# Any ideas for low profile/side loading bottle?



## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

I do not like camelbacks - and even my AM/DH frame I have ordered with (two) bottle mounts.

But.. The best shock for it has a piggy back reservoir that interferes. (And reversing it does not work because of the large air can).

Before I return the shock and try for a different one (with piggyback on the can... which still may not clear)

Any ideas on a low profile/side loading water bottle that could fit and can survive some spirited riding? I like to have at least some water there on a shorter ride (and even if I carry a soft pouch with water in the backpack for a long ride - I put it into frame bottle for use).


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## cattig (Aug 6, 2007)

Specialized makes a bottle cage called the z cage that lets you side load bottles. You can get either a right or left depending on which side you prefer to grab the bottle from. You put the bottle in diagonally, bottom first, then rotate it into place. 

Works great on kids bikes or smaller frames with tight clearance. Should work on your frame as long as the bottle fits height wise when the bottle is in the cage.


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

cattig said:


> Specialized makes a bottle cage called the z cage that lets you side load bottles. You can get either a right or left depending on which side you prefer to grab the bottle from. You put the bottle in diagonally, bottom first, then rotate it into place.
> 
> Works great on kids bikes or smaller frames with tight clearance. Should work on your frame as long as the bottle fits height wise when the bottle is in the cage.


Thanks. Looks interesting.

Of cause it got to be the frigging Specialized, that hates internet shopping so stores that I like can not ship one. Friends do not let friends buy Specialized... Though I may have to make an exception.


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## beanbag (Nov 20, 2005)

Why not just take two strips of aluminum, drill three holes in them, and bend them into an arc? Then you can put two water bottle cages in the place of one.

Or zip tie a bottle cage to your seat tube.


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## heyyall (Nov 10, 2011)

Here are some options:

Aqua rack:
Profile Design - Aquarack
I have one of these on my tri bike and it is great. There are also variations of the seat post mount that take a regular water bottle cage, so that might be more secure.

relocator strips:
Something like this might help:
Shimano Di2 seattube waterbottle cage relocator

Might be stranger than the seat tube, but this could work too:
Topeak CageMount: Amazon.com: Sports & Outdoors

And finally, something like this could be used as a temporary solution:
SKS Bottle Cage Adapter Mount for Bicycles: Amazon.com: Sports & Outdoors


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

heyyall said:


> Here are some options:
> 
> Aqua rack:
> Profile Design - Aquarack
> ...


Seat post of seat tube would not work on this frame. No space and wheel comes out quite close from behind, and I would use an adjustable seatpost.

Thank you for suggestions.



beanbag said:


> Why not just take two strips of aluminum, drill three holes in them, and bend them into an arc? Then you can put two water bottle cages in the place of one.


I will hit them when pedaling.


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## beanbag (Nov 20, 2005)

Make a bracket to offset the cage slightly so that it clears the piggyback and still lets you pedal

Get one of those old school water bottles with the small cap in the smaller size version

Use those disposable plastic bottles of water. Sometimes they have the same pull-to-squirt lid as the regular water bottles.

Also,


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

beanbag said:


> Make a bracket to offset the cage slightly so that it clears the piggyback and still lets you pedal
> 
> Get one of those old school water bottles with the small cap in the smaller size version
> 
> Use those disposable plastic bottles of water. Sometimes they have the same pull-to-squirt lid as the regular water bottles.


Maybe.

I picked up Specialized Zee bottle cage, and it is good, but still not good enough. But it will clear if I revert the shock in the second travle position (~150mm from 171mm maximum), which is how I will ride it anyway for more XC rides.

Dang, should have went with Vector Air HLR, but everybody was so ga-ga over Cane Creek DBA. By many account Vector is about as good a shock (and 50g lighter).


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