sfazio 

Hello friends, I am finishing up the restoration of my 1970 PX-10, this is the first bike I have restored without bottle cage bosses and I'm looking for some help. I spent long hours getting the paint looking as good as I could so the idea of clamps on the frame has me very uneasy. The handlebar mount below looks like a good solution, I may have to get creative with 23.5mm bars but I suspect I could get it snug with a little effort/ingenuity. Anybody have experience with these or have suggestions on a better option? I would love to go vintage but the price tag so far has been more than I want to spend.

Rkopec

I haven't used that, however, I would go for it. You may end up with a very old school look (from a distance) once the bottle is in there.

bikemig 

Handlebar mount is a classic place for water bottles. The alternative is to carry water on you in a camelbak; not very period correct but effective.

noobinsf 

Behind the saddle is another non-frame mounting spot, either with a saddle bag or a bottle cage by itself. Many options out there depending on how much room you have to work with (e.g. seat post length). Beautiful bike btw.

Schweinhund

check out the 17 dollar one, looks pretty useful
https://www.amazon.com/Kbrotech-Adju.../dp/B07KC33SP7

rjhammett

I used something similar on a PX-10 I once owned and I created a different type of holder for my Holdsworth. I like the one on the Holdsworth better.

sfazio 

I've never been a fan of behind the saddle bottles--I suppose I would get accustomed to it but I don't like the look and it is super awkward for me to reach back for them. Thanks for the kudos on the bike, I have put a lot of time into it and I'm really happy with how it is coming together.

sfazio 

I do like the camelback for hotter/longer rides, you are correct that it doesn't look right but it's sure nice to have that much water on hand when you need it.

sfazio 

Agreed--I like the two bottle option on the mount just not the color. I'm going to put black tape on the bars so it might blend better than I think, I just naturally gravitate toward the shiny parts!

sfazio 

That PX-10 is stunning, the black cage looks good against the tape as well. Your Holdsworth looks flawless--is that original paint?? I bought my first English bike last month (Raleigh Competition) and I'm eager to get to work on it.

ehcoplex 

Aesthetics, of course, are a personal preference, but I will say that one does get used to the behind-the-saddle water bottle mounts- enough that I now actually find DT-mounted bottles kind of awkward.

ehcoplex 

That Holdsworth is pretty stunning! I've got a stripped '79 Pro I've been debating about how to finish. It had been (badly) repainted black, over what appears to have been a sort of aqua color, but your's is a damn good argument to go for the iconic orange....

3alarmer 

...I use bar mounted water bottles on many bicycles, and they work well for me. But I always replace the original bar on these older PX-10's with something with a reinforcing sleeve in the center ( usually Asian), because I broke a bar once while riding, and it frightened me. But then you also need to replace the stem with something that fits those bars, so it gets away from the all original look, if that's your objective. Some of the original stems on these are a little bit iffy as well. But you might be a lighter rider than me, so less of a concern.

sfazio 

Beautiful bike--that's a great looking setup.

OTS 

@ehcoplex it has probably been asked before but.....please can you share what behind-the-seat bottle holder mount that is? Does it include the cage?
thanks,
Rick

Bianchigirll 

I agree with everyone else I'd mount it on the bars, you don't want to damage that beautiful paint you worked so hard on




It took a bit of getting used to but now I'm digging the old school look of the handlebar mount. This pic is staged to some extent, I don't recall ever actually "rolling" a tubular tyre. Funny thing is I had a front flat to closer to the house and went back and grabbed this 'spare' with an ancient tyre on it and popped shortly afterwards. It was a great ride after fixing swapping out this tyre

This is an older Minoura single mount that I turned into a double with a goofy adapter I found on the amazon. The Gu bottle has my spare tube and patch kit.


I just got two similar clamps from the Amazon, they came with the cages. I couldn't really figure out a use for these so I started goofing around a bit.*




Just incase I run across some crackers I attached a magnet to the clamp


You never know when you'll encounter some fish and chips or chicken fingers and tater tots!


*THE CLAMP WAS REMOVED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PICS WERE TAKEN

top506

I started with a Minoura single bottle mount, a couple of V/O cages, and some Al bar stock:




Looks OK as-is, but one of these cold winter nights I'll strip the black anodizing from the mount and polish it.

Top

ehcoplex 

The mount is Minoura. I had to bend it a wee bit so the bottles were a little more upright- how they angle probably depends a bit on the saddle rails. The cages are King Iris. The cage shape makes it easier to put the bottle in 'blind'. The King cages are pretty secure (much more than the VO 'Moderniste' cages I also tried), but when I'm riding on gravel/rough stuff I loop a small bungee over the nozzle to make sure the bottle doesn't bounce out (probably wouldn't be an issue with plastic bottles). Also a kind of convenient/unobtrusive spot to mount my pump.

daverup 

I've got a Minoura BH-60 with the Velo Orange retro bottle cage. I don't notice the BH-60 color much.

jamesdak 

I'll offer a different solutions that I've used on several bikes without any paint damage.

It revolves around these clamps from Velo Orange.

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...tle-cage-clamp

My method is to line the inside of both the clamps and the mounting tabs of the bottle cage with a thick rubber tape I have. The tape helps hold everything in place with minimal clamp pressure on the tubes so no paint damage or accidental crimping of the steel tube. These strap clamps are flexible and shape conforming so the added thickness of the tape has cause me any problems yet.

This setup on the Guv' nor. I actually did have to remove and move the cage slightly on this one after about a year and there was absolutely no mark on the frame from it being mounted.



I've used this method on several bikes over the years. It can have drawbacks though as in this current use on the Bianchi. The clamps cover the decals and that may bother many folks.



On a bike like the Bianchi I may use thin strips of a color matching electrical tape with the adhesive side against the clamps. I never put the sticky side against paint or decals although if the decals are under clear coat it really shouldn't matter.

My Peugeot came with a rubber lined clamp mount of a different sort that worked great also.

tiger1964 

That's a nice-looking mount (and the bike ain't bad, either ). As for location, on a bicycle, all of the real estate is limited, and thus valuable. On the handlebars means you might be crowding in with a bike computer, or a handlebar bag... or your hands. Under the seat means no seat bag, or spare (tubular?) tire. Thus I still prefer the frame mounts, nominally, but then you might have to choose where a pump goes (especially if you want two bottles).

Have you considered a trailer?

drpaddle

Keep looking for a period-correct TA handlebar cage and Peugeot bottle. They aren't that hard to find at swapmeets and in old-guys' garages. The look is much better than the modern alternatives, and your cool PX10 deserves it.

Here's my +/- 1961 Peugeot Super Deluxe.

sfazio 

Both of your cages look perfect on that gorgeous bike. What did you put under the clamps on the frame--looks like white rubber or tape?

drpaddle

That's just cloth handlebar tape under the downtube bottle clips on the Peugeot. The paint is original and in good shape, so peeling the tape off later won't be a problem. The approach won't work over decals, of course. I use handlebar mounts alone if a downtube cage would threaten decals. Here is my 1960 Paramount with TA cage on the bars.

Mr. Spadoni 

You don’t actually have to put the tape on the frame. Put it on the inside of the clamp, wrap it over to the exposed side of clamp to cover the edges, and if you’re clever, trim it so very little of the tape is exposed. That way, no adhesive is in contact with paint. And if you use a thick clear tape, I have some from putting an AC in a window, it’s barely visible