Ringle bottle cages, good or bad?

jpicard616

New member
I've been building up my 97 Yo for several months now, and just scored a great deal on two almost mint purple Ringle cages. As I was mounting them (with mild frustration) I was reminded of how much I dislike actually using these cages for what they were intended. So I thought I'd make a pro's and con's list and see if anyone has anything else to say on the matter, and if I should use them or go with something else.

Pros:
Beautifully machined part
excellent color choices
light as a feather

Cons:
they're difficult to get a perfect adjustment for whatever bottle you're using
the shape makes them a pain to mount
sharp edges tear up bottle decals (not a big deal unless it's a nice old Fat City bottle)
the little "L" shaped bottle support piece isn't attached and is easily lost

It's also come to my attention that a lot early to mid 90's restorations that I see seem to feature these cages. Is that because everyone else loves these things and I'm missing something, or are they just a cool high end part that looks good on show bikes?
 

colker

Well-known member
I've been building up my 97 Yo for several months now, and just scored a great deal on two almost mint purple Ringle cages. As I was mounting them (with mild frustration) I was reminded of how much I dislike actually using these cages for what they were intended. So I thought I'd make a pro's and con's list and see if anyone has anything else to say on the matter, and if I should use them or go with something else.

Pros:
Beautifully machined part
excellent color choices
light as a feather

Cons:
they're difficult to get a perfect adjustment for whatever bottle you're using
the shape makes them a pain to mount
sharp edges tear up bottle decals (not a big deal unless it's a nice old Fat City bottle)
the little "L" shaped bottle support piece isn't attached and is easily lost

It's also come to my attention that a lot early to mid 90's restorations that I see seem to feature these cages. Is that because everyone else loves these things and I'm missing something, or are they just a cool high end part that looks good on show bikes?

King ti or steel cages beat them 24/7
 

Jeeves

New member
They are mainlyeye candy, IMO. They also dent easily. :) However, they do add a little something to an 80's bling build.

The only time I found a functional reason to use the Ringle cage was when I hung a cage mount off the back of my saddle on a bike that had no bottle mounts. Since the bottle was tilted in line with the seat rails, a normal cage couldn't hold a bottle that well and the full circle on the Ringle cage was the best thing I could find. It actually DID ruin the Fat City bottle that came with one of my bikes - back in the day, who knew that that was a bad thing? Oh well.... :cool:
 

IF52

New member
I like them and still use the ones I have on modern bikes. The can get mangled if you aren't careful, and they take a little bit to set up so they aren't too tight. Otherwise they actually work very well and are perfect for that 90s build.
 

yo-Nate-y

Moderator
Staff member
I personally like them as well....but recognize the many drawbacks.

For a rider that gets frequent use I much prefer King cages or Minouras.
 

dan_hudson

New member
They don't just mark bottles but destroy them if used heavily. And if used, you can forget the anno finish on the inner surfaces lasting long.

A good choice for a show piece or garage queen. Would use a more standard and/or modern cage for a daily driver. Especially given how much a Ringle cage in good condition is worth!
 
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