BTP bottle cage - reliable for racing?

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micky
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by micky

I searched but couldn't find any previous topic talking about it.

I would have a friend who would offer me a pair of BTP cages and I would use them also while racing so Im quite concerned if they are realiable or not.

Plus I hear you need conical (is it right spelling?) bottles...so who make them?

Thanks in advance!

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MrCurrieinahurry
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by MrCurrieinahurry

i think id go for a different cage for racing as ive heard they can be dodgy with bottles getting stuck when they get sticky.
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coloclimber
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by coloclimber

I have BTP cages but don't race. I have never lost one this year on dirt or bumpy roads. I use standard bottles, long bottles and even gatoraide bottles at times. BTP's hold the bottles well - but for a few grams more you can get any number of cages that hold the bottles REAL well.

jeffr
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by jeffr

Imagine how you'd feel if a bottle dislodged and caused someone to crash. I wouldn't use weightweenie cages for racing. The savings are so small that it's not worth it anyway.

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pritchet74
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by pritchet74

I have used the BTP cages for racing this last year - they actually hold bottles better than any other cage I have ever used.

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Danton
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by Danton

I tried using them but bottles get sticky from the powders and so harder to pull out, only a bit harder but not ideal in a race. But they are good for a firm hold of the bottle, you won't lose them.

You can only use the slightly sloping conical bottles, the Tacx shape, so you cannot accept water from a spectator or neutral support. Whilst they are light, I didn't find the benefit of the weight saving was greater than the cost, I prefer not to worry about taking a drink. Search some more as I think there was some discussion on this...
Last edited by Danton on Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

Johnny Rad
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by Johnny Rad

+1 for working really well. I've got two full seasons now on BTP's 13g universal (non-MTB) "sided" bottle cages with no issues. It's the fourth one down from the top on the following link:

http://www.b-t-p.de/B-T-P_Team/b-t-p_team1.html

Get 'em! You won't regret it.

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ridley86
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by ridley86

I have the 13gr version. 3th from the top. I love cobbles and don't go slow over them. Never lost a bottle. They are as good as my tacx tao's if not better.

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beatnik
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by beatnik

pritchet74 wrote:I have used the BTP cages for racing this last year - they actually hold bottles better than any other cage I have ever used.


;). I have Tune Uni 13 (same than BTP), and they are perfect ;)
Biomechanical spreadsheet. Sizing&Fitting.

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... 8e319d185b

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pritchet74
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by pritchet74

Danton wrote:I tried using them but bottles get sticky from the powders and so harder to pull out, only a bit harder but not ideal in a race.


You know, if you clean your bike & your bottles you wouldn't have this problem. :wink:

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Danton
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by Danton

Yes, but in a race sometimes the water comes out and covers the bottle, or your hands get sticky from energy food. It only takes a bit of sugar for the bottles to stick in the cage. It's not a big deal, you just twist the bottle and it comes free but it's marginally more work, something to concentrate on when my mind is on the race.

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Ivan
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by Ivan

I have to disagree here. I am a non-professional racer in Belgium and have used the 13g BTP-cages for a year. Several times I came close to losing a bottle in a race. Broke the cage on the seattube after a year and for that reason I bought me other cages (carbon cages from Pro). When I see people writing they use this cages on cobbles, ride hard over them and never lost a bottle, I just cannot understand that.
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beatnik
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by beatnik

I use MTB version on my road bike, not the best fit, but hard enough because of the top part of the cage. It´s not present in the road version, and the bottle tend to move.

Image

Image
Biomechanical spreadsheet. Sizing&Fitting.

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... 8e319d185b

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pritchet74
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by pritchet74

Danton wrote:Yes, but in a race sometimes the water comes out and covers the bottle, or your hands get sticky from energy food. It only takes a bit of sugar for the bottles to stick in the cage.


Ah, I see your point. I just haven't had that problem. Oh, wait a minute - I used to when I would close the bottle cap after drinking from the bottle. That made things sticky, but since I have been closing the cap every time I take a drink there has been no stickiness.

If it's something that'll detract your concentration then you might not want to use these bottles though. Me? I love 'em!

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Danton
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by Danton

Pritchet, as well as having learned to wash bottles, with practice I've managed to close the cap on my bottle when racing! Next year, I'll be learning to pedal and breath at the same time :wink:

But bottles still get messy. Maybe the were prepared messily by someone, or stored in a coolbag where another bottle leaked syrup onto them, or you pick one up at speed from the feeding zone and it forces the bottle to pop open and lose a few drops etc etc. It's not always so, but bottles can sometimes get sticky. And they've been "glued" into my cage at times.

Anyway, just my experience with them, thought I'd share it with others :?

I was using this version
Image

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