canklecat

(Note: Typo in thread title. Should read "projecting" bolts.)

(Note: Photos added 8/17/19)



1993 Trek5900 frame had bolts/threaded studs fixed to the downtube and seat tube.


Nut secures cage to threaded studs.


White 50 Strong cage recesses are just barely wide enough to use the 8mm socket. The yellow/black Tacx, nope. I'd need to ream it out and risk weakening it.



I wanted to replace the water bottle cages on my 1993 Trek 5900 and discovered the frame has fixed bolts projecting from the downtube.

This was no problem with the inexpensive 50 Strong cages on the bike (which I also use on my '89 Ironman), but I wanted to change the color scheme and 50 Strong didn't have the color I wanted. So I ordered a Tacx Deva plastic/carbon cage but... there's not enough clearance for the 8mm socket needed to fasten the bolt. I suppose I could ream out the recesses in the Tacx but I'd rather just get something that fits. Or I might try to find a thinner 8mm socket, although it would need to be as thin as sheet metal to fit.

Without getting into silly money for $50 carbon cages, or aluminum (I already have enough aluminum cages), what else is out there? Not much of a selection locally so I'd need to order online, and it's hard to tell from some website photos whether it'll work.

TimothyH

Do you think cageless bottles would work?

https://fabric.cc/products/bottles/c...5ml-insulated/


-Tim-

spelger

neat. Did not know these existed. I don’t think I would have the patience putting the bottle back while riding.

Seattle Forrest

I had these on a previous bike. I don't remember why exactly, there was a specific reason it worked better than normal ones in my situation.

Anyway it's slightly more difficult to get the bottle back in, but if you can tie your shoes you won't have any trouble with it.

It has a distinctive look, like the bottle is floating above the frame.

TimothyH

I don't understand the fixed bolts. Do you mean studs with nuts?

I see photos of Trek 5900's with normal cages.

Is it possible someone stripped the standard bolt threads and then epoxied studs into the hole?

Even if that's the case, my questions aren't helping you to find cages.

canklecat

I should have photographed the frame before putting the bottle cage back on. I'd never seen anything like it and also wondered whether it was an aftermarket kludge. But when I checked the 1993 Trek catalog, sure nuff, it's original. The bolts are affixed to the frame. I can only guess Trek was trying to minimize weight (the 5900 was the lightest carbon road bike available at the time), or for some reason thought this was would be better than the usual threaded sockets. Dunno.

canklecat

The Fabric system looks pretty much like a review described it -- a clever solution to a non-existent problem. And I'm not sure the mount pegs would work with my Trek frame projecting threaded studs.

I might consider it with an adapter to use the bottles of my choice, but as far as I can see Fabric doesn't make adapters to use with other bottles. Sometimes on really hot rides on long days I'll take a stainless steel double insulated bottle filled with iced electrolytes. Plastic insulated Polar or Camelbak bottles don't stay cool longer than an hour or so in this heat. I'd be surprised if the Fabric insulated plastic bottles did any better.

The main concern I had with the 50 Strong cages (not at all bad for cheap plastic cages), besides the color scheme, was that the cage doesn't reliably hold the insulated large Polar bottle in the seat tube cage. The other day it nearly popped out during a group ride. One of my pet peeves is people dropping water bottles or phones during group rides -- if they can't hang onto their bottles or phones, either drop to the back before getting a drink, or get better mounts. I've already seen enough crashes caused by that carelessness. So when my own bottle nearly popped out I just about kicked my own @$$. Since then I've used twist-ties to secure the seat tube bottle to the cage, since I switch to that bottle only during breaks, or after I've dropped back so I can juggle two bottles without endangering anyone.

horatio 

There’s always the under-saddle twin bottle holders. Had a friend once tell me mine looked like “ass rockets.”

woodcraft

Still not getting the picture, nor why one cage would fit but another wouldn't.

If studs are attached to the frame, then a nut or cap nut would fasten the cage on.

File the studs down? Put washers under the new cages?

canklecat

Yeah, my initial post needed photos. I'm updating the OP to add photos.

canklecat

I see some lightweight aluminum cages on Amazon that might work. Not the color scheme I was looking for but no big deal.

Kimmo 

What you need is nuts that don't use a socket.

Like what you find on V-brake pads. I think M5 would be the right thread, too.

canklecat

Yup, that could work. I'll dig around my junk box, I think I saved the hardware from some old V-brake pads.

woodcraft

Oh, I see.

Cut slots in the nuts and use a chainring nut driver?

Grind the socket thinner?