09-06-2012, 08:10 AM
My new single speed came with brazed on bosses/lugs for fenders but not a water bottle cage. So I figure... new bike... I'll drop a few $$$ for a new water bottle. At the bike shop I select a bottle and this hot alloy cage and then ask for oval clamps to mount it on the down tube. Much to my surprise, oval clamp rings don't exist or at least not at my local bike shop. I'm told that I need to mount the cage using rivet nuts. I'm shown that they're used in lieu of braze-ons on aluminum frames. Well that's fine and good for aluminum frames but my frame is double butted 520 chrome-molly steel and the down tube is oval in cross-section. The water bottle cage would be mounted in the middle of the tube where the wall is the thinnest. I'm concerned that two penetrations here would compromise the strength and lead to the frame failing. Am I being paranoid?
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