Topeak Shuttle Cage

Topeak's adjustable Shuttle bottle cage is designed to overcome the headache of fitting bottles in confined spaces, and I've had some success with both 500 and 600ml bottles. It also enabled me to make use of my rough stuff tourer's third low-slung boss, with adequate clearance between a 600ml bottle and the front mudguard.

Made from engineering grade plastic, there's no denying the satin black monocoque's aesthetic allure, which didn't look out of place on older machines either.

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The cage has two slightly unusual drillings, designed with speedy fitment and adjustment in mind. Rather than removing the frame's Allen bolts, you simply loosen them so you can loop the cage over them, align the cage, and tighten the bolts (to 39Nm). Two integral stainless steel washers protect the material from premature fatigue, resulting from accidental over-tightening.

The few extra millimetres gained by being able to slide the cage lower made bottle snatches from the seat tube bosses on a 41cm test bike that bit easier, even with 600ml bottles, and the grabbing action felt immediately intuitive. (Side-entry models are my preference but the sideways tug takes longer to become second nature.)

The Shuttle also proved unexpectedly handy by enabling me to set 750ml bottles low enough to prevent them nudging my buttocks when tethered to my TT-biased fixer's under-the-saddle caddy.

In other respects and compared with other top-loading designs, the Shuttle is an excellent host, even with less conventional bottle shapes – the Relaj being a case in point. Entry/release isn't gunslinger quick compared with glossy carbon/composite cages, requiring a more definite tug, but it quickly becomes intuitive.

Tenure has been extremely secure, with no hint of annoying chatter let alone mortar-like ejection when riding across poorly surfaced roads and even trails too. This positive nature was particularly welcome when mounted to my rough stuff tourer's low-slung boss and indulging in some spirited green lane shenanigans. No sign of flex when fed heavily laden tool caddies and old school lead acid batteries either.

> Check out our reviews of more bottle cages here

Don't be put off by the specialist tag – it's a worthy option for riders just wanting a good looking composite cage. Personally, I prefer side-entry models such as Lezyne's Flow SL or the Shuttle's aptly named Dualside sibling, which can be aligned left or right to suit your dominant hand. These eliminate the risk of catching your knuckles on the frame during release, and solve compatibility woes if you want to use bigger 750ml trade bottles on small frames.

Verdict

Decent cage and worth a closer look if you are struggling to fit bottles in tight spaces