I love your channel I am new to it. I just bought my first cheap mountain bike after a twenty year hiatus. I am older 59. I worked at a bike shop in Laguna Beach California in the 80’s so all we did was steep downhill riding on really scary stuff but now forget that. I live in North Dakota now so not a lot of hills lol. I had a suggestion that you might already know is to add vanilla extract into your brand new water bottle before you use it. Obviously rinse it out after 24 hours and no more bad plastic taste. Let me know if you already use something like this. Like I said just starting up again and am new to your great channel very helpful.
As for hose clamps...heat shrink over them works super super good! Cut to length and shrink, leave enough for it to thread down onto itself and you're set.
I swear, I will have an idea or a curiosity, waste a day or two trying to Google my way out only to find there's already a video on the matter from this channel. Keep it up.
Yes, I had a chuckle at the at unconcious(?) pun at the sign off there "only just scratched the surface here". I guess it's better than having deformed the tube.
A great option are the Topeak Alt-Position Cage Mounts, clamped down with hose clamps, with some old inner tube inbetween. They can remain permanently on the bike, while you just screw on the cagey when you need it. It is very sturdy, really cheap, practical and it is very low profile, so that the cage doesn't stick out too far. I have them on my fork and on my backstays (on an aluminum frame, don't do it on carbon!). Works like a charm!
It's worth adding to the point at 2:00 that not only are you adding weight, but if you're adding the mounts to a suspension fork then it's also "unsprung weight" which will hamper your fork's ability to do it's job. This is where an inverted fork like the Wren comes into it's own. 👍 Still, plenty of folks do it and you should 100% do what it takes to get out there!
For heavy metal canteen's isn't it better that the weight isn't being supported by the front suspension forks? Meaning, unsprung is better than sprung.
Fair warning, I used these on a trip and overloaded one of the cages. After a few days of rough riding, the welded mount failed and my cage (and the contents) fell off---lost forever. Word to the wise: dont overload your cage when using the King Cage "Universal Support Bolt"
My Trek Crockett doesn't see much cyclocross racing these days. As a new bike isn't in the budget, it moonlights as an adventure bike. It does lack mounting options, these are some great simple tips.
For the hack with electrical tape I also have my own idea. Underneath use the self-vulcanizing tape. It's made from some kind of rubber, that sticks only to itself, self-vulcanizing, doesn't leave any residue, have enough friction that it won't move around and, most important, protects your stickers and paintjob. I actually use it any time I have to stick something or mount with straps on my bike. Perfect sollution for bikepackers who cares about their bikes Ps. The electrical tape hack was the first thing I've learned from your website and the reason I started follow your articles, channel etc. ;)
It should be pointed out to anybody that gets self-vulcanizing tape that you need to stretch it as you wrap it. You're looking for a minimum of 50% elongation. It is fantastic stuff.
I’m not a bikepacker but sometimes get a little long on my rides. I use the Topeak clamp on mounts. Might not look tough but they are. I hit the dirt after a dog attack and the aluminum bottle cage I had mounted on them was smeared flat. The topeak mounts stayed in the same spot I mounted them. Have a plastic bottle cage now. And pepper spray…..and a last resort item.
I've got a Whyte T129s that I wanted to use with a water bottle under the down tube. It doesn't have bottle cage mounts under the down tube but it does have a screw in clamp that holds the cables in place. I've took away the cable clamp and put a Blackburn outpost anything cage in it's place, the cables now run very neatly either side of the cage. If you use the centre hole in the cage, it fits perfectly when you screw the cage into the cable holder mounting hole. I've packed out either end under the cage with a piece of tyre to level it front to back and used 3 zip ties to hold the thing in place. It's been rock solid up to yet on two 100km off road rides with a full two litre bottle slung under there. When I'm not using it to carry a bottle (or anything else), I just take the straps off and you barely even notice it's on the bike. I'm very pleased with it :-)
Another excellent video Neil! Gear index really helped me with ideas the last time I needed a solution! From personal experience: mounting 4 cages on a mtb fork is totally doable with hose clamps and a used tube. The most budged/lightweight option and very rigid while being low-profile! But cages themself matter as well, you want them pretty rigid: having 4L of water in 4 bottles on a single fork works great on road, but while doing White Rim Trail my bottles were constantly falling out, slowing me down. Next time when refusing to carry anything on my back I'll make sure to stabilize heavy bottles from vertical movement with a strap(or similar)! Also the "meat" of the video starts at 2:58, so a person new to the channel might click away :/ In any case! Very grateful for you building a bikepacking community and inspiring people to get out! P.s. because of bottles falling out on White Rim Trail and making me go slow - basically "pacing" me, I ended up doing the whole ~100 miles of the trail in a day. I'll soon make a video about "Overday bikepacking" haha! Cheers!
They are a little expensive but the tailfin suspension fork mounts are a good way to go if you want bomber fixings that are going to look after your expensive forks. Very well engineered and thought through piece of kit
If you have Surly fork with a lugged crown, try bridging the crown and mid-fork eyelets with a Wolf Tooth B-RAD 4 mount. Use some 1/8" aluminum spacers to move the mount away from the blade, and trim the excess off the bottom of the mount to reduce the chance of the mount getting sheared off in an accident
I can vouch for the Topeak versa mounts, if you get the one with the large cage the cage can be used either for bottles of any size or something soft like a sleeping bag with the included strap The mounts can be as permanent or not as you like
I would scratch the electric tape option. The glue on electric tape is not very durable and will lose grip and degrade in the sun. Also, any glue on system will be a problem if you need to reposition the cage. A better idea if one uses tape is to use self-sticking silicone tape that does not need glue. Silicone tape has many uses too. It can be used to protect the frame from friction of attachments and rubbing bags. The best, the cheapest, and strongest system is the use of metal hose clamps. If one uses a metal bottle cage with tabs for the screw holes, there is no need put the cage over the cage rails.
Electrical tape cheap and likely something folks already have at home. And for short trips like overnighters, it's not going to degrade in that time frame. I get your point, and I and others will appreciate your comment.
I got some old pallet wood, cut to size nailed another piece on bottom for an L shape, 3 U bolts around the forks into the wood.. Presto got a rack for water, tent or anything with a solid base.. cost me maybe 6 bucks for nails !!!!
Hey there, at 0:18 you show some great water bottle cages that would easily hold very large flasks, what brands are those please? Happy for affiliate links even. ✌🏼
Wife and I are prepping for our first century ride, we figured 4 bottles per bike was better than 2, we used the hose clamp and piece of bike tube, works good so far on the front suspension of our hybrids
I love all the videos! I bought a second hand cx bike not too long ago because I ride offroad (not much choice here). It doesn't have a second bottle cage mount but had a spare bottle cage. What to do? Build your own mount! I had tons of brackets from various lights and reflectors, as well as bolts and nuts lying around. So I got to work: Metal spare bottle cage onto the bike instead of the original one (only has the 2 standard holes for bolts). Bracket 1 onto the original bottle cage, it surprisingly has a elongated slit ideal for bolts pmus the original 2 holes so the cage fits😆. Then screw that onto a circular tube bracket and voila, I can mount it on the bike. I used to mount it behind the saddle upside down with the attachment upwards plus a velcro strap through the seat and the bottle partially under my saddle which kept it in place even on rocky/ bumpy terrain. Now my saddle bag with spares didn't fit: 🤯 just use a plasic bag, tape and a strap around the frame (which is not made from round tubes which makes it more secure); done, saddle bag not needed! Also reusable it I need to secure my used innertube after a puncture for example, I hate littering... Now I figured: my seat tube is round so why not clamp it on my frame where the normal bottle cage should be? That's more permanent! It looks werid with a blttle extending to in the middle of the front triangle but I don't care. I don't really race that often and I thing this isn't costing me watts in the long run; the extra water will surely make me much faster than the watts lost😂
I have a topeak TRI-BACK UP PRO V, it's not really usefull if you've planned a Long distance trip but if you're planning something shorter and you really need extra bottles this is a good option, it goes down the saddle and you can use the handlebar bag to carry other stuff.
Would it make a difference if I attach a bilder holder higher or lower on the front fork? Apart from a change in riding characteristics, would the high point or low point put adverse load on the forks?
I haven't seen much information on using the aftermarket mounts such as the Wildwood mount for a dry bag cage such as a Salsa Anything cage on a suspension fork. Do these aftermarket mounts have enough friction to keep the drybags from rotating into the wheel? What would be a general rule of thumb for a weight limit?
Be careful not to leave electrical tape on too long. I had a cage taped to my frame for about 6 months, when I removed it it took all the paint it was in contact with. I was shocked. I have used the tape lots without problems but normally remove it right after my bikepacking trip. Guess I get to try painting a frame now...
Thanks for the video! My main question: carbon fork. I keep finding contradicting information about whether or not I can install mounts to a carbon fork. Can I do it? Anything to keep in mind? Any of the suggested techniques more appropriate for carbon?
I have a carbon fork with mounting points. I strap a versacage to it that holds my tent, and a drybag with clothes on the other side. 2-3 kg on either side. Works great and holds the frontwheel down on steep climbs.
I am not putting anything that close to my front wheel. did that once flipped over the handle bars broke my wrist, this is probally safe but I am not doing it
I want to mount a rear rack on my carbon mtb. Is it advisible to use like the topeak versamount to attach on the seat stay and bolt the carrier + seat clamp with rack mount on the seatpost? I have no access to failfin racks and also i cannot afford that. Too expensive
I think electrical tape is the best option, although I've attached them using clamp mounts, but added some layers of inner tube in there to protect it...
Does anyone has a suggestion for a good mount where you can the one hole on your fork (which is designed for a fork rack) in combination with some hose clamps or zipo ties?
Look up the USB King Cage clamp. You could use a bold for the already existing fork rack hole in tandem with a nut for the King cage clamp...washer for eventually leveling it out
Why do you and others bad mouth good solutions too needs by calling them hacks? Are you afraid to take credit for being intelligent well beyond the socially acceptable level. 🤷🏼♂️
I bought a decent little bottle cage mount for my Seatpost from decathlon: www.decathlon.co.th/en/p/8385631/bottle-and-hydration-bag/bike-bottle-cage-handlebar-stem-seat-post-adapter
This video is supported in part by Salsa Cycles, learn more about Adventure By Bike here: www.salsacycles.com/?.com&
I would love to see more of these videos. And an ultimate video of a bike that is not set up for bikepacking and you use all your hacks to create one!
I love your channel I am new to it. I just bought my first cheap mountain bike after a twenty year hiatus. I am older 59. I worked at a bike shop in Laguna Beach California in the 80’s so all we did was steep downhill riding on really scary stuff but now forget that. I live in North Dakota now so not a lot of hills lol. I had a suggestion that you might already know is to add vanilla extract into your brand new water bottle before you use it. Obviously rinse it out after 24 hours and no more bad plastic taste. Let me know if you already use something like this. Like I said just starting up again and am new to your great channel very helpful.
As for hose clamps...heat shrink over them works super super good! Cut to length and shrink, leave enough for it to thread down onto itself and you're set.
Good idea.
I swear, I will have an idea or a curiosity, waste a day or two trying to Google my way out only to find there's already a video on the matter from this channel. Keep it up.
Love how you’ve just “scratched the surface,” in this video, cz. a lot of these options will definitely be scratching some surfaces on your bike.
bikes are made to get scratched.
Yes, I had a chuckle at the at unconcious(?) pun at the sign off there "only just scratched the surface here". I guess it's better than having deformed the tube.
A great option are the Topeak Alt-Position Cage Mounts, clamped down with hose clamps, with some old inner tube inbetween. They can remain permanently on the bike, while you just screw on the cagey when you need it. It is very sturdy, really cheap, practical and it is very low profile, so that the cage doesn't stick out too far.
I have them on my fork and on my backstays (on an aluminum frame, don't do it on carbon!). Works like a charm!
That sounds great! I will try this with electrical tape as I am worried about clamping my carbon forks.
LOL that pause and smile when you announced the Salsa "Nicolas" Cage :D
It's worth adding to the point at 2:00 that not only are you adding weight, but if you're adding the mounts to a suspension fork then it's also "unsprung weight" which will hamper your fork's ability to do it's job. This is where an inverted fork like the Wren comes into it's own. 👍
Still, plenty of folks do it and you should 100% do what it takes to get out there!
For heavy metal canteen's isn't it better that the weight isn't being supported by the front suspension forks? Meaning, unsprung is better than sprung.
@@backcountryFLcyclist Nope. Quite the opposite - and the rider is much heavier than the bottles. 😅
Great Video! I've used USB King Cage clambs to bolt on the top tube bag...works like a charm so far
Fair warning, I used these on a trip and overloaded one of the cages. After a few days of rough riding, the welded mount failed and my cage (and the contents) fell off---lost forever. Word to the wise: dont overload your cage when using the King Cage "Universal Support Bolt"
@@JarrodKrug Is there a place that shows the max load. I am guessing a 500-1000 mL bottle of water won't be an issue.
@@emiliorossi1841 I didn’t see anything on their site
My Trek Crockett doesn't see much cyclocross racing these days. As a new bike isn't in the budget, it moonlights as an adventure bike. It does lack mounting options, these are some great simple tips.
THIS was a really good list! I have tried most of these this year (save the riv-nuts) and I affirm all that you have said here :)
its like you read my mind, thanks man, exactly what i'm pondering, i'm gonna make my own, great vid
For the hack with electrical tape I also have my own idea. Underneath use the self-vulcanizing tape. It's made from some kind of rubber, that sticks only to itself, self-vulcanizing, doesn't leave any residue, have enough friction that it won't move around and, most important, protects your stickers and paintjob. I actually use it any time I have to stick something or mount with straps on my bike. Perfect sollution for bikepackers who cares about their bikes
Ps. The electrical tape hack was the first thing I've learned from your website and the reason I started follow your articles, channel etc. ;)
It should be pointed out to anybody that gets self-vulcanizing tape that you need to stretch it as you wrap it. You're looking for a minimum of 50% elongation. It is fantastic stuff.
I’m not a bikepacker but sometimes get a little long on my rides. I use the Topeak clamp on mounts. Might not look tough but they are. I hit the dirt after a dog attack and the aluminum bottle cage I had mounted on them was smeared flat. The topeak mounts stayed in the same spot I mounted them. Have a plastic bottle cage now. And pepper spray…..and a last resort item.
And a last resort item.
I've got a Whyte T129s that I wanted to use with a water bottle under the down tube.
It doesn't have bottle cage mounts under the down tube but it does have a screw in clamp that holds the cables in place. I've took away the cable clamp and put a Blackburn outpost anything cage in it's place, the cables now run very neatly either side of the cage. If you use the centre hole in the cage, it fits perfectly when you screw the cage into the cable holder mounting hole.
I've packed out either end under the cage with a piece of tyre to level it front to back and used 3 zip ties to hold the thing in place. It's been rock solid up to yet on two 100km off road rides with a full two litre bottle slung under there.
When I'm not using it to carry a bottle (or anything else), I just take the straps off and you barely even notice it's on the bike.
I'm very pleased with it :-)
Another excellent video Neil! Gear index really helped me with ideas the last time I needed a solution!
From personal experience: mounting 4 cages on a mtb fork is totally doable with hose clamps and a used tube. The most budged/lightweight option and very rigid while being low-profile!
But cages themself matter as well, you want them pretty rigid: having 4L of water in 4 bottles on a single fork works great on road, but while doing White Rim Trail my bottles were constantly falling out, slowing me down. Next time when refusing to carry anything on my back I'll make sure to stabilize heavy bottles from vertical movement with a strap(or similar)!
Also the "meat" of the video starts at 2:58, so a person new to the channel might click away :/
In any case! Very grateful for you building a bikepacking community and inspiring people to get out!
P.s. because of bottles falling out on White Rim Trail and making me go slow - basically "pacing" me, I ended up doing the whole ~100 miles of the trail in a day. I'll soon make a video about "Overday bikepacking" haha!
Cheers!
Always strap bottles to the fork when in the cage.
They are a little expensive but the tailfin suspension fork mounts are a good way to go if you want bomber fixings that are going to look after your expensive forks. Very well engineered and thought through piece of kit
Plumbing strap Is really good for diy mounts!
Yes and yes. Thank you
I love the DIY stuff! Seem to fit the bikepacking spirit. Keep it coming! :-)
Great video as usual!
Heat shrink works great over the hose clamps.
Cut a slit and leave a tab for coverage under the screw housing.
thanks man, i'm gonna make my own now
Life saver 👌
If you have Surly fork with a lugged crown, try bridging the crown and mid-fork eyelets with a Wolf Tooth B-RAD 4 mount. Use some 1/8" aluminum spacers to move the mount away from the blade, and trim the excess off the bottom of the mount to reduce the chance of the mount getting sheared off in an accident
I can vouch for the Topeak versa mounts, if you get the one with the large cage the cage can be used either for bottles of any size or something soft like a sleeping bag with the included strap
The mounts can be as permanent or not as you like
Thank you!
All great hacks. Thank you.
i bonded threads on my carbon seat post, it works great
On the fork you can use a piece of old race bike inner tube, takes a bit of maneuvering but doable instead of tape
Díky za názorné video a zdravím z České republiky
I would scratch the electric tape option. The glue on electric tape is not very durable and will lose grip and degrade in the sun. Also, any glue on system will be a problem if you need to reposition the cage. A better idea if one uses tape is to use self-sticking silicone tape that does not need glue. Silicone tape has many uses too. It can be used to protect the frame from friction of attachments and rubbing bags. The best, the cheapest, and strongest system is the use of metal hose clamps. If one uses a metal bottle cage with tabs for the screw holes, there is no need put the cage over the cage rails.
Electrical tape cheap and likely something folks already have at home. And for short trips like overnighters, it's not going to degrade in that time frame. I get your point, and I and others will appreciate your comment.
I got some old pallet wood, cut to size nailed another piece on bottom for an L shape, 3 U bolts around the forks into the wood.. Presto got a rack for water, tent or anything with a solid base.. cost me maybe 6 bucks for nails !!!!
Hey there, at 0:18 you show some great water bottle cages that would easily hold very large flasks, what brands are those please? Happy for affiliate links even. ✌🏼
love the content
Wife and I are prepping for our first century ride, we figured 4 bottles per bike was better than 2, we used the hose clamp and piece of bike tube, works good so far on the front suspension of our hybrids
So where is the link to the page you spoke about on your website below in the comment section… I can’t see it
Got some bottle cag mounts on ebay under the seller reaperdecals comes with 2 abs mounts with screws and some zipties
I don't see the link to the aftermarket adapters.
Decathlon also sell a bottle cage adaptor
SKS Anywhere mounts works well.
I love all the videos!
I bought a second hand cx bike not too long ago because I ride offroad (not much choice here).
It doesn't have a second bottle cage mount but had a spare bottle cage. What to do? Build your own mount! I had tons of brackets from various lights and reflectors, as well as bolts and nuts lying around. So I got to work:
Metal spare bottle cage onto the bike instead of the original one (only has the 2 standard holes for bolts). Bracket 1 onto the original bottle cage, it surprisingly has a elongated slit ideal for bolts pmus the original 2 holes so the cage fits😆. Then screw that onto a circular tube bracket and voila, I can mount it on the bike.
I used to mount it behind the saddle upside down with the attachment upwards plus a velcro strap through the seat and the bottle partially under my saddle which kept it in place even on rocky/ bumpy terrain.
Now my saddle bag with spares didn't fit: 🤯 just use a plasic bag, tape and a strap around the frame (which is not made from round tubes which makes it more secure); done, saddle bag not needed! Also reusable it I need to secure my used innertube after a puncture for example, I hate littering...
Now I figured: my seat tube is round so why not clamp it on my frame where the normal bottle cage should be? That's more permanent! It looks werid with a blttle extending to in the middle of the front triangle but I don't care. I don't really race that often and I thing this isn't costing me watts in the long run; the extra water will surely make me much faster than the watts lost😂
I have a topeak TRI-BACK UP PRO V, it's not really usefull if you've planned a Long distance trip but if you're planning something shorter and you really need extra bottles this is a good option, it goes down the saddle and you can use the handlebar bag to carry other stuff.
It's Alan from 2 and 1/2 men 😉
Great video as always! Might have missed it, but looking for the link for the gear index for after market adapters. Thanks
I'd have thought some of the weirder racing bike bar and seat mounts would be a good start.
Would it make a difference if I attach a bilder holder higher or lower on the front fork? Apart from a change in riding characteristics, would the high point or low point put adverse load on the forks?
I haven't seen much information on using the aftermarket mounts such as the Wildwood mount for a dry bag cage such as a Salsa Anything cage on a suspension fork. Do these aftermarket mounts have enough friction to keep the drybags from rotating into the wheel? What would be a general rule of thumb for a weight limit?
Be careful not to leave electrical tape on too long. I had a cage taped to my frame for about 6 months, when I removed it it took all the paint it was in contact with. I was shocked. I have used the tape lots without problems but normally remove it right after my bikepacking trip. Guess I get to try painting a frame now...
Thanks for the video! My main question: carbon fork. I keep finding contradicting information about whether or not I can install mounts to a carbon fork. Can I do it? Anything to keep in mind? Any of the suggested techniques more appropriate for carbon?
I have a carbon fork with mounting points. I strap a versacage to it that holds my tent, and a drybag with clothes on the other side. 2-3 kg on either side. Works great and holds the frontwheel down on steep climbs.
Where do I get those clamps to mount water bottle cage to suspension forks??
I am not putting anything that close to my front wheel. did that once flipped over the handle bars broke my wrist, this is probally safe but I am not doing it
I want to mount a rear rack on my carbon mtb.
Is it advisible to use like the topeak versamount to attach on the seat stay and bolt the carrier + seat clamp with rack mount on the seatpost?
I have no access to failfin racks and also i cannot afford that. Too expensive
Is it possible to use a bottle cage as mount for a fork pack for instance the apidura expedition fork pack?
What about mounting a bottle rack on an electric bike square frame?
thx i have hose clamps its so simple i have no ida :)
How can I attach a downtube mount since my bike has cables running down the length of the downtube?
? What’s your suggestions on adding bottle cages to carbon fork with only one boss?
Any suggestions or ideas for bosses with carbon forks overall?
I think electrical tape is the best option, although I've attached them using clamp mounts, but added some layers of inner tube in there to protect it...
I have a set of Baryak Mules on my carbon fork. A bit pricy but a well made, clean solution.
Came here to ask the same question. I assume it’s basically the same but just keep the weight down.
Does anyone has a suggestion for a good mount where you can the one hole on your fork (which is designed for a fork rack) in combination with some hose clamps or zipo ties?
Look up the USB King Cage clamp. You could use a bold for the already existing fork rack hole in tandem with a nut for the King cage clamp...washer for eventually leveling it out
dude. get to it.
Dude, I think I did.
cmn its not new haha, my 30 years old tange fork got some mounts
People that use electrical tape are monsters. Stop finishing handlebar jobs w/ the stuff and use self-sealing silicone tape. Do it for the kids.
Was it coincidence, or you just had a bike with the national colors of Ukraine?
he's had this rig for a while! done quite a few videos on it.
what was not a coincidence was my reference to this song in the video... ua-cam.com/video/ztZI2aLQ9Sw/v-deo.html
Is it just me or are some of these bikes miniatures?
so its not a DIY BOTTLE CAGE
Why do you and others bad mouth good solutions too needs by calling them hacks?
Are you afraid to take credit for being intelligent well beyond the socially acceptable level.
🤷🏼♂️
So, of course my Specialized Roll 2.0 doesn't have round front forks. Looks like it's tape for me! :D
💚👽
I bought a decent little bottle cage mount for my Seatpost from decathlon: www.decathlon.co.th/en/p/8385631/bottle-and-hydration-bag/bike-bottle-cage-handlebar-stem-seat-post-adapter