Cannondale Evo Carbon Cage

A bottle cage has one simple job to do, and strangely enough we found that this Cannondale Evo Carbon Cage wasn't really up to it.

A well designed cage will permit easy insertion of the bottle, hold it firmly in place when riding and prevent the bottle ejecting over rough ground. And then allow easy removal when you need a drink.

A simple task then, but one that Cannondale's Evo doesn't quite manage. I just didn't get on with this cage. As nice and sleek as it looks, it's flawed in several ways.

First, the tolerances between the cage and bottle (and we tried several brands of bottle) are just too tight. A fair degree of force is required to push the bottle into the cage. In trying to fix the problem I removed the two small serrated rubber bumpers that surround the bolt holes – there to support the bottle – but this didn't help at all.

As you might imagine, the removal of the bottle is just as hard as it is to insert. A good tug is needed to break it free. When you're riding, and especially if you're racing, the last thing you want to worry about is how hard it is to grab a water bottle, and to replace it after you've taken a drink.

The other big problem is how flexy and wobbly on the mounts the cage is. It's far from reassuring - it feels fragile and doesn't give you much confidence. It's a very light cage at 20g and nicely made from carbon we'll grant you, but a few more layers of carbon to give the cage extra beef and eradicate the flimsiness wouldn't go amiss.

Which is all a shame because it's a very nice looking bike with a sharp design and fetching white decals that paired nicely with the bike I tested it on. It is very light though which might be enough for some, but I personally prefer one that's easier to use and isn't quite so flimsy.

Verdict

A nice looking cage and fine if you don't use it to carry bottles, but it fails at its only job.