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review

Blackburn Swerve Ti bottle cage

8
£49.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Not cheap, but a very good bottle cage that should last you for life
Weight: 
29g
Contact: 
www.madison.co.uk

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Blackburns Swerve bottle cage is a sleek, simple looking item, Blackburn say that "the new Swerve Titanium cage pushes the limits of bomber strength and feather weight". How nice can a bottle cage be?

At just 29g the Swerve certainly isn't a porker, cutting a classy, understated figure on the downtube of any bike (preferably an equally lovely titanium machine). Having ridden a fair few miles with this on my carbon roadie and also my aluminium commuter I can report back that it does do what it is supposed to, both 500ml and 750ml bottles are held securely without fuss. I even held the cage in my hand with a half empty bottle in it and shook it wildly, no chance of the bottle coming loose - which is good.

Made from aircraft grade, 5mm titanium tubing, the swerve's 25g blackburn signature figure allows easiy access to your drinks mid-ride. Another positive is that, as with all Blackburn cages, the Swerve has a life time guarantee so you know you are buying a well designed product that will be there when you need it. Not a cheap option but it really does look good along side a titanium downtube.

Any downsides? Only one that we can see, it's £50 so it'll lighten your wallet too. There are a few all-carbon affairs from the likes of Time, Tacx and Elite that are more expensive (and some high end packages that include a bottle too such as the Speedplay Nanogram) but all of those are carbon. Oh, and let's not forget Campagnolo's Record bottle cage which is more than twice the price of the Swerve. Being titanium and having a lifetime guarantee the Blackburn Swerve might be said to score over all of these in that you should never need to buy another bottle cage - so if you've got the money and a bling bike to attach it to (which would rather suggest that you do have the money) then the Blackburn starts to look like a smart choice.

Verdict

A very effective bottle cage, daft as it sounds, some are much better than others. This cage keeps drinks bottles secure, no bouncing around and doesnt look too 'try hard'. £50(rrp) is a fair bit for a bottle cage but if you have the money it is worth a look.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Blackburn Swerve Ti bottle cage

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

High quality, lightweight drinks bottle cage with a lifetime warranty. Blackburn say the combination of aircraft grade materials and their own, special design creates a reliable cage with an incredible strength to weight ratio.

They are spot on, it is extremely light and offers a tight but accessible spot to stash your drink. At £50 it is not cheap but compared to the campag record cage (or similar) it begins to look like a better deal. If I had a titanium frame I would be tempted, I dont so I wont be convinced into parting with that money, I can see why some would be though.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Did you enjoy using the product? yes, it worked well.

Would you consider buying the product? When and if I buy a sabbath sportive machine

Would you recommend the product to a friend? yes, again, if they rode ti.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 24  Height: 5ft 10  Weight: 70kg

I usually ride: felt ar4  My best bike is: i like my felt and my orbea ora tt bike equally

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, mtb, triathlon

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