Check out the Arundel Looney Bin. They securely fit different size bottles including big insulated stainless ones and even go small enough to hold a 12oz can or bottle of beer. I did have an issue with one of mine getting jammed with a piece of sand one time and I tried to force it and stripped the gears but the company was really cool and replaced it. Since then I clean the mechanism with a little WD40 when I feel it getting a little hard to turn.
Hi Seth. Here is a bottle cage hack for you: I use a cheap aluminum bottle cage and have never lost a bottle. Even after jumps, drops, or crashes. I loop an elastic hair tie around the top of the cage and loop the other end around the nose of the bottle. It takes one extra motion to get the bottle out, but a small price to never lose a bottle. I hope this is useful to you!
I realize that you posted this a year ago, but adding to what others said, I think they do that for a lower center of gravity, when the bottle is filled with water.
Those of us who had to pack our rucks in the Army know how helpful those loop and hook strips can be. Those of us who bought Diamondback have a whole lot of them for free
Well to be honest on m bikes the bottle cages are not upside down, and to be fair, my bottles never fell out other than the fact that once I had a loose bottle cage and it became lose and I lost my that way (not the cage though funny enough). I'm sure you can drop it from more than twenty times the height of the bottles weren't upside down and they wouldn't fall out of most cages if not all. bottles don't fly out vertically out of the cage. These cages had the opening downwards. No wonder they fall out!
I really don’t understand why he didn’t put the bottles on the 2x4 at an angle just like it would be on a bike frame (but still a really good video and very entertaining)
Pretty sure this test was designed as a worst case scenario, which, unfortunately, doesn't really help us understand how the cages will perform under average conditions.
A lot of those cages would have done far better on the bike simply because the upward slant and many on them would have done entirely better mounted on the inside of the frame. However I do appreciate the attempt at a fair test.
One big issue is that no bike will position the bottle upside-down and vertical. Even on your less popular bike design the bottle is locate about 40 degree up. In any condition you'll land from a drop wile your bottle is horizontal, you'll go OTB. Personally tested the Syncros cage in multi locations double diamond courses, and never lost a bottle. Nice video :)
Very true. It’s a fun video, but literally useless as science. What he should have done is mount it at an angle like a normal bike, and drop it from a range of heights that we’re exactly the same each time, with the same amount of water in the bottle each time.
Engineer student here. I loved your test. It seemed to be very repeatable and giving consistent amounts of force to the bottles. That being said bottle cages aren’t designed to face forces in that way, perpendicular to their mounting points, which is why you found that most bottles slipped their cages at 16 inches. If you do a more vertical test ie replicating the angle of a down tube and perform the test again you may get different results. I really enjoy your videos and I greatly appreciate the amount of effort you went to to make this test and all of your videos
Hi Seth, I have a zee cage on my Full sus and a Top Peak Ninja on my hardtail. I've never lost a bottle on the zee but have dropped a bottle off the ninja before. So basically I agree with your results and recommend zee from experience! Good video mate.
I've had the specialized Z cage for like four years now and I've never dropped a bottle (I don't use a strap on it either). I had full water bottles in it and took it on three trips to Moab, two trips to Crested Butte, Sedona, and like a 30 other smaller MTB trips around Colorado. Great vid as always!
The force from the tests is pushing the bottle out of the opening at the top of the cage. On lots of peoples bikes where the bottle cage is one the other side of the down tube to yours, the force is being pushed down to the bottom of the cage.
The problem I've had is particularly with bottled water (like if i forget a bottle and stop in a convenience store for a cheapo 500ml), bottles will start falling out sideways of bottle cages. Especially if the bottom of the cage is just a straight stubby post. Lots of cages have trouble balancing north South stability with east West stability thoughout the whole cage.
I believe a cage I've purchased was identical to the second one you've tested. It's dropped several bottles of water but I've come to find that it holds Gatorade bottles amazingly well. I will designate it solely for those bottles.
I always like your videos, they are entertaining. In 25+ years of riding, road, gravel and mountain biking I’ve lost zero bottles. Even after a couple of crashes. Keep making the videos, they are neat.
I love your videos. I also use the 1up EDC Tool. My PSA so you don't face palm: 1. When it is bottle cage mounted, frequently check during rowdy rides that the top of the teardrop shape of the inner tool faces away from your frame. Likewise, as you smash the trail the pump handle can surpass the o-ring's friction seal and allow for a more leveraged 'whaping' on your frame which can lead to undesirable scuffing of your paint and even carbon. 2. If you store a Powerlock link inside the tool, place a piece of tape or apply some grease to them so they stay put. I've stopped to help a buddy tighten a bolt only to later find that I had lost one half of a Powerlock. 3. Seemingly obvious but, after you use the pump, carefully place the male end of the rubber cap back into the female rubber valve nozzle. If it has grit on it from your shred, and you jam it in there willy-nilly, your could create a wizard sleeve scenario that degrades the function of the end cap's ability to seal air while pumping or using CO2. Sorry if there is too much info or if these comments were already made. Come shred in Ft. Collins!
I can confirm the specialized ones are 100% the best, not only will you never loose a bottle. they load to the side so its perfect for mountain bikes with our rear shocks. there is no reason to own any other type ever again, I would bet my life on that.
Then the main force is much lower, and you need a much bigger drop to have issues. Because the forces yanking it out act when the bike rebounds, not when it hits. Or ride 90 degree drops like Phil.
It’ll still pop out. In my experience at least. I have that very basic aluminum bottle cage design before and hopped a fairly low speed bump, bike didn’t even reached a foot high, but the bottle went ballistic. Though I reckon a good quality cage won’t be as bad.
Less so though, the designs are made to resist force in a specific direction. This test works if your bottle cage is mounted underneath, but the forces when you land go the opposite direction to the grasping mechanism
I feel like this review is a bit subject to where you mount your bottle. Seth's mounting point is under his down tube, whereas if you mounted it on top of the down tube I believe most of these would be a viable option only because instead of all the impact force being diverted onto the weakest part of the cage it would be diverted towards where the cage is mounted. Source: I mount my z cage on top of my down tube and it works phenomenally well.
Seth - could you consider improving the test by adding a simulated inboard mounting point on a 40° angled beam standing on top of your setup pointing forward _/
That was my take on it. You found a benchmark, and you tested against it. Regardless, that is how YOU have to mount your bottle, so you identified the one that works the best for your configuration...period. It also stands to reason that you found the one that will hold it the best in ANY condition, because you tested in the most vulnerable position. I thought you nailed the test...pretty brilliant. At a roughly 45 degree angle, on the TOP of the downtube, I can run the standard alloy mount with a koozie around the water bottle, and I've done the 12 foot drop here on Drop the Hammer in NWA, and it stayed fine. Same for high speed smeeeeasshing through rock gardens. Now...take the koozie off, and I'm not sure....because it's always on there. :-)
Excellent job, Seth. The new lav mic and tiny differences in editing gave this video a super polished and professional feel that I loved. Keep up the good work, and I can't wait to see you on the bike again!
Ditching the back pack has been a game changer. This is a fun test..Just got a bike with the bottle mount underneath the top tube, so I need the sturdiest cage I can find. This helps
It sounded like without (strap) modifications, the crappy aluminum cage actually did comparatively well? I really appreciate you doing some science on this.
Been riding without a pack for more than a year now, can't beat the free feeling you get and the dry back and shirt make it well worth it. I use a frame pack for tools and a top tube pack for nutrition, the B-RAD Double Barrel Bottle cage adapter holds two Lezyne Power Bottle Cages and I haven't had a bottle fall off since switching to these.
I have two fabric bottles and they also didnt fail me yet. You could also take a look at fidlock bottles. They attach with magnet and should be much easier do get in and out of the mount.
This video is like those « science test » video that you can see sometimes on TV, but way better because of MTB related. Amazing content once again !!!
Your test was not very accurate because the bottle holders are designed to be held at an angle facing up like they are on your bike. Your testing thing is a good idea just needs to be tweaked a bit. Great video BTW
@@masonmtb7 The issue with this test is that no bottle cage will ever be in these circumstances. They are designed to be facing upright so putting them completely horizantal is not an accurate test of their bottle holding abilities.
Mason 360: Worst direction, true. But not the most likely. Like on a tank - the thickest armor is in the front, not the top, because that’s the most likely point of impact for an incoming round. Most bottle cages are designed such the the direction of the applied external force is mostly vertical; As if your cages were mounted vertically behind the seat. This test is pointless - unless you mount your bottles horizontally under the top tube.
Physics time! The equation you are looking for is angular speed - 2 * pi * frequency. And angular speed - velocity * radius. Calculate frequency by working out how many degrees of a circle it would go through in 1 second. Or find the time period (the time for one full revolution) and divide one by time period. Remember we are working in radians!!
Great reviews! I use the ARUNDEL LOONEY CAGE. It is adjustable , for smaller and larger bottles . Its ratcheting adjuster has always kept my bottle in place .
I've got a Specialized E-Cage 6.0 with a 750ml water bottle. It's pretty much the design you showed first in your video. I do enduro (Hardtail) and bikepark with it. Never lost a bottle and I have never had to bend it to make the bottle hold. 8$ well spent.
Hey seth! Love your videos... for this video as far as I know from experience your test is inaccurate as the cages are horizontal when they should be in an inclined position. I feel as though most of the cages that failed were designed to be installed in an inclined position as opposed to a horizontal position. Such small details make significant differences in terms of force
a small bit of a rebuttal it may actually be more accurate in a horizontal position as most people tend to lose bottles while descending, which would put the bottles in a more horizontal position which manufacturers making mtb specific bottle cages should take into account. But one thing that did annoy me is he went by large increments of 2 inches to a foot while it would have been more accurate doing it one unit at a time be it 1 inch or 1 cm but the bottle smasher itself is a good test for impact force, but I do agree that the test is wildly inaccurate but for other reasons.
There is much simple solution - bicycle jersey! 3 pockets where you can carry so many things. It does not affect sweat distribution or aerodynamics and when you get used to it, you won't even notice the carries in there. My typical setup: phone + id, mini pump, and a multi-fool, bottle of Vine 0.7L.
I'm currently using a Fidlock bottle "cage" and it works great off anything I could throw at it including drops hard enough to bottom out my fork and shock. I was using a Fabric "cage" before that and it did really well too. The Fabric might be slightly more secure but the Fidlock has yet to lose a bottle either way and is super cool.
The key is the fit of the bottle. I had a bottle cage with a little piece of plastic that stuck out at the top of the cage, it fit perfectly into a recess in the bottle. It fit like a dream until I lost the bottle at the gym.
Seth's Bike Hacks hey seth I think that it would be better if you mount the cage with a kind of angle to simulate with the most accuracy the angle of the frame mount. Btw great video, cheers from Italy
1: Why did he make it so big when the test spot is so small? 2: this was so helpful because I have a bike of my own! Thank you Seth and your the best bike youtuber EVER!
I'm gonna channel my old service manager, and scold you thusly: Never put a tap in a drill! Tap threads by hand. Forward a half turn, then backward a quarter turn to break the chips, and with plenty of cutting fluid.
In his defense, it is Seth's Bike Hacks, and not the likes of machinists like Abom79, AvE or This Old Tony Also, a hand drill is at the very least better than absolutely nothing as long as you get your predrill hole size right, your workpiece is mounted solid and your grip on the drill stays stable and precise, but yes, a good tap wrench is miles better.
the idea of the zee cage is that its a "side-loader" so smaller frames and some women's bikes with limited space in the frame can hold a bottle and make it easy to pull out, rather than have it stuck at the top... but looks like it works well with the strap on there to hold the bottle in tight. sweet vid seth
Great test. Appreciate your dedication to help bikers find their way through setting their bike up the best way. Good use of time especially as you were injured. I will use this info to help chose my cage
Hey man, I've been wanting to get into mountain biking and I've been watching your vids. They're helpful, instructional, and entertaining haha 👍 I have a question though... I recently saw a 20" mountain bike with front and back suspension and 7 speeds at a shop. Now, it IS marketed as a child's bike, but the fact that some people do ride 20" bmx bikes regularly makes me wonder if that bike would be suitable for an adult as well. I'm a pretty short guy (5'5"), and was wondering if that 20" instead of a 26" would lend me more manuverability and and control. It just seems like it would be a cool lil bike to have. I appreciate any insight, thanks! -Martin
I know this video is a little older, but would be great to have an updated video that includes the Fidlock water bottle to see how it survives. Great Video
I've got 2 of the Specialized Zees on my road bike for distance rides. I can vouch that they hold a bottle super tight. Granted it's on the road, but I've never lost a bottle even on dirt road washboards, brick streets, and such where the bike is ping-ponging so much I can't sit down for a bit. I might have to do the same for my mountain bike with one of those straps. That's a good idea!
Most bikes have the cage mount above the bottom tube so some of the cages were designed for that, not saying anything that this was a bad test and in fact it still shows how they compare and I’m glad to see this
Voile Straps! They are a bike hackers best friend. Perfect stretchy grippy rubber and a super quick release. I bet a 9" one around the bottle and downtube would keep a bottle combined with any of those cages.
bad boy. BAD! BOY. but its a good non-sponsored test bed video, much needed for many of us who can't chew through the variations of physical effects of all that groggy funky shapes of cages
there's an important element I thought you would consider, you were testing the bottles empty, I think the tests would be more accurate and realistic with full bottles. cheers!
Hey Seth, you could test again, but using different configurations in the position of the bottle cage in the frame. This could be interesting, based that not all riders use the configuration you have.
I found a company called koala bottle which uses a magnet in the cage and a ring around the bottle neck to secure it. It comes in a 21 or 24oz bottle setup and is around $25. Other than the fact it doesn't have mounting for a pump or other tools (yet), it is the strongest cage I have ever found. I don't even pull my bottle on road trips anymore. Thanks for the vid! Love the production value you put in all of em! And come ride buffalo Creek outside Denver next time thru the rockies!
The point of the test was to be as brutal as possible, not to simulate ideal conditions. Mountain bike trails are rough.
I liked the different camera angles, Keep up the good work!
Seth's Bike Hacks tacx deva works well for me
too bad you didnt test the fidlock waterbottle system, but all in all its a interesting test, nice work on the bottle smeeeeeasher seth
Man! I gave up on water bottle holders a long time ago. I knw what water bottle holder I'll be relying on now .Thanks Seth!
Check out the Arundel Looney Bin. They securely fit different size bottles including big insulated stainless ones and even go small enough to hold a 12oz can or bottle of beer. I did have an issue with one of mine getting jammed with a piece of sand one time and I tried to force it and stripped the gears but the company was really cool and replaced it. Since then I clean the mechanism with a little WD40 when I feel it getting a little hard to turn.
I glued my bottle in my cage, now when I needa drink i just stop turn my bike up side down over my head = problem solved.👍🚲👍.
that is often too unreliable for me so I weld a metal bottle on mine
I run tubeless so I can store my water there.
I just drink the brake fluid.
Dudes! 😂😂😁😁👍🏻 lol
P Sabby the best😂
How to make a Seth's Hacks video:
1) Wait for wife to go to work
2) Do big jumps with bad wrist
3) Profit!
So true
Or husband
Yeah
Lol
Hes married?
Hi Seth. Here is a bottle cage hack for you: I use a cheap aluminum bottle cage and have never lost a bottle. Even after jumps, drops, or crashes. I loop an elastic hair tie around the top of the cage and loop the other end around the nose of the bottle. It takes one extra motion to get the bottle out, but a small price to never lose a bottle. I hope this is useful to you!
...the next week
Orthopedic: "yeah have you been riding"
Seth:"uh..no"
Orthopedic: " yea, we're gonna have to amputate."
Yeah😂
Ha haha 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Seth: how do you know
Orthopedic: it is on youtube
Seth:😐
@@Niksuttelia Seth: "Would you believe me if I said I used a stunt double?"
Who thought that the bottle was going to land on the cap on 3:46?
Me
Me
Me
Me
Yep
I don`t understand why some bikebrands put the bottle Cage under the down tube....you get all the mud, dust and dogpoop from the front wheel
Because of rear suspension.
Because some rear suspension takes up the space where a bottle cage could have gone.
I realize that you posted this a year ago, but adding to what others said, I think they do that for a lower center of gravity, when the bottle is filled with water.
You can get a different kind of bottle, or just water storage to avoid having to suck the exact point where the poop goes.
You can buy a water bottle that is covered against mud and other things.
Seth: never ride while injured
Also Seth: let’s send this northshore drop
There is now a specialized zee with a integrated Multi tool!
Thanks for the info!
HAHA YAYYYYYY
Those of us who had to pack our rucks in the Army know how helpful those loop and hook strips can be. Those of us who bought Diamondback have a whole lot of them for free
They come in handy!
Jarrod V Thank you for your service, my dude.
Thx for your service
Well to be fair tho some people don’t have theirs upside down
Dat BO4 Noob everybody
Yea I’m sure there designed not to be upside down
Well to be honest on m bikes the bottle cages are not upside down, and to be fair, my bottles never fell out other than the fact that once I had a loose bottle cage and it became lose and I lost my that way (not the cage though funny enough). I'm sure you can drop it from more than twenty times the height of the bottles weren't upside down and they wouldn't fall out of most cages if not all. bottles don't fly out vertically out of the cage. These cages had the opening downwards. No wonder they fall out!
Yea this test is restarted. It does not simulate normal impact direction and force on a cage.
Lot of bike have it On the underside
I really don’t understand why he didn’t put the bottles on the 2x4 at an angle just like it would be on a bike frame (but still a really good video and very entertaining)
Because then none of the bottle cages would fail lol
Because this is harsher... also, on a sloped landing, this will be the right angle.
Pretty sure this test was designed as a worst case scenario, which, unfortunately, doesn't really help us understand how the cages will perform under average conditions.
Exactly, I was saying the same thing..water bottle sit more on a vertical angle on the bike..
A lot of those cages would have done far better on the bike simply because the upward slant and many on them would have done entirely better mounted on the inside of the frame. However I do appreciate the attempt at a fair test.
True that they will perform better on the bike, but my bike tends to end up in many directions!
Seth's Bike Hacks, lmao to the many directions 😂 it would suck to lose the bottle after eating it hard
It wasn't a attempt at a fair test. It was a fair test. Not an ideal test for the cages perhaps, but a fair test for all involved.
One big issue is that no bike will position the bottle upside-down and vertical. Even on your less popular bike design the bottle is locate about 40 degree up. In any condition you'll land from a drop wile your bottle is horizontal, you'll go OTB. Personally tested the Syncros cage in multi locations double diamond courses, and never lost a bottle. Nice video :)
Very true. It’s a fun video, but literally useless as science. What he should have done is mount it at an angle like a normal bike, and drop it from a range of heights that we’re exactly the same each time, with the same amount of water in the bottle each time.
The best bottlecage involves some duct tape and a lack of dignity
This is so absolutely true
Yup
@@SethsBikeHacks do you think that I can use electrical tape instead of Velcro straps?
Engineer student here. I loved your test. It seemed to be very repeatable and giving consistent amounts of force to the bottles. That being said bottle cages aren’t designed to face forces in that way, perpendicular to their mounting points, which is why you found that most bottles slipped their cages at 16 inches. If you do a more vertical test ie replicating the angle of a down tube and perform the test again you may get different results. I really enjoy your videos and I greatly appreciate the amount of effort you went to to make this test and all of your videos
Hi Seth,
I have a zee cage on my Full sus and a Top Peak Ninja on my hardtail. I've never lost a bottle on the zee but have dropped a bottle off the ninja before. So basically I agree with your results and recommend zee from experience! Good video mate.
I lost my zee cage with bottle in it
BAC (basic alum cage) for about $0.99 plus your own velcro strap, say another $0.99 and I am good to go. Great video Seth.
Haha, I was sitting here at work watching the vid and my co-worker asked what you were making.. it took a few minutes to explain 😂
haha, I wish I could have heard that explanation
"He's doing a science research"
Seth, your video is totally science! You tested your products consistently and used empirical evidence to make your decisions! Well done, sir!
Pretty great test, but I want to know if you've explored that dungeon across the street?
You could use that big ramp up against that drop in front of the dungeon and it would be cool.
That would creep me out having that right in front of my house
Same
When an F-5 tornado is a few blocks away and headed your way, you'll be luvin the dungeon.
Fletchy Dog he lives in NC. not Kansas
I've had the specialized Z cage for like four years now and I've never dropped a bottle (I don't use a strap on it either). I had full water bottles in it and took it on three trips to Moab, two trips to Crested Butte, Sedona, and like a 30 other smaller MTB trips around Colorado. Great vid as always!
I have a few other bottles that doesn’t use a cage, fidlock and fabric cageless. Worth checking out!
I don’t know why but I really liked the style of start of the video, where you speak directly to us
The force from the tests is pushing the bottle out of the opening at the top of the cage. On lots of peoples bikes where the bottle cage is one the other side of the down tube to yours, the force is being pushed down to the bottom of the cage.
Yes, agreed. How many people store water bottles in the orientation you tested? On my MTB the 2 cages are NOT on the top tube.
The problem I've had is particularly with bottled water (like if i forget a bottle and stop in a convenience store for a cheapo 500ml), bottles will start falling out sideways of bottle cages. Especially if the bottom of the cage is just a straight stubby post. Lots of cages have trouble balancing north South stability with east West stability thoughout the whole cage.
I believe a cage I've purchased was identical to the second one you've tested. It's dropped several bottles of water but I've come to find that it holds Gatorade bottles amazingly well. I will designate it solely for those bottles.
Seth is just basically finding a perfect reason to ride his mtb. What a legend.
I always like your videos, they are entertaining. In 25+ years of riding, road, gravel and mountain biking I’ve lost zero bottles. Even after a couple of crashes.
Keep making the videos, they are neat.
Hands down probably my favorite RUclips channel. Keep it up and come ride spider mountain again
Nice comparison! Pretty impressive rig you crafted to test the two, that drop at the end looked fun!
isnt the waterbottle cage to be the other way around?
RIP MisterBassBoost you are right
It Should be but doe to wher its mounted on his bike that would be the perfect test for him
No, some bikes have a water bottle on the bottom of the down tube.
nicktonka but most normal bikes have it the way i told
a full suspension bike doesnt have the space where its usually located
I love your videos. I also use the 1up EDC Tool. My PSA so you don't face palm: 1. When it is bottle cage mounted, frequently check during rowdy rides that the top of the teardrop shape of the inner tool faces away from your frame. Likewise, as you smash the trail the pump handle can surpass the o-ring's friction seal and allow for a more leveraged 'whaping' on your frame which can lead to undesirable scuffing of your paint and even carbon. 2. If you store a Powerlock link inside the tool, place a piece of tape or apply some grease to them so they stay put. I've stopped to help a buddy tighten a bolt only to later find that I had lost one half of a Powerlock. 3. Seemingly obvious but, after you use the pump, carefully place the male end of the rubber cap back into the female rubber valve nozzle. If it has grit on it from your shred, and you jam it in there willy-nilly, your could create a wizard sleeve scenario that degrades the function of the end cap's ability to seal air while pumping or using CO2. Sorry if there is too much info or if these comments were already made. Come shred in Ft. Collins!
I have that specialized bottle cage! It came with my bike
I can confirm the specialized ones are 100% the best, not only will you never loose a bottle. they load to the side so its perfect for mountain bikes with our rear shocks. there is no reason to own any other type ever again, I would bet my life on that.
What if you have a bottle cage that fits facing upwards? That's how mine is
makes no difference. It’ll still pop out if you hit a huge jump or huck.
Then the main force is much lower, and you need a much bigger drop to have issues. Because the forces yanking it out act when the bike rebounds, not when it hits. Or ride 90 degree drops like Phil.
It’ll still pop out. In my experience at least. I have that very basic aluminum bottle cage design before and hopped a fairly low speed bump, bike didn’t even reached a foot high, but the bottle went ballistic. Though I reckon a good quality cage won’t be as bad.
Less so though, the designs are made to resist force in a specific direction. This test works if your bottle cage is mounted underneath, but the forces when you land go the opposite direction to the grasping mechanism
I have the standard metal one facing upwards. And it never fall off.
I'm so hyped you reviewed the zee cage. I have it in 2 or my 4 bikes w. The specialized rib cage in my road bikes. Love the price point too
I feel like this review is a bit subject to where you mount your bottle. Seth's mounting point is under his down tube, whereas if you mounted it on top of the down tube I believe most of these would be a viable option only because instead of all the impact force being diverted onto the weakest part of the cage it would be diverted towards where the cage is mounted. Source: I mount my z cage on top of my down tube and it works phenomenally well.
true that an inboard mounting point works better, but we still found the best cage, didn’t we?
Seth's Bike Hacks yes, we did.
Seth - could you consider improving the test by adding a simulated inboard mounting point on a 40° angled beam standing on top of your setup pointing forward _/
That was my take on it. You found a benchmark, and you tested against it. Regardless, that is how YOU have to mount your bottle, so you identified the one that works the best for your configuration...period. It also stands to reason that you found the one that will hold it the best in ANY condition, because you tested in the most vulnerable position. I thought you nailed the test...pretty brilliant.
At a roughly 45 degree angle, on the TOP of the downtube, I can run the standard alloy mount with a koozie around the water bottle, and I've done the 12 foot drop here on Drop the Hammer in NWA, and it stayed fine. Same for high speed smeeeeasshing through rock gardens. Now...take the koozie off, and I'm not sure....because it's always on there. :-)
Excellent job, Seth. The new lav mic and tiny differences in editing gave this video a super polished and professional feel that I loved. Keep up the good work, and I can't wait to see you on the bike again!
i freaking lost a bottle after watching this -_-
*facepalm*
Ditching the back pack has been a game changer. This is a fun test..Just got a bike with the bottle mount underneath the top tube, so I need the sturdiest cage I can find. This helps
It sounded like without (strap) modifications, the crappy aluminum cage actually did comparatively well?
I really appreciate you doing some science on this.
It's awesome how much work/thought you put into your videos. Just far beyond what most other folks are doing. Keep it up!
Seth could u please do the fabric cage less water bottle
Been riding without a pack for more than a year now, can't beat the free feeling you get and the dry back and shirt make it well worth it. I use a frame pack for tools and a top tube pack for nutrition, the B-RAD Double Barrel Bottle cage adapter holds two Lezyne Power Bottle Cages and I haven't had a bottle fall off since switching to these.
how about trying the fabric water bottle? it has a pretty interesting design and mine hasn't failed on me yet
I ordered one of these after someone told me on Instagram. It has terrible ratings, but I’ll be the judge! It’s going in the smasher.
Does not work well here on the North Shore!
I have two fabric bottles and they also didnt fail me yet. You could also take a look at fidlock bottles. They attach with magnet and should be much easier do get in and out of the mount.
Seth's Bike Hacks Make sure to tighten the bolts properly, that way the bottle is locked in better.
I have one if you find the bottle falls out just tighten the screws in the frame a little more...hasn't failed on me since!
This video is like those « science test » video that you can see sometimes on TV, but way better because of MTB related. Amazing content once again !!!
Your test was not very accurate because the bottle holders are designed to be held at an angle facing up like they are on your bike. Your testing thing is a good idea just needs to be tweaked a bit. Great video BTW
Read the pinned comment
Not if you have a full suspension mountain bike, then it is on the down tube
lordoforeos i think he means the down tube is pointed up not completely horizontal
@@masonmtb7 The issue with this test is that no bottle cage will ever be in these circumstances. They are designed to be facing upright so putting them completely horizantal is not an accurate test of their bottle holding abilities.
Mason 360: Worst direction, true. But not the most likely. Like on a tank - the thickest armor is in the front, not the top, because that’s the most likely point of impact for an incoming round.
Most bottle cages are designed such the the direction of the applied external force is mostly vertical; As if your cages were mounted vertically behind the seat.
This test is pointless - unless you mount your bottles horizontally under the top tube.
Most useful review I've seen all year haha! I'll get you a present for this Seth...
lol
Physics time! The equation you are looking for is angular speed - 2 * pi * frequency. And angular speed - velocity * radius. Calculate frequency by working out how many degrees of a circle it would go through in 1 second. Or find the time period (the time for one full revolution) and divide one by time period. Remember we are working in radians!!
Can you please repeat that in normal language? XD
Great reviews! I use the ARUNDEL LOONEY CAGE. It is adjustable , for smaller and larger bottles . Its ratcheting adjuster has always kept my bottle in place .
1:39 Seth looks as if he’s doing a presentation at school
The zee is also great for sideloading bottles into small FS frames. Nice to see it win your test after I had just bought one for my bike last weekend!
Should the title not be "which bottle cage will survive the bottle smeasher"?
Add Some !!!!! And a few ????
That well work 😸
I have some news for you... IT CHANGED
JK
I've got a Specialized E-Cage 6.0 with a 750ml water bottle. It's pretty much the design you showed first in your video. I do enduro (Hardtail) and bikepark with it. Never lost a bottle and I have never had to bend it to make the bottle hold. 8$ well spent.
Hey seth! Love your videos... for this video as far as I know from experience your test is inaccurate as the cages are horizontal when they should be in an inclined position. I feel as though most of the cages that failed were designed to be installed in an inclined position as opposed to a horizontal position. Such small details make significant differences in terms of force
a small bit of a rebuttal it may actually be more accurate in a horizontal position as most people tend to lose bottles while descending, which would put the bottles in a more horizontal position which manufacturers making mtb specific bottle cages should take into account. But one thing that did annoy me is he went by large increments of 2 inches to a foot while it would have been more accurate doing it one unit at a time be it 1 inch or 1 cm but the bottle smasher itself is a good test for impact force, but I do agree that the test is wildly inaccurate but for other reasons.
There is much simple solution - bicycle jersey! 3 pockets where you can carry so many things. It does not affect sweat distribution or aerodynamics and when you get used to it, you won't even notice the carries in there. My typical setup: phone + id, mini pump, and a multi-fool, bottle of Vine 0.7L.
You are a smart fellow, I would have done something much dumber. Great vids
I'm currently using a Fidlock bottle "cage" and it works great off anything I could throw at it including drops hard enough to bottom out my fork and shock. I was using a Fabric "cage" before that and it did really well too. The Fabric might be slightly more secure but the Fidlock has yet to lose a bottle either way and is super cool.
Say what you want, I'm on the high school mountain bike team and we ride 3-4 times a week, and I have never lost a bottle on my cheap aluminum holders
The key is the fit of the bottle. I had a bottle cage with a little piece of plastic that stuck out at the top of the cage, it fit perfectly into a recess in the bottle. It fit like a dream until I lost the bottle at the gym.
"Like a bomb from an airplane" :D Damn that one was perfect!
I don't know why but I like yours voiceovers but all your videos are so freaking amazing good
Seth: One drop and thats it
Also Seth: **does second drop**
Its been a few years since I've road. Getting a bike this weekend. Probably Marlin 4. Your channel has me excited.
I don’t want to be rude but won’t the water bottle be on the other side and by the way you are the best
Good question! Regardless of where your bottle is mounted, it falls off when it takes an impact in the “wrong” direction. This machine tests for that.
Mohammed Islam at the end he shown one test the other way round
Oh sorry thanks for the replie
What about keeping a waterbottle clean from mud and dirt? I would love to see some hacks for that.
Seth's Bike Hacks hey seth I think that it would be better if you mount the cage with a kind of angle to simulate with the most accuracy the angle of the frame mount. Btw great video, cheers from Italy
Good review Seth. Very creative. Fwiw, I've been a huge fan of Zee cages for several years. Never lost a bottle on one.
Awesome...I bet the Iron Maiden will hold a bottle...water...not so much. Seth, you are king of medieval torture devices for bikes.
1: Why did he make it so big when the test spot is so small?
2: this was so helpful because I have a bike of my own!
Thank you Seth and your the best bike youtuber EVER!
I'm gonna channel my old service manager, and scold you thusly: Never put a tap in a drill! Tap threads by hand. Forward a half turn, then backward a quarter turn to break the chips, and with plenty of cutting fluid.
I should have included it going in... forward reverse and oil indeed, but screw it, I used a drill. This is Seth’s Bike Hacks after all.
hey on a plate so thin drill all the way
lets be honest most threads are done by machine not by hand, the scale of things with threads is far too large to do things by hand
In his defense, it is Seth's Bike Hacks, and not the likes of machinists like Abom79, AvE or This Old Tony
Also, a hand drill is at the very least better than absolutely nothing as long as you get your predrill hole size right, your workpiece is mounted solid and your grip on the drill stays stable and precise, but yes, a good tap wrench is miles better.
the idea of the zee cage is that its a "side-loader" so smaller frames and some women's bikes with limited space in the frame can hold a bottle and make it easy to pull out, rather than have it stuck at the top... but looks like it works well with the strap on there to hold the bottle in tight. sweet vid seth
Should have called it bottle smeash test
Great test. Appreciate your dedication to help bikers find their way through setting their bike up the best way. Good use of time especially as you were injured. I will use this info to help chose my cage
I don't think any of these are actually designed for mounting on the bottom of the down tube.
Wtf
"Somewhat irresponsible" he says. Lol. Speedy recoveries, Seth. Will be glad to see you back on the trails in full speed. Great vid too.
Hey man, I've been wanting to get into mountain biking and I've been watching your vids. They're helpful, instructional, and entertaining haha 👍
I have a question though... I recently saw a 20" mountain bike with front and back suspension and 7 speeds at a shop. Now, it IS marketed as a child's bike, but the fact that some people do ride 20" bmx bikes regularly makes me wonder if that bike would be suitable for an adult as well. I'm a pretty short guy (5'5"), and was wondering if that 20" instead of a 26" would lend me more manuverability and and control. It just seems like it would be a cool lil bike to have. I appreciate any insight, thanks!
-Martin
Get a 24
I use the specialized z and it works perfect the bottle never comes out when I’m riding but its super easy to take it out when I want it
this video should be call *"seth does science*
I know this video is a little older, but would be great to have an updated video that includes the Fidlock water bottle to see how it survives. Great Video
How to make tool box for bike can make a video
I've got 2 of the Specialized Zees on my road bike for distance rides. I can vouch that they hold a bottle super tight. Granted it's on the road, but I've never lost a bottle even on dirt road washboards, brick streets, and such where the bike is ping-ponging so much I can't sit down for a bit. I might have to do the same for my mountain bike with one of those straps. That's a good idea!
8:22 if he kills himself SMH
Most bikes have the cage mount above the bottom tube so some of the cages were designed for that, not saying anything that this was a bad test and in fact it still shows how they compare and I’m glad to see this
Missed opportunity to name this video "Bottle cage SMEASH test" 😂
Voile Straps! They are a bike hackers best friend. Perfect stretchy grippy rubber and a super quick release. I bet a 9" one around the bottle and downtube would keep a bottle combined with any of those cages.
Seth: “I’m only going to do the drop once”
Does it more than once 😑
Wow! I was worried about that jump, glad you make it 😱
Stupid test the cages arent at the correct angle so whats the point
Make betten then
Well if it holds up to that test you know it's going to survive on a bike as it's harder to fall out at the bike's angle.
bad boy. BAD! BOY.
but its a good non-sponsored test bed video, much needed for many of us who can't chew through the variations of physical effects of all that groggy funky shapes of cages
What about the cageless fabric bottle mount?
Fabric mount is THE best.
i recently bought a Scott aspect hard tail and i was going to buy a water bottle holder and this video helped to pick one thank you
What's the deal with that dark passage right across from your house?
best bottle cage test video ever, congrats from brazil =)
5 views and 39 likes..I am on weird side of RUclips !!
Love your positivity Seth!
there's an important element I thought you would consider, you were testing the bottles empty, I think the tests would be more accurate and realistic with full bottles. cheers!
Hey Seth, you could test again, but using different configurations in the position of the bottle cage in the frame. This could be interesting, based that not all riders use the configuration you have.
wow This video was super helpful because I’ve been looking for a cage for my bike because other other one has lost around 3-4 bottles
There is the specialized zee II with multitool storage under the bottle cage. It's called Specialized Zee II multitool.
Seth mate, love the close up shots with the use of the GoPro KEEP IT UP !!!
I found a company called koala bottle which uses a magnet in the cage and a ring around the bottle neck to secure it. It comes in a 21 or 24oz bottle setup and is around $25. Other than the fact it doesn't have mounting for a pump or other tools (yet), it is the strongest cage I have ever found. I don't even pull my bottle on road trips anymore. Thanks for the vid! Love the production value you put in all of em! And come ride buffalo Creek outside Denver next time thru the rockies!