Re: [CR] Why do older frames have only one set of bottle bosses?

(Example: History:Norris Lockley)

From: "Andrew R Stewart" <onetenth@earthlink.net>
To: "verktyg" <verktyg@aol.com>, <billydavid13@comcast.net>, <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <1042220735.5437941272419284489.JavaMail.root@sz0035a.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net> <4BD7A057.6050003@aol.com>
In-Reply-To: <4BD7A057.6050003@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:09:12 -0400
Subject: Re: [CR] Why do older frames have only one set of bottle bosses?


I've used TA bar cages on all my road bikes since the mid 1970s. Hose clamps hold the cage tight, the stock clamps are poor. Exceptions are when touring and employing a handle bar bag.


----- Original Message -----
From: verktyg
To: billydavid13@comcast.net
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 10:41 PM
Subject: Re: [CR] Why do older frames have only one set of bottle bosses?



>I agree with Billy David. I've seen guys with 2 water bottles on the down
>tube but... if you have a pump in front of the seat tube you have to move
>both bottles about 1 1/2" up the down tube. Then there's the problem with
>getting the lower bottle in and out of the cage plus possible interference
>with the top bottle and the shift levers.
>
> In the desert Southwest during the 70s on long rides I used 1 down tube
> cage and one TA handlebar cage. In the heat of the summer I used 2 TA
> handlebar cages.
>
> Then there were the Reg "Erector Set" bar cages with all the sharp edges
> to get cut on...
>
> I've seen pictures of a lot of racing bikes from the 20s and 30s that had
> a dual handlebar mount with aluminum bottles with large corks and flex
> straws.
>
> Chas. Colerich
> Oakland, CA USA
>
>> Hi Michael, all. Not to discount what Todd said in Marc's link, here's my
>> thoughts: Prior to frame braze-ons for bottle cages you wer free to clamp
>> 'em wherever they'd fit. One or two on the handlebars was common. And
>> saddle mounted ones predate the triathelete's use of this tucked away
>> aero conscious position [although that never seems to have been common].
>> The downtube is a nice ergonomic placement for a bottle. and that's where
>> the earliest braze ons, at least for production bikes, ended up. For non
>> hose, frame fitting pumps, which were roughly contemporaneous w/ the
>> bottle cage braze-ons, the seat tube was the logical placement. When they
>> went to the 2nd set of cage b/os on the seat tube, they typically put a
>> nipple on the inside of the headtube. Personally i think this is a
>> horrible place for a pump. It tends to get knocked off easily and makes
>> carrying the bike by the top tube [as when portaging] very awkward.
>> Racers may not need a pump, but i like to have one and th
> e mini ones are pretty much useless. Billy [i also like the bar mounted
> cages] Ketchum; Chicago, IL; USA.
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "michael haddad" Subject: [CR] Why do older frames have only one
>> set of bottle bosses? I find that on-topic frames (like my 1984 Cinelli,
>> 1983 Pinarello & 1978 Masi) tend to have bottle cage bosses only on the
>> down tube. I know that 2 bottles were needed for most road races (even in
>> the 80's), so why only one set? The only thing I can think of is that the
>> braze-ons might weaken the seat tube, but then why have them on the down
>> tube? I have been curious about this and would be interested in hearing a
>> definitive answer or some good theories. Regards to all, Michael Haddad
>> Brooklyn, NY, USA
> _______________________________________________

Andrew R Stewart
Rochester, NY