Mounting water bottle cages

[keithkling]

I am sorry if this has already been discussed, I have looked but couldn't find anything on this. I have a new Silvio and am having a ball learning to ride it. I can see the holes for the water bottle cages, but they are not threaded and they are too big to thread for the usual 5mm screws for bottle cages. I can install nutserts (rivnuts), but I would have to drill the hole larger to fit the nutsert. I have seen many posts about water bottles and cages, etc, but no one mentions this problem. Is it just me? I'm probably missing something obvious. :? Can anyone help? Keith

 

[Doug Burton]

Use a 5mm button head cap screw inserted from the seat cushion side of the seat back and retain the cage with a nylock lock nut. The cap screw should be short, no longer than 12 mm, to avoid interference with the water bottle in the cage.

 

[WhiteSilvio]

Doug Burton wrote: Use a 5mm button head cap screw inserted from the seat cushion side of the seat back and retain the cage with a nylock lock nut. The cap screw should be short, no longer than 12 mm, to avoid interference with the water bottle in the cage.

Hi Keith,
There was some discussion about corrosion, and in particular, galvanic corrosion, on an earlier occasion.
This is the thread Seat Pan
This is not my area of expertise and there was talk of the galvanic corrosion set up when aluminium alloy (or aluminum alloy if you prefer) comes in contact with stainless steel (SS).
When I attached my bottle holders I went to some trouble to insulate the stainless screws from the seat pan by making up some plastic washers for under the head of the screws and some plastic packing washers on the cage side. In addition I put a very short length of heat-shrink on the actual bolt thread, under the head where it passed through the seat pan. All this with the idea of preventing corrosion.
Unlike Doug, I used ordinary washers and nuts, all SS, and in order to prevent them from coming off (hopefully), I used some thread Loctite product on the threads.

Peder T and trapdoor2 both seem to have had some experience of this corrosion, and for the reason that I didn't want to find out about this corrosion I took these measures.
You'll have to decide what to do, particularly if you use SS fasteners.

The other thing you may want to do if you need to attach other things to the bike, such as a pump (for example), is check and see if there is room. More room can be created by moving the holes, or in reality drilling a new set offset by the amount required, in whichever direction is necessary. I've "moved" my holes a couple of times because the original holes didn't quite suit the gear I was fitting.

Hope this information may be of some value.
Regards,
John R.

 

[Lief]

Keith,
I also had this problem.
I did two things - one I found a water bottle holder with a flat mounting bracket. The inexpensive ones all seem to have a little bit of a curve to them.
This one, the Specialized Rib Cage Pro Road
http://www.artscyclery.com/viewlarge.html?pcode=SWCRCP&large=BK
Is flat.

Next I had to find a better nut/bolt solution because on the regular inexpensive water bottle holder the bolt was always interfering with my bottle.
So I found these things, not sure what they are called, but they are kinda like self clinchers? They are made out of aluminum and the male part is just a very flat, shallow headed standard screw while the other side looks like a pop rivet but with the female thread hollow all the way through.

Here is a "drawing" of what I am talking about.

The holes in the seat pan aren't big enough to allow the female part through but the cage bracket is and it doesn't matter because the 3/8 inch size doesn't reach to the seat pan from the far side of the cage bracket anyway.
I also glued a small piece of innertube between the cage bracket and the seat pan - just don't like to scratch my bike.

My bike is at my LBS today - I will add pics to this post when I get it back.
Haven't had much of a chance to test it but it looks like it will be rock solid.

Oh yeah, and then the bottles I put into these cages are what I use for my tools for commuting.
I had never heard of Silca before and here is a site where they have a "tool" bottle.
http://www.silcapompe.it/borracce_en.htm

But mine look like this - I think they will work dandy.

 

[Drew]

I use the same male/female aluminum bolt with plastic washers and they work great. They are variously called sex bolts, barrel bolts or chicago screws. Not all cages will accept them so take it to the hardware store when you go.

 

[Lief]

Drew nailed it, thanks for the names.
I took pictures of mine and the only difference I see is that the female piece on mine are hollow.
And like he said, they work great but make sure they fit into your water bottle cage.
The cage I mentioned below (http://www.artscyclery.com/viewlarge.ht ... P&large=BK) is a good candidate.

 

[currystomper]

I just mounted a water bottle cage and tried it out - I thought that it would be very difficult to use - but its is very easy to get to, another well designed feature on the cruzbike! I've tried both sides of the bike and as I find it easier to ride one handed with my right hand, so the bottle is best on the left.

CS

 

[Mark B]

currystomper wrote: I just mounted a water bottle cage and tried it out - I thought that it would be very difficult to use - but its is very easy to get to, another well designed feature on the cruzbike! I've tried both sides of the bike and as I find it easier to ride one handed with my right hand, so the bottle is best on the left.

CS

+1 for me; I find it easier to get the bottle with my left hand, but can get it with either.

Mark

 

[Doc Reyman]

Gentlemen,
What type/style of water bottle cage would you recommend?
I have installed a matched pair of PROFILE DESIGN composite cages.
These cages I had on stock in my garage.

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Kage+Bottle+Cage&vendorCode=PROFILE&major=3&minor=12

They grip like a python! One eventful attempt to get a drink sent me across centerline towards the opposite ditch. Having the bottle in my right hand and a bit panic stricken, I un-clipped the right foot and grabbed a hand full of left brake. Yes, that is the front wheel, so I put my poor Silvio on it's nose and stopped from 10-12 mph in the width of one lane of the road. So, there I was on the edge of the road standing upright on my left foot --still clipped in to the pedal-- and on my right foot. And, Silvio's rear wheel was jacked up behind me about 24 inches off the road! Completely unscathed and utterly embarrassed as the group of cyclists, I had been with, went by saying "You all right?"

Larry

 

[Mark B]

The bottle cages I like are the Specialized rib cage road pro

They are not carbon fiber, but still are extremely light, robust and hold the bottles securely. They are about $15, so a little pricey. I've also used the cheaper aluminum models. They all work fine.

Mark

 

[currystomper]

Er .... my cages where the cheapest black ones I could find!!

They are not in the air flow like a bike cage on a diamond frame - so wieght is probably the priority if cost is not the priority for you!!

CS

 

[Mark B]

currystomper wrote: Er .... my cages where the cheapest black ones I could find!!

They are not in the air flow like a bike cage on a diamond frame - so wieght is probably the priority if cost is not the priority for you!!

CS

:lol: :lol: And I bet they work just the same as mine. Honestly, I bought mine more for looks, than anything. They come in different colors and the ones I picked are black with red highlights. They have held up just fine, hold the bottle really well and I like them.

Mark