Lowering Down Tube Mounts

[lothian]

Why are mounts on the down tube so high.
Why aren't there multiple mount points along the length of the down/seat tubes.
Does an adapter widget exist that fastens to the existing mount points that effectively offers lower adjustable mount points along the tube? 
Those first two questions are mostly rhetorical.

This is the existing, less-than-ideal placement:
   

This is the preferred placement:
   

Multiple mounting options. Perfect.
   

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Mounts along the top tube want to run the style of brake included with the bike the most proficiently.

When your brake is a side pull caliper, or cantilever, or V brake, the line wants to run as linear as possible, to provide the most direct path of motion.

The most you can do in most cases is drill out the mounts and slip the cable through them entirely; if you really have a problem with the exposed cable. The reason for this mount style is because it makes pretension for the brakes easier dealing with the small amount of cable housing that connects from the brake to the closest rear mount—and then the lever with the closest front mount. This pretension is what enables the brake to engage proficiently.

When dealing with the whole cable, it can complicate the process of cutting the housing to the proper length for proficient brake engagement.

Hope this helps.

[Sybian]

(09-03-2023, 04:10 PM)lothian Wrote:  Why are mounts on the down tube so high.
Why aren't there multiple mount points along the length of the down/seat tubes.
Does an adapter widget exist that fastens to the existing mount points that effectively offers lower adjustable mount points along the tube? 
Those first two questions are mostly rhetorical.

You can find clamp-on cages for bottles, but they arr primarily made for earlier steel/round tube framed bikes from the 80s and earlier. Not sure if you can find clamp-on cages for shaped tubing without custom fabricating some or using zip-ties to strap on a bolt-on cage.

(09-03-2023, 10:35 PM)ReapThaWhirlwind Wrote:  Mounts along the top tube want to run the style of brake included with the bike the most proficiently.

When your brake is a side pull caliper, or cantilever, or V brake, the line wants to run as linear as possible, to provide the most direct path of motion.

The most you can do in most cases is drill out the mounts and slip the cable through them entirely; if you really have a problem with the exposed cable. The reason for this mount style is because it makes pretension for the brakes easier dealing with the small amount of cable housing that connects from the brake to the closest rear mount—and then the lever with the closest front mount. This pretension is what enables the brake to engage proficiently.

When dealing with the whole cable, it can complicate the process of cutting the housing to the proper length for proficient brake engagement.

Hope this helps.

I believe the OP is specifically referring to having extra mounts available on the down and seat tubes for bottle cages or other accessories.

[ichitan]

The way the existing mount points are, you can have two drink bottles.

With your preferred location, you can only have one drink bottle.

I have mounted bottle cages in places where there are no mount points, using hose clamps. It is probably only realistic with certain types of bottle cages, and you need to be creative.

You could put the top screw of your bottle cage in the bottom mount point. That will be close to where you want it. Then you need some way of securing the bottom. You may need a different bottle cage.

By the way, you cant have mount points higher on the seat tube, as it will prevent you from lowering the seat.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Okay, yeah. Maybe I misunderstood.

I could supplement here that the higher mounts would be inclined towards things like locks or airpumps and keeping them away from the thigh rotation (by mounting them higher on the downtube). Also storage packs (for actual trekking and bike packing).

[SPINMAN]

I agree. There are clamp-on brackets. There should be three points of contact to make it higher or lower

[meamoantonio]

(09-03-2023, 04:10 PM)lothian Wrote:  Why are mounts on the down tube so high.
Why aren't there multiple mount points along the length of the down/seat tubes.
Does an adapter widget exist that fastens to the existing mount points that effectively offers lower adjustable mount points along the tube? 
Those first two questions are mostly rhetorical.

This is the existing, less-than-ideal placement:


This is the preferred placement:


Multiple mounting options. Perfect.

You can have your local machine shop put new mounts for you if you need it, as for the multiple mounts right of the box, these bikes are actually available today on gravel and touring builds, these bikes are used to bike long distances with camping gear so they obviously need alot more mounts, in your case, this looks like a Trek Marlin from the 2010's, typically Mountain bikers from that era dont usually need multiple bottle cages and they use a hydropack/camelbak bladder worn as a backpack for their hydration needs so bike manufacturers didnt see the need to put multiple mounts at the time.

Hope this helps!