Water Bottle Cages
Browse used water bottle cages for sale from riders across the UK. A cage bolts to two threaded bosses set 64mm apart and holds the bottle by tension alone, with weights running from around 18g for carbon up to 60g for a heavy alloy design. For riders adding a second bottle mount, replacing a cage that has lost its grip, or fitting a full-size bottle into a small frame.
Which cage material should I choose?
Plastic and composite cages such as the Elite Custom Race flex around the bottle and cost the least, alloy cages hold their shape but can scuff a bottle, and carbon cages save 20-30g and are the ones people sell on when they change frames. Side-entry cages release the bottle sideways, which is the only way to reach a full-size bottle in a small front triangle or under a saddle.
Will any cage fit my frame?
Almost every frame uses the same 64mm bolt spacing, so fit is rarely the problem — clearance is. Measure from the lower boss to the top tube before buying a tall cage, and check which way a side-entry cage opens, since left and right versions exist and the wrong one on a down tube fouls the crank. Frames with extra mounts under the down tube or on the fork legs often share bolt patterns with the bag and pannier racks that bolt to the same bosses.
What should I check on a used bottle cage?
Start at the bolt holes: carbon cracks around them if it has been over-torqued, and alloy holes elongate. Then test tension by pushing a bottle in and shaking it — an alloy cage splayed open by years of use will spit a bottle out on rough ground, and it can sometimes be bent back, while a plastic one that has gone pale and stiff cannot be saved. A rattle is usually just the missing rubber washers that sit under the bolt heads.
Is a used bottle cage worth buying?
Basic plastic cages are under a tenner new, so buy used for carbon, machined alloy or matched pairs. A sound carbon cage typically goes for about half its new price, which is the clearest saving in the bike accessories listings. Check the M5 bolts are included — easy to replace, annoying to be without on the morning of a ride.