Topeak iGlow Bottle Cage

Occasionally, we get sent kit to the road.cc office that won't improve your performance at all. The Topeak iGlow Bottle Cage is just such an item. But I can't deny that it brings a little festivity to your bike – and at this time of year, perhaps that's all that matters.

It works by illuminating the bottle that sits inside the cage using an LED light. This can switch between five different colours: purple, blue, green, yellow and white. It can work in all colours statically, or by an intermittent flash too. Practically, it fits like any other bottle cage to the seat tube or the down tube.

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It's operated by a button on the left side of the base of the cage, while two CR2032 batteries are used to power it. Battery life is reasonable – you won't be needing to change them all that often given the 50-hour life on static, and 100 hours on flashing mode.

To test, I left it on static and two days later it was still chugging along, albeit at a dimmer output. I'd imagine this will be slightly reduced when exposed to the cold of winter and left in the garage unused for a while, but that's simply the nature of battery life in winter.

Brightness and visibility is the iGlow cage's raison d'être, and in the dark it's not too bad. It's not so bright that it's going to be a distraction while you're riding, and become more of a hazard than a safety feature – it provides a glow that shows up best with water in the bottle. But it won't be making you much more visible to the casual road user, either. It's best not to see it as a high-visibility feature, then – more of a novelty.

Of course, the bottle needs to be conducive to light to be effective – which means any bottle used must be clear in order to get the maximum effect. Luckily, Topeak provides one, which works just fine without any leakage. I'm not a fan of the slightly-wider-than-usual nozzle, but that's just a personal preference. If you aren't either, the cage will happily take your ordinary-sized bottle securely.

Because of the need to house electronics in the base, this is no minimalist cage, so weight is at 56g for the cage only. But in the winter that's no hardship as most of us are riding heavier bikes, or just set up our bikes with mudguards, tougher wheels and the like. So, within this niche is where the iGlow cage will be a success.

> Buy this as a Christmas present – or find more ideas here

It's not for everyone – I can't say I'm fussed either way about having it on my bike, and some thought it was downright amusing. But then again I had several people coo with jealousy on a local club ride, so it's horses for courses. And while I still have it on test, I'll probably refit it again come Christmas time. Because, why not?

Bottom line, if you're willing to spend £24.99 for a functional bit of winter bling for your bike – and I suppose it would make a nice stocking filler – then it's a nice little accessory.

Verdict

A nice little addition for a bit of extra 'bling' for your bike