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5 awesome carbon fiber water bottle cages (starting at 17 grams!)

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laguna bicycles 17g carbon fiber water bottle cage

Sure, a metal bottle cage gets the job done, but to get really light and maintain your carbon bike’s aesthetic, you gotta go carbon. Some of the cages here have been on my test bikes for years, others joined the party this spring. All have been ridden extensively and proven over varied terrain. Here are five of the best carbon cages I’ve ever used.

Leading in the weight department is Laguna Bicycles. At just 17g claimed, it’s almost non-existent with a beautiful barely-there aesthetic sure to please minimalists. Fortunately, it also does a decent job holding water bottles, too. The upper edge is flared outward just slightly to ease blind bottle entry, helping you keep your eyes on the road.

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With a UD exterior finish and woven carbon inside and its wispy lines, it gets my vote for best looking cage, too. And did I mention ours weighed in at only 15g?

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I used it on road rides with a few gravel sections with the oversized Polar bottle and it holds tight enough. On rougher sections, the bottle shook a bit more than usual, which kept me from trying it for cyclocross or mountain biking. To be fair, the Polar bottle is twice as tall as the cage and quite heavy when full, but my gut tells me to keep this cage on the road unless you’re running smaller 20oz bottles. Retail is $49.99 from LagunaBicycles.com. They make a side entry version that comes in at a claimed 20g, too.

PARLEE x ARUNDEL

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Next up the weight scale is the Parlee-stickered Arundel Mandible cage. While Parlee makes a lot of their own carbon cockpit parts and accessories in house, they liked the Mandible so much, they simply partnered with Arundel to offer it on their own bikes and keep the branding clean.

parlee-carbon-fiber-water-bottle-cage-1

At 26g, it’s still very light and also uses a minimal aesthetic. A flared entry band keeps ingress easy, and this one holds tight. I tested it while we had the Parlee Chebacco in for long term review and rode it hard over washboard dirt roads at downhill speeds, through my local ‘cross training trail and all over the roads. The bottle never once even tried to escape. At $75, it’s the most expensive in the test, but if you’re getting a custom Parlee, then price isn’t likely a concern. Get it on Parlee’s website and check out their sweet carbon fiber FD mount while you’re there.

BLACKBURN DESIGNS

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My go-to standard for lightweight, solid retention and ease of use has long been the Blackburn Camber. Since I got mine, it’s been rebooted with a UD finish or your choice of eight other glossy colors that get contrasting inside/outside color schemes (ex. gloss black exterior, gloss orange interior).

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Mine came in at 26g, claimed weight for the new ones is 30g. Like the others, its flared entry makes bottle return smooth and easy. I’ve never lost a bottle with the Blackburn Camber, regardless of terrain. Retail is $49.99 in stores or at BlackburnDesign.com. I also have to give a shout out to their

ETHIC

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Coming in just a gram heavier at 27g, is the Ethic carbon bottle cage. Ethic launched at NAHBS 2015 as the house brand for Alchemy Bicycles, so it’s made in house in Denver, CO, alongside their amazing frames. If you’re looking for a US-made option, this is it. There’s a little love in each one, and they can be custom painted to match anything for as little as a $20 upcharge.

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Like the Blackburn cage, this one holds very tight despite having the least over wrap of the bunch. Ours weighed in at 27g, but we weighed one at NAHBS at 26g, putting it on par with the other two above it. I noticed that the tub-like design of the base did catch a little dust, so if you routinely ride in muddy conditions, you might see some accumulation under your bottle that’ll need to be wiped out. Retail is $59.99 from Alchemy.bike.

SHIMANO PRO

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We’ve put Shimano’s Pro Components UD Carbon water bottle cage through the ringer at TranSylvania Epic, trying our darnedest to shake a bottle out of it over Pennsylvania’s notorious rock gardens. All to no avail. It held tight and continues to do so years later.

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At 32g, it’s the heaviest of the bunch, but still. That’s on par with some of the lightest metal cages but with a shape that won’t deform or weaken over time. It’s not listed on the PRO website anymore (no cages are, actually), but you can still find it on Amazon and other online bike retailers. If you just like the shape and want a cheaper, all-black plastic version for much less and about the same weight.

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Rick Vosper (@rick_vosper)

Can you confirm how much actual carbon fiber there is in these cages? In the past, “carbon” cages have been plastic with a carbon weave printed on the outside. OTOH, these are light enough that who knows.

wipepower
7 years ago

Some of these plastic ones actually may contain chopped carbon fiber in it for strength, How much of it in there, who knows…. But, it is not entirely a lie. 😛

I weight like 150 lbs, so a few grams never bother me so much to really look into it. Usually I just need to remind myself to go to the bathroom B4 going on a ride than go looking for a lighter bottle cage. LOL

paul
paul
7 years ago

the arundel cage is carbon wrapped around a foam core. Its a very nice construction, the same as lightweight wheels and carbon rotor blades on helicopters

Andy W
Andy W
7 years ago

I use a couple of Specialized S-Works Carbon Rib Cage. Light at less than 20g and work well

kellyn
kellyn
7 years ago

The Mandible is the ne plus ultra.

Philip Goldberg
Philip Goldberg
7 years ago

I second Specialized S-Works Carbon Rib Cage. Surprised they are not mentioned. Only 20 grams

LowRider
LowRider
7 years ago

Tune Wasserträger 2.0 9g O_o

These cages are awesome. They look minimalist yet have a tight grip on the bottles. However, they will scratch your bottles.

Pete
Pete
7 years ago
Reply to  LowRider

Yep, Tune’s the weenie shiz.

Jon
Jon
7 years ago

I can recommend the Serfas CC-300. It has a minimalist look like the Parlee above, has a little rubber anti-slip / anti-noise pad (super-useful for teeth-chattering country road surfaces around here), 22g, and you can often find them on sale for $15.

VeloKitty
VeloKitty
7 years ago
Reply to  Jon

Thanks! I’ll check the Serfas out.

Dennis
Dennis
7 years ago

There will be some new PRO bottle cages soon, also a new Carbon fibre one!

Frank
Frank
7 years ago

King Cages’ Ti Cage is MADE IN THE USA, super durable, hold onto bottles like a hungry python, only 28 grams, $60 and will last you the rest of your life. Carbon bottle cages are fragile, and made in China. Not a good value.

Tomi
Tomi
7 years ago

I’m using the fabric water bottles. No need for a cage anymore, it is a great solution for a cx bike too. Only downside is you have to switch to traditionnal cages if you partake to events which provide new water bottles which is not my case.

VeloKitty
VeloKitty
7 years ago
Reply to  Tomi

The Fabric bottles kind of suck compared to Camelbaks though. Camelbaks are more squeezable.

Tomi
Tomi
7 years ago
Reply to  VeloKitty

Haven’t tested the camelbacks and I heard good things about them but didn’t find any issue with the fabric ones. Do you really need to squeeze your bottles that much ? I don’t think so.

dereksmalls
dereksmalls
7 years ago

carbonworks.de 5grm cages for road or 6.5grm cages for MTB are where it’s at

Nick
Nick
7 years ago

If you want to “speak” for real carbon bottlecages it’s two companies : Time at 16~17gr and Tune.

goridebikes
goridebikes
7 years ago

(deleted)
on the other hand.. no love for Specialized? that’s a 20g cage that holds a bottle tighter than… well, anyways..

pTymnWolfe
pTymnWolfe
7 years ago
Reply to  goridebikes

King Ti is hands down the best cage on the market. Only a madman would consider anything else. If an extra 8-15 grams are “heavy as balls” (deleted)

il Bruce
il Bruce
7 years ago
Reply to  pTymnWolfe

Agreed.

Pieter Potters
Pieter Potters
7 years ago

two words: King Cage

Taber Newton
7 years ago

Amateurs, The fabric Water Bottle retention system weighs 3g/bottle holder.

Willis24
7 years ago

I am curious about the Polar bottle in the first picture? It has a different cap and bottle shape than normal and not on they’re website.

Joe Bond
Joe Bond
7 years ago

Do these scratch plastic water bottles like alloy and plastic cages? If so, I’ll take the weight penalty from stainless steel cages.

KCR
KCR
7 years ago

Generic Ebay Chinese Carbon bottles – $8-15 shipped, 20-25 grams, hold your bottles, many flavors available.

Dom
Dom
7 years ago

The first advantage of carbon cage is not the weight, it’s the easy bottle manipulation. 20 box it’s very cheap for that!

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