The Best Bottle Cages for Steel Water Bottles
Hydration is an essential part of cycling, especially during the summer months. Although there have been many advancements in the way we carry water like hydration bladders, and plastic bottles, many riders including myself, still use good old stainless steel water bottles.
While the case for using plastic water bottles are many, I just don’t like drinking out of plastic -especially when it's baking in the sun all day. For me, I like stainless steel - especially the insulated versions which keep your drink cold for much longer. The only real downside I’ve found when switching from plastic to stainless, apart from weight, is bottle cage options- there just aren't that many out there. So I wanted to highlight a few cages that I’ve found work well with steel bottles, and look good doing it.
King Cage Iris Bottle Cage
SPECS
MATERIAL: Stainless Steel
MADE: USA
BOLT TYPE: 2 Bolt
WEIGHT: 48g
COLOR: Polished
PRICE: $18USD
First up, lets start with my favorite- King Cages Iris Water Bottle Cage. King produces many different cages from the standard bottle cage to flask cages, but for me, their Iris cage is king because its the most versatile and works well with steel or plastic bottles. This cage keeps my steel bottles nice and snug, all without scratching them up. As with any metal on metal contact, you can get some rattling although I’ve rarely heard anything this cage. As for style points, I give an eight out of ten. It looks great but only comes in polished steel.
Velo Orange Moderniste Bottle Cage
SPECS
MATERIAL: Stainless Steel
MADE: Overseas
BOLT TYPE: 2 Bolt
WEIGHT: 34g
COLOR: Silver or Black
PRICE: $20USD
The runner up in this cage showdown is the Moderniste Bottle Cage by Velo Orange. Their stainless steel cage is similar in design to Kings Iris Cage and can hold both plastic and steel bottles with ease. The tubing size on the Moderniste is noticeably smaller than the Iris, which makes it very lightweight and flexible, but causes a healthy amount of rattling with metal bottles. Overall, these cages perform great and have used them for thousands of miles now without issue. For style points, I give the Moderniste a nine out of ten as it comes in black and silver color options. As long as you don’t mind being a little loud, The Moderniste is a good cage option.
Velo Orange Mojave Bottle Cage
SPECS
MATERIAL: Stainless Steel
MADE: Overseas
BOLT TYPE: 2 or 3 Bolt
WEIGHT: 158g
COLOR: Silver or Black
PRICE: $32USD
Another great cage, although more specialized, is the Velo Orange Mojave Bottle Cage. As the name suggests, the Mojave is there for you when you need to carry as much water as possible. This cage is designed specifically for the 32oz. Nalgene water bottle as well as Kleen Kanteens 32oz insulated and 40oz non-insulated bottle. The build quality is solid and boasts a five-bolt pattern allowing for multiple mounting options. I personally use this cage with my 40oz Kleen Kanteen bottle and it works as advertised. The only con with this cage so far is it has left marks on my bottle-which isn't a big deal for me.
So there you have it, my favorite picks for carrying steel water bottles on your bike. Of course, there are other cages out there that can do the job, but these are the ones I’ve found that fit my criteria. If you are looking for even more bottle cage ideas, backpacking.com has a great article rounding up the various cages out there, including some that I’ve mentioned above.