Bottle Cages

Josh Ross

We take a look at Wassertrager 2.0 & Silca Sicuro Bottle Cages

Everybody likes a bit of bike bling. It’s not always necessary, but it looks good. Here we take a look at two bottle cages that will add a little something extra to your ride.

Most of the articles I write are inherently about trying to solve a problem. I generally try to find ways to smooth the rough edges in the mechanics of all the training and riding, but sometimes, it’s worth doing something because it brings joy and for no other reason. Every bike shop has bottle cages for around $10 that weigh about 60 grams and work just fine. They even look pretty decent.

Sometimes, though, those of us who really enjoy our bikes like to add a bit of a splash to a frame. There’s no good reason for this, no matter what you might tell yourself, but that doesn’t make it any less valid. An excellent way to add a little something extra is with a very premium bottle cage, and if you are in the market, the Silca Sicuro titanium bottle cage and the Tune Wassertrager 2.0 carbon cage are as premium as they come.  

Tune aren’t a well known company in the US. While they appear in many a discussion online, they’re unlikely to be sitting on the shelf at the local bike shop. So, if you aren’t familiar with them, let me give you a little bit of context. They are a company that makes a $220 carbon fibre coffee mug. That’s a bold move and to me at least, it’s a signifier of just the kind of crazy they are, the best kind of crazy!

Saying they know carbon fibre is an understatement, and the Wassertrager 2.0 delivers exactly what you’d expect. At 9 grams, you can barely feel it in your hand. Just for some context, a US dollar bill weighs 1 gram, so a stack of ten dollar bills is heavier than what Tune has created. Despite the ultra low weight, it’s a sturdy piece of equipment and even with the very thin pieces of carbon that it’s made up of, it feels sturdy and rigid.

Speaking of crazy, it’s worth noting that despite Tune offering a very premium product, the pricing is actually very reasonable. The Tune Wassertrager 2.0 can be purchased direct from Tune for €46,90, and that actually includes a water bottle. It’s certainly more than what the offering from your local shop will be priced at, but given the level of quality and the included bottle, it’s a surprisingly low price.

If black carbon isn’t your chosen aesthetic, or if you are looking for something a little more rough and tumble, then take a look at the Silca Sicuro Titanium bottle cage. I think it’s classic profile, and slightly more portly weight of 29 grams, is more appropriate on a gravel or mountain bike. And it would seem Silca agrees as that’s how they’ve marketed it. On the Silca website, the $70 Sicuro is called out specifically for it’s retention capabilities in relation to harsh surfaces.

Personally, I doubt the Tune cage would lose a bottle on gravel, but I do know that if I were mounting a cage on the underside of the downtube – leaving it open to the potential to be hit by flying shrapnel – I’d probably feel more comfortable with the titanium construction of the Silca Sicuro vs a carbon cage. It also helps that the Silca Sicuro has elongated mounting holes. The additional variation in frame shapes on gravel and mountain frames is more likely to benefit from mounting flexibility. Plus it comes with a 25 year warranty.

I’ve spent over 12,000 miles getting along with the Tune Wassergate 2.0, and I’ve never even come close to losing a bottle. If anything, it’s been overly tight, although the most recent update to the Camelbak Podium bottles has solved that challenge for me, and for anyone using a standard bottle, or the bottles Tune supplies, that has likely never been an issue. The Silca Sicuro has been with me for substantially less time, but over 300 miles of gravel, it’s been equally secure.

The bottom line is that whatever aesthetic speaks to you, the quality and performance is there. You might not actually need a bottle cage like these, but that’s okay. We ride bikes because we love them, and there’s sometimes it’s worth just going ahead and treating yourself. The Tune Wassertrager 2.0 or the Silca Sicuro are just the finishing touch your fancy new frame deserves.

Wassertrager 2.0

Silca Sicuro Titanium Bottle Cage