droppedandlost 

C&V review of the B-RAD4 bottle mount from Wolftooth Components

Short answer: doesn't work with downtube shifters or smaller frames

Carrying enough water for longer rides is always an issue, especially for older bikes with one set of bosses (or none). From here on I'm just going to call this thing Brad. Brad(s) are designed to make your bottle bosses hold more stuff and come in different sizes. I am specifically looking at the largest size, which can hold two bottle cages in line, and how it fits on vintage road bikes. There are several accessories like straps and tool rolls as well. Obviously this won't be period correct, but we've got a lot of bikes that are workhorses too.

The 62cm lab rat:


Multiple slots let you adjust the position, but in this case only the bottom slots will allow you to get both bottles in without hitting the seat tube.


2 cages and bottles (21oz?). Here you can see the small gap at the top end. Brad comes with an adhesive backed foam pad and zip ties for the upper end. With the weight of a full bottle it would definitely rattle on the frame. Problem #1 : My bikes are far too vain to wear a zip tie. Maybe a nice clamp on bottle boss would work. Also notice the proximity to the shifter boss mounts. Problem #2 : DT shifters will hit the upper bottle.


Standard cages make it difficult to get the lower bottle out even with the upper bottle removed. The answer is side load cages. Works great, problem solved.


Here is the same setup on a 58cm frame. I think it would still be ok on a 56, but 54 and smaller would likely be too tight.


I think Brad is a decent solution for brifters and bar-ends. I'm going to try it with just the foam pad and see if it stays put. In the future I might try a couple clamp on mounts and put one on a seat tube, such as my Allegro with no bosses.

scarlson 

I've been wondering how something like this would work on my C&V tandems, all of which either have large frames, but are equipped with one or zero water bottle mounts.

Here's another alternative, the Tallac double decker cage, which I'm morbidly curious about.

thinktubes 

Here's what I'm using. The under seat option probably won't work for most. Really liking the 38oz. Soma bottle.

Total capacity = 62 oz. I looked at the dual cage, but it's pricey and I wasn't convinced it would hold up.

droppedandlost 

Forgot to mention: Brad comes with a bunch of stubby screws so you don't run them into the frame. However, they are Torx. Why? Why would they do that?

pastorbobnlnh 

Cool system. Hats off for Wolf Tooth for developing this system. For the curious, click here:

B-RAD 4 System

natterberry 

I thought about trying their side by side system. We’ll see.

merziac

I have had zero problems with these for about 5 years, I think their great, loaded with speaker, tool bottles and water bottles.

There are 2 different kinds, the other is more conventional with a little adjustment, also work great for me.

polymorphself 

I always thought the simple metal clamps that were used in the 70s and prior were the nicest option, even for 80's bikes.

merziac

See post #7 , I've had zero problems on multiple bikes and lots of loads over 5 years, very solid and well made imo.

merziac

And there are these that could be ok from King Cage.

smontanaro 

For whatever reason, that link didn't work. Google got me to their site, though I didn't see anything which looked like a double cage or a system for doubling up cages. Can you point to a specific product?

Kabuki12

This thread is making me thirsty!

merziac

Sorry Skip, that was just for clamps that add bottles bosses when there are none, they will do a number on the paint so need to be insulated.

I was going to paint them as well once installed, definitely not elegant but seem very well made so....

kingston 

Not C&V, but I've been running the B-Rad 4 with the double bottle mount for long rides through the corona desert this season. Rode a 300k with no stops and a 400k with one stop on this 5 bottle setup earlier this year. Planning to use it again on a 1,200k next month.

merziac

Looks like a great setup but my knees/legs would be banging them no matter where they are mounted, they bang on single mounted ones if the bottle is even crooked in the holder.

kingston 

With normal in-the-saddle pedaling the double-bottles are high enough that they never interfere with my knees. I do need to be a little careful when I get out-of-the-saddle, but it's not as bad as it looks like it would be.

droppedandlost 

Are you using the foam pad and zip tie on the upper end? Any issues? If possible, I'd love to see a close up of the double mount without bottles.

merziac

No worries, I get it, with a 38 inseam my legs are very long and flail all over the place so it can be annoying.

kingston 

I didn't use the foam that came with the B-Rad. I used a little piece of high-density foam floor runner that I originally bought to use for mudflaps on another bike because I wanted the pad to be a little longer than the foam piece that came with it. I wrapped the frame with strips of inner-tube and secured it with electrical tape and some zip ties I had lying around. The zip ties that came with the B-Rad would be better because they lie flatter, but the ones I used for the test-fit don't interfere with the double bottle adapter so I haven't replaced them.