The Elite Custom Race X resin cage offers great performance at a sensible price. Made from a fibreglass-reinforced resin composite, it’s light and durable, and provides a firm, rattle-free hold on bottles while still allowing easy insertion and removal.
Elite has long been a market leader in bottle and cage design, supplying professional teams for decades. The Custom Race X is the latest and lightest evolution in the Custom Race series, weighing 35 per cent less than the previous model at 30g. For a resin cage, this is light, while still offering a robust feel.
The fibreglass-reinforced resin is designed to withstand tough riding conditions and offer weather resistance. Design updates including a lowered side profile and extended front section, making it easier to insert bottles on compact frames or while riding.
Bottles fit in with a positive click, and stay firmly in place yet remain easy to remove while riding. Standard 74mm bottles fit well, and I tried three different bottles without any problems.
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Visually, the Custom Race X has a sleek aesthetic that goes well with modern carbon bikes, and with 10 colour choices, most riders will find a good match for their setup.
At £14.99, it’s a fair price – more expensive than the heavier £9.99 Elite Ala Resin cage, yet more affordable than the £28.99 Elite Vico carbon cage.
Overall, the Elite Custom Race X is excellent: a secure and lightweight cage that balances performance and value well.
Verdict
Excellent secure and lightweight bottle cage at a good price
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Elite Custom Race X resin 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?
Elite says: “The Custom Race X is the latest evolution in Elite’s iconic Custom Race bottle cage series. Weighing just 28.5 g, it is 35% lighter than its predecessor.
“Designed with a lowered profile to facilitate side bottle insertion on mountain bikes and gravel bikes with compact main triangles, the new design also ensures a solid grip at the base of the bottle, eliminating vibrations during rides.
“The elongated front area improves bottle adaptability, making it easier and more convenient to insert the bottle while riding.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product
Elite claims a weight of 28.5g (ours was 30g)
Diameter 74mm
Material Fibreglass
Lowered profile
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It performs its job well, giving a reassuring click as the bottle slots in, holding it securely without any rattling, yet still allowing easy removal when you need a drink.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The reassuring click down and lots of colour choices!
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing really.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It’s a typical price for a high-quality plastic cage; there are heavier options available for under a tenner but also more expensive carbon options for around the £30 mark.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It’s excellent: a secure and lightweight bottle cage that balances performance and value, offering a good alternative to a carbon cage.
About the tester
Age: 25 Height: 175 Weight: 64
I usually ride: specialised tarmac sl6 My best bike is:
I’ve been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,
