Vincero Design Stratus20 bottle/mount system

'If it ain't broke, don't fix it', right? Well the Vincero Design Stratus20 bottle/mount system thinks it can improve on the traditional model with a cageless magnetic system. It certainly makes for a nice party trick at the cafe stop, but is it really a better option?

You get an idea of the design from the photos but a simple male (bike) and female (bottle), slot and groove connection is held in place by two magnets - about the size of a 1p coin - in the bottle and mount recesses. If you're sitting there with your pessimist hat on, take it off, these little magnets are hugely powerful; installing the mount, my allen key kept sticking to it on each tighten and I often had to separate pots and pans from the bottle in my drainer.

The true test of the magnets' strength though is when riding and I can say they are up to the job. Not once did I lose the bottle or even have it rattle - the slot is designed such that the magnet pulls into a triangle, preventing a loose fitting. I also tested it on my mountain bike with equally impressive results: even on the rockiest of descents, I didn't notice the bottle until I got to the bottom to find it was still there.

Reaching for the bottle is much easier than one in a cage: because it isn't clamped, you can pull the bottle away in any direction. Replacing it is even easier: simply hover in the general direction of the mount, the magnets attract and guide it in; you don't even have to look down.

To help soften the £33.99 RRP, a Camelbak style 'medical grade' silicone valve is included in the bottle. I haven't used one of these for a while but it works well and should mean the bottle will last longer since the valve isn't becoming chewed up (the valve doesn't require opening and closing, just suck). They are a bit harder to clean but thankfully, the 'stratus' bottles can go in the dishwasher - just keep them on the top shelf with the temperature low.

On test was a 591ml (20oz) and a 710ml (24oz) is also available. This bring us to one of the obvious disadvantages of the system - you have to use one of Vincero's bottles. The bottles themselves are good, priced at around £7, but aren't going to be as easy to come by as normal ones. If you lose one on a tour or something, you probably need to buy a cage along with a new bottle.

Kitting your bike out with the mounts is £65, and if Vincero change their design or go out of business, they'd become useless. Whilst £65 sounds a lot for bottle cages, remember that a lot of carbon cages go for £40 or more, so for a neat system it isn't bad value.

And a neat system it is. The beauty is that the mounts are barely visible so the clean lines of a bike aren't ruined. What's more, it's an unobtrusive option for those who like a second bottle for long rides but don't need one every day.

Verdict

Impressive magnetic design with clean lines, easy removal and an excellent valve.