Salsa NickLess Cage bottle cage

Salsa’s Nick Less is an undoubtedly elegant stainless steel cage with excellent detailing and secure purchase of most trade type bottles. While arguably a tasty accompaniment to classic steel framesets and those fussy about keeping their bottles blemish-free, objectively £17 buys two nice aluminium examples and bikes on calorie-controlled diets can have two carbon varients for the same weight.

So called because it leaves bottles free of unsightly blemishes (and allegedly in homage to actor Nicholas Cage) construction and attention to detail are to Salsa’s usual high standards with sturdy rods, smooth welds all superbly finished. This latter attribute makes it an equally good proposition for classier winter and audax bikes.

Bottle retention is excellent passing my bridle path test with flying colours and lends itself well to carrying the sort of bottle batteries commonly used to power performance lighting systems. By the same token, this precludes quick draws of the sort demanded in the heat of competition, requiring a firm grip-especially with the nick-less positioned on the seat-tube or behind the saddle as in the Holdsworth’s case, so not overly practical for middle distance time trialists. Salsa claim the design unique but aside from beefier rods, it shares remarkable similarity with the dainty Nitto nestling beside it in the photo.

In a style contest, there’s no question the Nick Less wins hands down without involuntarily ejecting bottles when riding over the roughest roads and trails. However, racers and the cost conscious are better served by carbon and aluminium types respectively.

Verdict

Sturdy and extremely elegant cage for your best bike