There’s nothing like cycling. It’s about freedom to ride. It’s about passion for hammering the miles away. It’s about blasting through the pain for a new personal best. It’s about the unrivaled joy of buying stuff.
OK, just kidding. But there’s always some cool new gadget you can throw on to make your ride just slightly more awesome. And if you’re a triathlete, well, good luck not wanting any new gear for any of your three favorite sports. Over the years, perhaps the toughest training I’ve ever completed is keeping my pocketbook closed, but sometimes the best cure for gear envy is to simply buy your favorite stuff in the first place. If you’ve got limited finances, it’s best not to waste time and money on something you’re not going to love. To try and help you out, I’m counting down my top 5 favorite products for cycling and triathlon. These are those items that once I started using them, I really wished they would sponsor me.
Here’s Number Four!
The Elite Custom Bottle Cage
Price: $10-$17
Although it’s not a $50+ carbon fiber bottle cage, the Elite Custom is used by well over half of the pro peloton. For good reason. Their composite construction makes them durable, inexpensive, light, and totally Euro.
The grippers and stoppers keep your bottles in the cage. Trust me, I’ve had these for over a year, and they don’t eject bottles. Yet, they have easy action, and you can fit your bottles back into the cage without having to force them (which tends to tear up your bottles) or even look down to secure them.
When carbon cages break, these hold firm–plus they give you way more color options than carbon fiber black on grayish-black:
Some folks have noted that these cages fit bottles rather snugly, and though this is true, they aren’t impossibly tight. I’ve never found them to be too tight, and can slip bottles in and out with ease while still feeling that they’re secure enough not to eject anything. They adjust to bottle sizes automatically because of their unique shape, and the action eases over time slightly. In other words, they may start out slightly stiff, but they end up just right.
At just $20-$30 per pair, you can’t really go wrong with all the options the Elite Custom gives you. See how they match on your bike! Check out all the colors available.
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