Cyclewerks Double Bottle Cage Adaptor
Running a full frame bag for bikepacking adventures is a great way to maximise space inside the triangle of your bike, but it begs the question of where you’re going to be storing your water bottles. Having experimented with keeping water on the forks, in feed bags and in a camelbak, I finally came across the Cyclewerks Double Bottle Cage Adaptor which provides an impressive alternate solution.
About the Cyclewerks Double Bottle Cage Adaptor
Made in Wellington, New Zealand, by Trevor Woodward, the Double Bottle Cage Adaptor does exactly as its name implies, converts one bottle cage mount into two. Made from corrosion resistant 316 stainless steel, the adaptor can be fitted to your bike’s existing bottle cage mounts. With three different angles, the double bottle cage adaptor should fit most bike tubing, if not it can always be bent into a custom angle.
The Cyclewerks double bottle cage adaptor has three mounting points in the centre which allows you to ‘extend’ the adaptor forwards of your bike’s bottle cage mount and help push the water bottles further forward. This can help create extra space for your pedalling feet while riding. I’ve been using the adaptor for several months and haven’t encountered any issues of bashing the bottle cages while riding. I have, however, occasionally bumped the bottles with my legs while standing and during dismounting, but this is just a user error to get used to, much like knocking a saddle bag when swinging your leg over the saddle.
Weighing in at just 55g, the adaptor is light enough to keep on your bike at all times, rather than feeling the need to remove it when not in use. It’s pretty streamlined so you’d barely even notice it once you remove your extra water bottle cages.
Testing the Cyclewerks Double Bottle Cage Adaptor
I’ve experimented with using the adaptor with a full frame bag and with an extra water bottle and it’s been a revelation for me. While placing water bottles elsewhere on the bike does the job, I’m personally much happier with the bottles closer to the central triangle, in easy reach while riding. Placing the water bottles centrally, using the mount, also frees up fork mounts and feed bags for other uses and storage.
As mentioned above, I have occasionally knocked the bottle cages while standing over the bike, but not while riding, so I don’t really see this as an issue. I have the mount pushed forward on my downtube, utilising the two existing mounts on my frame. This means that the top mounting point on the adaptor is not being used and is ‘resting’ on my frame. This isn’t a huge issue for me as my frame is titanium and there’s no paint to damage, but I’m going to place a thin fabric sticker to the underside of the adaptor just to soften this contact. Similarly, my two bottle cages do bump the frame slightly as there’s a little flex in the adaptor rougher stuff. Again, I’m adding a fabric protective layer to the frame to compensate for this issue.
If you’ve got a smaller frame it might be worth taping your bottle cages in place on your downtube where they would sit with the adaptor to see if you have any pedalling issues. I did this with my medium/large frame before purchasing just to satisfy my curiosity that it would actually work.
At $40-50 (depending on whether you’re in NZ or Aus) this nifty piece of gear is a bit of a no brainer in my opinion and is a great way of getting more water onto your bike, or centralising your water storage while using a frame bag.
Editor’s note: this review hasn’t been paid for, all opinions are my own and the item was purchased, not gifted.