How to choose a bottle cage?

The bottle cage is the essential accessory to fit to your frame! It allows you to grab your bottle with a quick movement and hydrate safely, with your other hand always on the handlebar and your eyes on the road. Refilling your bottle also takes just a few seconds. Some frames accept two or even three bottle cages, for tackling the longest routes. A bottle cage can also serve as a support for accessories, such as a tool kit or a CO2 cartridge.

Bottle cage features

• Bottle cage mounting options: screw mount, straps or zip ties, clamp rings, saddle rail mounting
• Materials: plastic, thermoplastic, resin, polyamide, aluminium, steel and carbon

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BOTTLE CAGES

Bottle cage mounting options

Many bikes come with a bottle cage fitted as standard, or at least with two screws (to attach one to the frame) located on the down tube and sometimes on the seat tube, or even on the top tube (aero bikes for Triathlon, Gravel). This screw-mount system is the most common. It is standardised and very reliable.

Mounting via straps, zip ties or clamp rings is possible if no screw holes are present. Easy to install and allowing you to position the bottle cage wherever you wish, this type of mounting does not however provide as rigid an assembly. The clamp ring system is admittedly solid, but it can slip over time and damage the frame!

Finally, there are models that attach to the handlebar or to the saddle rails, ideal for Triathlon enthusiasts looking for the quickest possible access to their bottle and significant carrying capacity whilst maintaining the aerodynamics of their frame.

Materials

Plastic, thermoplastic, resin and polyamide are widely used in current bottle cages. These lightweight materials allow manufacturers to design varied and sometimes complex shapes, but remain susceptible to breakage.

Aluminium and steel, on the other hand, offer great durability. They are heavier and the shapes are generally simple and more classic.

Finally, carbon features in the lightest models, but shows considerable vulnerability to knocks and impacts. This material offers manufacturers great freedom of design, and they sometimes play on the flexibility of the bottle cage to make inserting and removing the bottle easier.

Which bottle cage should I choose for my riding style?

After checking that your frame can accommodate a bottle cage — whether it is a screw-mount or strap-mount model — choose the bottle cage based on the space available, the use you intend to make of it, and your riding style.

Note that models are available with a centre, left or right pull depending on your taste and preferences. It should also be noted that the compatibility of a bottle cage with a bottle is generally a given, as most bottles have an internal diameter of 74 mm. Screw-mounted bottle cages generally feature a rail that allows you to adjust their exact position on the frame.

Finally, some bottle cage models feature an integrated multi-tool or a pump mounting bracket. In any case, a bottle cage also makes a useful support for attaching accessories such as a inner tube or a CO2 cartridge using small velcro straps, for example.

Competitors in Road or MTB Cross-Country will choose an ultra-lightweight carbon model. If extra weight is not an issue, a more robust model, in aluminium for example, is a good choice.

In more demanding MTB disciplines (Enduro, DH, Freeride), the bottle cage has made a strong comeback to allow riders to ride without a hydration pack on their back. Due to the presence of a rear shock that can take up a lot of space, you will need to choose a sufficiently compact bottle cage, and possibly one with a side opening. Also make sure to match the shape of the bottle cage to the size of the bottle being carried, as retention is especially critical here.