DIY "Anything" cargo cages?

I want to strap some small drybags of gear to my fork. I don’t have bottle cage bosses, but don’t see a problem with cable tying/hose clamping/taping cages on. The problem is what cages.

Anyone tried a DIY alternative to Salsa Anything cages? They seem spendy for what is essentially a bigger, slightly differently shaped bottle cage with some straps. I know there are cheaper options, but not that much cheaper.

If you dont care what it looks like a bit of thin flexible plastic chopped up (think thin chopping board), some holes for bolts and a few straps fed through some slots would do the same job. Straps alone would probably be enough but the plastic bolted on would hold it in place better.

Hmmm, I like your thinking. I feel like it needs some support underneath, and at the sides to prevent stuff rotating into the spokes. I wonder if I could heat and bend something like a chopping board into that shape.

How is your fabrication skills? Does the fork have a mudgaurd mount? I had been toying with the idea of a bracket on my road/tour bike.

Guttering? or if that’s too big, 4″ plastic pipe cut lengthways?.

Plastic drinks bottle?

http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p60316/BBB-BBC-15-FuelTank-XL-Bottle-Cage.aspx?sku=174678&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=SL-Shopping>>Accessories&utm_term=1100700629094&utm_content=Accessories

You could probably attach this somehow.

I can weld steel, but can’t think of a simple design in steel. Could make an Anything Cage copy, but not sure it would be too neat or the best way of doing it, and would need to source the wire/roundbar stock.

No mudguard mount.

Guttering/pipe’s a good shout…

NOt easier to use these?

http://www.cyclemiles.co.uk/shop/brompton-gifts/monkii-cage-bicycle-bottle-cage/#.WCmiLC2LRpg

3 quid from Decathlon?

I’ve actually got one of those XL bottle cages, but I’d like something that’ll hold something shorter and fatter. The bottom is a bit restrictive.

Those Monkii cages look OK, but not sure they’d offer that much more support, and the strap looks quite short. At £30 a pair, they’re not exactly cheap either.

I’ve thought about using those for attachment perchy, but I’m not sure they’ll be any better than hose clamps. Depending on what I go for for the cage, I might use them.

OP
I have a Blackburn front rack you can have if that would work?

Edit>> you may have to use P-clips for the bottom mounts<<< edit

Steel fork? You could try Brazing on some bosses on or use rivnuts

Bike buddy cages are an excellent alternative to the salsa ones

Thanks for the offer fasthaggis, but I’m not really after a rack.

Those Bike buddy cages are interesting, but not quite what I’m after.

I found the solution to this at the bottom of a bottle… of conditioner.

A couple of minutes with some scissors and a knife:

And voila (on seat-tube mounts because I haven’t got those Decathlon mounts yet).

There’s a piece of 3mm aluminium plate between the dry-bag and the plastic (see last pic).

I cut a slot in the bottom to make an attachment point for the loop on the bottom of the dry-bag. I’ve used a mini carabiner here, but not sure it’s the best solution.

Pretty happy with it, so I made another:

Edit: no idea why the pics are all sideways.

@thenorthwind – nice nothing (you must have really nice hair, too)

If monkii cages are too small, you could try gorilla cages (seriously) and the associated gorilla clips. Not cheap, but they just work.

I’m sure they’re great and work better than this but two gorilla cages and two gorilla clips is £80s worth 😯

Two bottles of shampoo/conditioner: £5
Two Decathlon mounts: £6

And as noted, I now have really nice hair 🙂 I could claim they’re my girlfriend’s, but they’re not.

http://Www.beerbabe.co.uk does a anything cage bag that fits to a fork, sus or rigid without mounts

Just be careful putting too much weight on those decathlon mounts. I had one on the underside of my downtube to hold an extra water bottle – after a couple of months the rubber body started to split and the bolt housing fell out.

@thenorthwind – fair enough. I do like the challenge of “engineering” a solution, myself, and the satisfaction involved certainly contributes to the smugness (even on those occasions where it doesn’t end up cheaper than a commercial product)

Look great! Whats the bike – I’ll guess at an ’89 diamond back?

’tis in fact this beautiful monstrosity:

Rudge Bi-frame (full frame folder)

(Old pic in pre-drop bar off-road tourer mode – need to update!)

Slightly more up-to-date:
2016-09-09 10.29.57 by Dave W[/url], on Flickr

mother of god

Reposting pics for discussion on another thread:

2016-11-26 12.44.09 by Dave W[/url], on Flickr

2016-11-26 13.01.39 by Dave W[/url], on Flickr

2016-11-26 15.02.59 by Dave W[/url], on Flickr

2016-11-26 15.03.06 by Dave W[/url], on Flickr

Would also add some holes around the outside of the base as they tended to collect water, particularly at the front where they droop a bit when loaded.

I take it all the locks in the whole bike pic are to stop people nicking the railings. By god that’s an ugly bike. I can see it might work though.

🙂

Ugliness is it’s own security 😀

What size/volume is that drybag?

Er-indoors has loads of conditioner bottles knocking about the bathroom (half are probably empty and I quite fancy a fork leg mounting solution for an 8L or so drybag…

I Shall have to give this a go…

Think they’re the 2l (XXS) ones here: http://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-dry-bag-784313

You could get another litre in maybe.

I would look for a 5l container of something, made out of a similar plastic.

Success!

There’s two 900ml treseme bottles in the bathroom, both I would estimate to be ~40% full, reckon I might start washing and conditioning my grade 3 bonce in the posh stuff just to help it along…

Would a 3-4L drybag fit in one perhaps?

Might go and check out those decathlon mounts at weekend. Although not sure how good the straps would be on a fork? Maybe replace the strap with a couple of hose pipe clips and some old inner tube to protect the paint

these work ok on forks etc , used them before buying frame with mounts on forks etc
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-accessories/bike-bottles-cages/elite-water-bottle-cage-strips

3-4l probably wouldn’t “fit” as such, but it’d probably hold it OK.

My local Decathlon didn’t have the mounts in when I tried last year. I ordered some in, then never got round to picking them up. Might get some of the Elite ones from Halfords though.

I used cohesive bandage (AKA cattle wrap, or vet wrap) underneath the mounts. Protects the paint/carbon and is grippy. You can get it in pharmacies.

http://Www.beerbabe.co.uk does a anything cage bag that fits to a fork, sus or rigid without mounts

Am also in the market for either buying or bodging some cages for my forks. All for recycling and repurposing, especially bike-related stuff – but £45 (each?) – must be getting old! That said, the custom frame packs and bar bags are well-priced by comparison. Ingenious. Look to be well-made also. I like the idea that if I get a rip in my luggage I can mend it with puncture repair kit!

thenorthwind, that’s ace. Conditioner cage, whodathunk it?

Furthering the DIY bikepacking discussion – chanced upon this page today:

Bikepacking hacks[/url]

Doesn’t get much simpler than electrical tape: