Portland Design Works (PDW) Timber to Town collection was designed to celebrate cycling from city riding to trails. In this review, we’ll be looking at the collection’s ZigZag bottle cage and companion Timber to Town water bottle. The ZigZag bottle cage retails for $35 and is a classic stainless steel tube bottle cage that is made in Japan. PDW has designed the cage using 5mm tubing with smooth bends and a nice tree cutout on the mounting surface. As with many PDW products, the ZigZag cage has a companion $11.95 22oz Timber to Town bottle with matching green design. The bottle is a Specialized Purist with the WaterGate cap for easy cleaning and high-flow.
The Portland Design Work Timber To Town collection includes a classic steel tube ZigZag cage and matching 22oz Specialized Purist bottle.
| Retail Price | $35 (cage) / $11.95 (22oz bottle) |
| Rating | 9.6 / 10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 79 (cage), 81 (22oz bottle) |
| Likes | + Secure hold on bottles even over rough terrain + Classic steel tube bottle cage design + PDW includes a nice stash bag with bottle cage |
| Dislikes | – Mounting bolts are not included with bottle cage |
| 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. PDW does not include any mounting hardware so you’ll want to re-use your existing bolts or purchase matching stainless bolts separately. The mounting bolts both have about 0.5 inch of forward and aft adjustment which lets you move the cage around on your bike for optimal placement. With a bottle installed on the cage you won’t see the Timber to Town tree detail on the mounting base but everything feels secure. The cage also has a slightly raised tab at the top that lines up with the grip ring on the bottle to ensure the bottle never slides out accidentally.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the ZigZag bottle cage has a classic steel tube design that’s constructed from 5mm stainless steel tubing. It’s a simple and elegant design that takes a single tube of steel and curves it and wraps it around. Portland Design Works only offers the cage in this raw steel finish which pairs well with any bike color combination. As a part of the Timber to Town collection, the ZigZag cage also features a nice tree detail cut into the mounting base. If you look closely you can see where the tube connects to itself on the base with a subtle line between the start and end. PDW has also smoothed out the welds between the mounting base and the edges of the tube for a premium look.
The ZigZag bottle also includes a fabric stash bag with an elastic strap opening that can be used for snacks, gear or other small items. There is an attractive grid design on the exterior of the bag along with a sewn on Timber to Town logo on the front. The bag is a nice touch that gives the Timber to Town collections more premium feel. PDW has also used smooth curves for the cage design that form half circles on each side before bending inward and along the mounting plate.
TIMBER TO TOWN BOTTLE
As with many of the bottle cages, PDW also creates a matching water bottle to pair it with. In this case, the Timber to Town 22oz bottle is the perfect companion to the ZigZag cage. The design of the bottle matches the tree motif with a nice green and dark green pattern with a bridge graphic at the center. There is also a Timber to Town logo along the side of the bottle in white along with a transparent vertical window that lets you see the water level. This bottle is actually a 22oz Specialized Purist bottle with their WaterGate cap. The WaterGate cap is one of our favorite designs which uses a pressure activated jet valve that won’t spill water if it tips over. There is also a rubber ring along the cap for additional grip and the ability to lock the nozzle by pushing the nozzle downward.
ON THE BIKE
While the Portland Design Works animal cages offer more unique and whimsical bottle cages and bottles, the Timber to Town is a more classic design. The ZigZag steel tube bottle cage has a timeless look that can pair well with any bike. We found the cage had a nice secure grip on the Timber to Town Bottle and our other cycling bottles like the Polar Breakaway. With the retention tab and wide arm design it’s easy to slide bottles in and out of the cage. As a metal cage you can also easily adjust the tension by compressing or stretching it out to adjust the fit. The companion Timber to Town 22oz bottle also paired well with the cage and has a pressure-activated nozzle for high-flow and no leaking.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Portland Design Works Timber to Town ZigZag cage and companion bottle to be well built and attractive. PDW has used a timeless steel tube design for the ZigZag cage to create a minimalist yet effective water bottle cage. We were impressed with how secure it held bottles even over rough terrain. The companion Specialized Purist bottle has an attractive green finish with tree and bridge graphics that matches the tree graphic on the cage. It’s a good looking bottle cage and bottle combination that pairs well with nearly any bike setup. The only negative we found is that the cage does not come with mounting hardware. That said, the Portland Design Works Timber To Town ZigZag cage and bottle are a nice upgrade for any bike setup.
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.