Portland Design Work (PDW) is known for their whimsical bottle cage collections that can add some fun and character to any bike. In this review, we’ll be looking at the Rattlesnek Kej and the companion Rattlesnek bottle which take inspiration from rattlesnakes. Retail price on the bottle cage is $25 which includes stainless steel mounting bolts and single piece aluminum 5052 alloy construction. As with all of PDW’s cages, the Rattlesnek Kej has an elaborate design with detailed cutouts to mimic snake scales and details like eyes and rattlesnake tail. PDW also offers a $13.95 24 oz plant-based bottle from MountainFlow with matching black and gold rattle snake graphics.
The Portland Design Work Rattlesnek bottle cage combines a one piece aluminum construction with a detailed snake design.
| Retail Price | $25 (per cage) / $13.95 (per bottle) |
| Rating | 9.6/10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 58 (cage), 81 (24oz bottle) |
| Likes | + Secure hold on bottles even over rough terrain + Robust and durable aluminum construction + Clever details like snake scale cutouts and tail |
| Dislikes | – Non-color matched mounting bolts |
| Where to Buy (US) | Portland Design Works |
MOUNTING
As far as mounting the bottle cage uses a standard two bolt design with the bolting area recessed in. Unfortunately, PDW does not include color matching bolts which means the stainless steel isn’t a perfect match to the cages. PDW does use darker bolts than their other cages which helps it blend in with the darker desert gold finish. The top bolt hole has no forward or aft adjustment while the bottom bolt has a little adjustment to make installation easier. With a bottle installed on the cage the mounting hardware is hidden but you can still easily identify the snake design with the scale cutouts.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Rattlesnek Kej takes the outline of a snake and wraps the body around the bottle to hold it in place. The bottle cage is a one piece design that is cut out of a single sheet of aluminum 5052 which is quite thick at almost 1/16” inch. That means there are no weld marks or seams on the bottle cage which gives it a sleek appearance. This is also a side-entry bottle which has either left or right-side cutouts to make it easier to insert or remove a bottle at an angle. Side entry bottle cages are perfect for those with smaller frames as you don’t need as much space to maneuver the bottle. Note, if you do buy two cages remember to buy one of each style otherwise you’ll end up with a mixed right and left entry cage when you install the bike cages on your downtube and seat post.
Portland Design Works offers the Rattlesnek Kej in two different colors: black and desert gold. We have the desert gold color in this review which has a beautiful metallic gold color that changes colors depending on how the light hits it. This cage is also arguably one of the most complicated that PDW offers as it has numerous diamond shaped cutouts that mimic a snake’s scales along the body and numerous gaps along the sides where the snake wraps around and overlaps. The bottle is primarily held in place by the body of the snake which compresses the bottle while the tail is bent 90 degrees to prevent the bottle from sliding through. Unlike most cycling bottle cages which have a retention tab on the top of the cage that fits into the corresponding grip ring on water bottles, the Rattlesnek Kej has a flat design. This is actually intentional as PDW found that the tab would make the cage difficult to use with non-cycling specific bottles
RATTLESNEK BOTTLE
As with many of the bottle cages, PDW also creates a matching water bottle to pair it with the Rattlesnek Kej. In this case, the Rattlesnek 24oz bottle is the perfect companion to the Rattlesnek Kej bottle cage. The design of the bottle matches the snake motif with a black background and gold snake graphic running along the bottom. There are also geometric triangles along the top half of the bottle where the Portland Design Works logo would typically be placed. The bottle is produced by MountainFlow and is plant-based as it’s constructed from 70% corn and 30% LDPE (low density polyethylene). The cap is a standard pull/push style cap that locks into place by pushing it down.
ON THE BIKE
With its black and gold color scheme, the Rattlesnek cage was a perfect match for our black Priority Ace of Spades bike. Installation was quick and easy with the supplied bolts with the bottle cage of a secure grip on bottles. Out of the box, the metal cage is almost too tight but stretches out a bit with use or a little force. Even without the retention tab, riding over rough terrain the bottle always stayed in place. We appreciated the side-entry design which makes it easy to install and remove the bottle at an angle. The rattle snake details are also impressive with the gold finish sparkling in the sun. Even though you cant see the rattle snake head and details when a bottle is installed in the cage, the bottle cage still looks great. As with the PDW Otter, Sparrow, Very Good Dog, and Lucky Cat cages, the Rattlesnek is a great way to personalize a bike and add a bit of fun.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Portland Design Works Rattlesnek cage and matching bottle to be well made and fun products. PDW has taken a single piece of aluminum and created a highly intricate rattle snake design complete with head, tail and scale detailing cut directly out of it. The desert gold finish is also uniform with a premium appearance that sparkles in the sun. Although the metal cage is heavier than carbon fiber or fiberglass options, the detailed design and firm grip on bottles makes it a great upgrade. We also liked the matching MountainFlow bottle which has similar graphic designs and pairs well with the cage. As far as negatives, the only complaint we have is that the included mounting bolts are not color matched. That said, if you’re a fan of snakes or just want to add some fun to your bike then the PDW Rattlesnek cage and bottle are fun upgrades.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Portland Design Works. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.