Blackburn Wayside bottle cage review

If you’re after a bombproof bottle cage then the Blackburn Wayside (RRP £14.99) could be what you’re seeking. I’m not sure what variety of plastic it’s made from but it seems very similar to tyre levers to me and we all know what abuse they have to deal with. To back up my suspicions Blackburn provides a lifetime warranty. 

Blackburn Wayside: construction

The Blackburn Wayside cage has a couple of other interesting features up its sleeve, namely that you can insert a bottle from the side. In practice this means a 45-degree entry angle and the bottle rotates into the cage arms. 

The other feature is that you can turn the cage separately to the boss plate to make it a left-handed or a right-handed entry, as preferred. The side insertion will be especially useful to those with suspension components that reduce the available space for a bottle, or those with small frames. My daughter has a 20in wheel bike and although it has bottle bosses we couldn’t fit a cage and then insert even a 500ml bottle. We can now!

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Rider's eye view

The ride

Once bolted onto my bike the Blackburn Wayside felt really secure and solid. So time to load it up with a 700ml full bottle (790g) and see how it fares against some rough Surrey lanes. In short, it was rock solid, with barely a shimmer while traversing the washboard-like undulations of my local route. This is probably due, in part, to its being designed for mountain biking. Whilst removing and inserting a bottle on the move there is a little more force required than some others, but it is by no means excessive. 

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Left handed

It is a reasonable 48g in weight (45g/48g manufacturer's/author's measurements) and is available in black and a matt red finish. There is a useful, but not amazing, 6mm of adjustment on the boss bolts to fine-tune its position on the frame.

Value and conclusion

For its versatility and robustness this cage is to be commended. The price is reasonable for its unique features. Add to your consideration list if bottle security and functionality place higher than weight. 

Specifications

• Weight: 45g/48g - manufacturer's/author's measurements
• Adjustment: 6mm
• RRP: £14.99