Thank you, Fidlock, for attaching my water bottle to my bike

Patrick Bardelli

7.11.2023

Translation: Eva Francis

Pictures: Patrick Bardelli

It’s often the little things in life that make it enjoyable. Inconspicuous helpers – Fidlock’s water bottle holder for bikes, for example.

You’d think cycling is straightforward – two wheels attached to a metal frame that takes you from A to B. That’s it. But it’s not quite that simple. There are countless factors that make your cycling experience more or less enjoyable – or even turn it into a nightmare. One very important aspect, for instance, is the correct position on the bike:

And then there are details such as the Keego water bottles that make life in the saddle much more enjoyable:

Magnetic bottle holder

One thing that’s been bothering me for a while are those plastic bottle cages. While bike frame builders of various brands go to great lengths to develop aesthetically pleasing bikes, we mess it all up by screwing one or even more of these ugly things onto them.

It’s not only that they don’t look good, these cages are also annoying to use, as my bottles are usually slightly too large for them. As a result, it’s difficult to get the bottle out while you’re cycling – and back in after you’ve had a drink. On long tours or in hot weather, you need to drink a lot, so this happens dozens of times. That gets really annoying after a while. One solution to this problem comes from Germany, is magnetic and is called Fidlock. In addition to the bottle holder system for bikes, Fidlock offers other products for various sports and use cases.

Water bottles + Thermos flasks

CHF32.90

Fidlock Bottle 590 + bike base

0.59 l

104

One click and the bottle’s going nowhere

This system convinced me right from the start. As with other bottle cages, the Fidlock holder is attached to the frame. However, the holder’s only made of a narrow disc with two magnets. The counterpart is integrated into the water bottle. Whenever you get thirsty, just turn the bottle to the right to release it from the magnets, drink and click it back into place. That’s it. Works a treat – and the bottle holds firmly even on the bumpiest gravel road.

So far, so good. However, there’s still one problem: the water bottle itself. The water in it tastes like plastic. How do I get my beloved Keego bottle onto my bike? Fidlock has a solution for this, too. Its called Connector.

Bottle holders

CHF31.90

Fidlock Twist Uni Connector 80

8

This system allows you to attach any water bottle to your bike with a Boa fastening system, as with cycling shoes.

Conclusion: problem solved

The devil’s in the details. Once you’ve nailed the right position on the bike, you’re halfway there. But there’s more. What follows is tweaking all those details until as many as possible are right. This includes the bottle holder. For me, the Fidlock system is the perfect solution. I have nothing to add.

Patrick Bardelli

Senior Editor

Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.ch

From radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.

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