Worth watching out for that if you’re riding a full susser

Specialized Rib Cage for the win – I’ve never lost a bottle out of one and I’ve used them for years.

Tacx Tao, very secure.

i use a tacx tao on the roadie, with camelbak bottles, but the torq bottles i have to use on the mtb are a little smaller in diameter, and rattle around, so i use an S-works carbon rib cage

I have two red older design Spesh Rib cages (with the rubber bit) for sale as they no longer match my frame 🙂

Also might have two red Elite cages in red/white from jonba CRC link. Again no longer match my frame colour.

Email me if interested. I can swap for similar cages in black or grey (or a mix of those two colours).

I use one of these Here

Never dropped a bottle on rough descents or drops.

I have just got one of these

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=1628

A Topeak one that is adjustable for different size bottles

Rib Cages are great, but I’m also liking the Tacx Tao as they can be gently distorted/ovalised to create even better grip.

what are these ‘bottle cages’ of which you speak?

Using a Mt Zoom titanium one currently, as light as carbon (exactly the same as the Bontrager Race X Lite Carbon it replaced), great hold on the bottles, and doesn’t mark them either.