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Thursday, May 4

Bottle Rocket Science


"If there was a problem, yo, I'll solve it." ~ Ed Harris

I was going to take the time to bitch at length about the current trend of (finally) mass produced short chainstay hard tails (that can be single speeded as well) that don't bother to put two bottle cages inside the front triangle... but I'll be brief because I don't wanna put too much time into it.




I'm not gonna look them all up.  There are more on the list tho.  Brief, remember?

Granted, some manufacturers are just leaving them off the smaller size frames.  I just don't get it.  I feel like the buyer of a hard tail bike might want to not wear a pack but still ride longer than two hours.  You can give me all the loads of bogus defenses you want about seat post insertion depth and curved seat tubes and "but there's a mount under the down tube that will carry 24oz of horse shit flavored water?"

TRBL


Yeth, the Pivot LES is about a 1/2" longer than true a short stay frame but whatever.

It just seems lazy.  Take the time to hold a couple caged bottles inside the front triangle of your prototype frame and see where they fit.  Consider suggesting side loading bottle cages if you have to in order to make it work.  There are plenty of great options out there.

This one even holds some do-dads and can be mounted left or right draw.

Keep in mind that somehow I have three frames built for a man four apples tall (5' 6.5") that use normal King cages (still have side loaders on one because I'm too cheap to buy a third set of Kings).  I have zero issues using 22oz bottles (Baby Bear) on all of them and two of them can accommodate 24-26oz bottles (Momma and Poppa Bear). 

Very nice with Momma Bears.  I should add that there's enough room to drop the Thomson drooper all the way down until it bottoms out on the seat collar, making the seat height about 25.5".

A little tight, but was designed around Baby Bears anyways.  Still, no need for side loading cages.

Designed around Baby Bears, fits Momma Bears just fine.

Also, while you got you're thinking cap on and your ruler out, figure out how much seat post can be inserted and post that information on your website.  We can do the rest of the math.  Shit, now that 9point8 has introduced a dropper post that you can cut down to fit in your frame?

I honestly think you're going to lose more potential (short'ish) buyers with the one cage thing than you are with limitations on seat height and a little measuring.  If you wanna talk stand over, I'd rather give up an inch of useless crotchal clearance and get that bottle where it belongs.

But that's just me.

And so far, I've looked at every frame that's come out in the last two or three years, and this is the first thing that will strike them off the list of potentials.  Next would be the use of a stupid 27.2mm seat post "for comfort."

Don't even get me started.

If someone in the "industry" wants to reach out to me and tell me how stupid I am, I welcome your input... but I'd prefer you send a memo to the guy in charge of water bottle mounts (and seat post size selection since you're taking the time already) and tell him/her to stop being so damn lazy.

BTW:  That's an example of me being "brief."

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

So digging this...i have a small steel frame that has only one mount and am wanting to go packless this year...i may go the wolftooth doodad that lets you run two

Anonymous said...

Hey Dicky, I know you're loving that 29x3.0 DHF up front; with all your special access to Maxxis, have you had a chance to compare it to the 29x2.5 version? I can't quite fit the 3.0 in my On-One crabon rigid frok without it rubbing, so I'm looking for other options like the new 2.5/2.6/2.8 stuff that's coming. It looks like the 29x2.6 Nobby Nic is no wider than the 2.35, or I'd be all giddy about ordering one. What says the Dickster?

Dwayne said...

That was why I sold my Carver Ti420 after 4 months....no 2nd mount and a wet noodle for a drive side chain stay.

dicky said...

I tested the Minion DHF 2.5 before they came out. I didn't really go for it. I stuck with my Ardent 2.4.

Also, I prefer the DHR+ over the DHF+ up front.

And I'm super giddy over the Rekon 29 X 2.6. I think it will be the ticket.

dicky said...

Yeth, that's why the big reason my Carver went away as well, Dwayne.

Anonymous said...

Any idea when that Rekon 2.6 is going to land in the stores?

Unknown said...

Couldn't agree with this post more! Two cages is 90% of the reason why I picked up a small Spec Epic *ducks*

Anonymous said...

I could not agree more!

dicky said...

Rekon is due in July... we'll see.

John said...

One of the reasons I chose a Highball was specifically because of the 27.2 seatpost. My thinking was awry?

Anonymous said...

Ha! Just had this discussion with my buddy who is purchasing an "enduro" bike with absolutely no bottle mount!! WTF??!! Seriously. Why...?

Anonymous said...

2 water bottle mounts is a necessity