what bottle cage for underside of down tube on a world tour?

[vegan dog]

Riding a 60cm framer, I find I can use a 1l bottle down low.

I secure the one under the down tube with a toe strap.

In 1l sizes , I've found the lids to be the weak point. They are no more robust than the small sized bottles. If you drop a full one and in lands on the top of the spout, it punches the nozzle clean through destroying it. For this reason, I use one 750 and decant from the others to it, carefully. So, if I was off on a big tour, I'd use a cage that takes more regular hiking bottles. I've got a BBB XL, but you can't seem to source them any more.

I have the BBB XL, but it's just too large on the down tube - Is there room for your BBB XL down there?

Also what is the exact cage you have on the down tube? Is it stainless?

[simonhill]

I never drink directly from the lower bottle, I only unscrew the whole top and decant into another. Never been a problem. If your that bothered, wrap it on a bag first.

As ever, I'd just use your discretion as to what you put on the more exposed area of the bike. If your riding through something sloppy and nasty, I think carefully about any of the bottles. There is probably an argument for keeping other items in frame bags and the bulk of your water in panniers if you're really in the wilds.

I agree.

I use Super C's and they have nice large rear pockets. I can drop a 1.5 or 2x1 litre bottle in one of them. This is my main water carrying place. I normally keep a bidon on my inner triangle which I may or may not drink from. The other inner cage has my tools

Each unto their own.

[iandriver]

Riding a 60cm framer, I find I can use a 1l bottle down low.

I secure the one under the down tube with a toe strap.

In 1l sizes , I've found the lids to be the weak point. They are no more robust than the small sized bottles. If you drop a full one and in lands on the top of the spout, it punches the nozzle clean through destroying it. For this reason, I use one 750 and decant from the others to it, carefully. So, if I was off on a big tour, I'd use a cage that takes more regular hiking bottles. I've got a BBB XL, but you can't seem to source them any more.

I have the BBB XL, but it's just too large on the down tube - Is there room for your BBB XL down there?

Also what is the exact cage you have on the down tube? Is it stainless?

The one under the down tube is just a bog standard cheap alloy bottle cage. Hence the securing toe strap.

The BBB lives on my seat tube, that's the upside to XL frames. Here it has a 1.5 litre decathlon hiking bottle in it, so I've got 3.25 litres in tow here.

Sorry about the Elvis cycling jersey and the pink socks.

[dim]

I use the Nitto bottle cages (my bike is a 52cm though and the bottle size on the underside of the downtube will not fit a litre bottle, as the bottle will foul with my front mudguard)

nice bottle cages though but a bit pricey

I have 2 of these:

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BONIR/nitto-r-bottle-cage



and for the underside of the downtube, I have this one:

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BONITT/nitto-t-bottle-cage

[vegan dog]

for the underside of the downtube, I have this one:

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BONITT/nitto-t-bottle-cage

What bottle do you use with the Nitto? Also what made you go for the Nitto and not the velo orange one? Since they both look identical apart from the price tag!

[dim]

for the underside of the downtube, I have this one:

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BONITT/nitto-t-bottle-cage

What bottle do you use with the Nitto? Also what made you go for the Nitto and not the velo orange one? Since they both look identical apart from the price tag!

I use the new Camelbak insulated Podium bottles (they are grey and my bike is grey so they match) ....

the reason why I bought the Nitto is because my bike is a Miyata 1000 touring bike (44 years old Japanese bike regarded by many as one of the best touring bikes ever made ... it's as rare as hen's teeth and it took me 4 years to find one in my size ... found it in Germany ....

I have tried to buy everything of the best for this bike (HED Belgium Plus rims, Royce rear hub, Son 28 dynamo hub, Honjo mudguards, Supernova dynamo lights etc etc)

I also opted for these as from what I read, they are better quality than the Velo Orange (but saying that I had the velo orange on my Surly LHT (sold now) and I never had any problems .... I used stainless steel bottles ... Klean Kanteen on the Surly )

here is an article about the Nitto bottle cages:
https://www.renehersecycles.com/my-favorite-bottle-cages/

[vegan dog]

I read, they are better quality than the Velo Orange (but saying that I had the velo orange on my Surly LHT (sold now) and I never had any problems .... I used stainless steel bottles ... Klean Kanteen on the Surly )

I have to say I am very tempted to take a punt on the velo orange one. It seems you were happy with it on your Surly?

Aside from quality do you know if the Nitto T Bottle Cage and Velo Orange Type II Retro Cage are of identical dimensions? Or is the Nitto T larger? The design sure does look similar.

Out of interest what size Klean Kanteen did you use with the Velo Orange on your Surly down tube - did you fit 800ml? What do you mange to fit on your new bike, I know you said you can't quite get a litre?

[dim]

I read, they are better quality than the Velo Orange (but saying that I had the velo orange on my Surly LHT (sold now) and I never had any problems .... I used stainless steel bottles ... Klean Kanteen on the Surly )

I have to say I am very tempted to take a punt on the velo orange one. It seems you were happy with it on your Surly?

Aside from quality do you know if the Nitto T Bottle Cage and Velo Orange Type II Retro Cage are of identical dimensions? Or is the Nitto T larger? The design sure does look similar.

Out of interest what size Klean Kanteen did you use with the Velo Orange on your Surly down tube - did you fit 800ml? What do you mange to fit on your new bike, I know you said you can't quite get a litre?

I used the Klean kanteen reflect (the shiny ones) .... 592ml like this:



but I used the sport cap ....



I'm not sure if the dimensions of the velo Orange cages and Nitto are the same

[landsurfer]

Blackburn MTB bottle cage ... bottles don't bounce out.

https://www.blackburndesign.com/p/mount ... ottle-cage

And whatever bottle you buy make sure it has a cover over the drinking teat / nipple ..... energy drink and dog poo / horse poo / cattle poo will ruin your trip ....

[dim]

Heres pics showing the Nitto bottle cages on my bike: (photo is a few weeks old with the old wheelset)





and a newer photo with the new wheelset (no bottles in the cages)

[vegan dog]

Heres pics showing the Nitto bottle cages on my bike:

It looks a really nice bike and I see why you wanted to put the best stuff on it. It looks like the 592ml is the limit on the downtube for your bike? Also your mudguards seem pretty close to the tyre. I initially set my mudgurads up close like yours, however when riding off road, mud would build up making the wheel hard to turn. Therefore I now have a couple of inches between the tyre and the mudguard.

Out of interest what pannier bags are you using on the rear?

[dim]

Heres pics showing the Nitto bottle cages on my bike:

It looks a really nice bike and I see why you wanted to put the best stuff on it. It looks like the 592ml is the limit on the downtube for your bike? Also your mudguards seem pretty close to the tyre. I initially set my mudgurads up close like yours, however when riding off road, mud would build up making the wheel hard to turn. Therefore I now have a couple of inches between the tyre and the mudguard.

Out of interest what pannier bags are you using on the rear?

thanks .... mudguards need readjusting (my LBS will sort it next week) ... I have clearance for 38mm tyres with these mudguards, but I'm happy with 32mm tyres ...

pannier bags are cheap ones for commuting ... they are the Oxford 1 .... I will be getting Tubus front and rear racks and will get Ortlieb pannier bags (front and rear)

I also have the full set of Miss Grape bikepacking bags for when I do Audax rides

I can fit larger bottles in 2 of the cages, but the bottle in the cage on the underside of the down tube is as big as I can fit ... any bigger and it will clash with the mudguard

[Mick F]

You've got the wrong bike.
My 500ml bottle fits easily, could even fit one double the size.

Is that a moulton?

Oh yes!

It's a TSR30, since modified by removing the horrible Tiagra STIs and fitting downtube levers and normal brake levers.
Also, a Sturmey Archer 3sp hub extending the gear range and providing a theoretical 90 ratios.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
On the triple bottle set up pics bove.
The lower bottle looks like one I saw in the pound shop or similar yesterday, you put ice cubes in the top?
What are the other bottles make?
I have no problem slinging bottles underneath I do it all the time, Catch something? I should be dead then
Water is dense so I'd rather Not carry it too high up on the bike.
Might be okay carrying the ofd water bottle in panniers et cetera, But I prefer to keep heavy items on long rides on cages, I find that wear on the pannier bags and the rack tubes too especially off road Is kept to a minimum, as off-road panniers tend to float around a lot, I even use a strong bungee to keep them tied down.

[iandriver]

From the looks of the position of some of those bottle cage mounts, I think fair play to Spa for maximising the space available. Amazing how it differs by bike.