With standard side-entry bottle cages you have to make sure you purchase the correction version as they are a directional design. Topeak’s Dualside Cage series are a clever solution to this issue by making the cages to be reversible. In this review, we’ll be looking at the new Dualside Cage EX which is a budget friendly addition to the Dualside product line. Retail price on the cage is only $12.95 and does not include mounting bolts. The cage is a lightweight polymer design and it is designed to work for bottles between 72 and 75mm. Topeak has designed the cage with a two piece design that makes it easy to install as a right side or left side configuration.
The Topeak Dualside Cage EX is an affordable side entry water bottle cage with a clever reversible design that lets you choose the direction.
| Retail Price | $12.95 |
| Rating | 9.5 / 10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 44 |
| Likes | + Budget friendly price + Clever reversible design to allow for left or right side entry + Attractive design with secure grip on bottles |
| Dislikes | – Only offered in black finish |
| Where to Buy (US) | Topeak |
UNBOXING
The Topeak Dualside Cage EX comes zip ties to a cardboard backing with branding and graphics printed on it. Note, Topeak does not include mounting bolts with the cage so you’ll need to reuse your existing bolts.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Topeak Dualside Cage EX has a two arm wrap-around design with a wider side and more narrow side to accommodate side-entry. To make the cage more affordable, this is constructed from what Topeak calls engineering grade polymer. Currently, Topeak only offers this cage in a black finish which has a semi-gloss black finish with gray Topeak branding on the arms. The inside of the cage has a smooth finish to allow bottles to slide in easily while the exterior has a subtle texture. If you look closely you can see the molding lines from the mold Topeak uses to create the cage. Otherwise, the Dualside Cage EX has an attractive design with sculpting around the arms that blend into a peak along the sides. The cage has nice rounded corners and a relatively thin design to help it flex around different bottle sizes.
As with most cages, the cage is compatible with bottles from 72-75 mm which accommodates standard cycling bottles. What makes the Dualside Cage EX special is that it has a two piece design with a mounting bracket and an outer portion. Topeak has designed the bottle cage with a symmetric design on the outer portion which means it can be flipped to switch the side-entry direction. Compared to Topeak’s Ninja series which used removable mounting brackets, this design feels more durable and is easy to use. However, the two-piece design does result in a slightly thicker base compared to other bottle cages. The mounting bolts are recessed with a metal backing for additional strength, but you’ll have to use your own bolts as Topeak does not include any with the cage.
ON THE ROAD
We installed the Dualside Cage EX on our Triban RC520 using our existing bottle cage bolts. The two piece design is easy to use and sit flush against each other which makes it easy to install and flip directions. With its recessed holes and reinforced design that bottle cage feels secure and rigid despite the two piece design. We were also impressed with the grip of the bottle cage on bottles like the CamelBak Podium and Polar Breakaway even over rough terrain. The smooth interior and rounded corners of the cage make it easy to slide bottles in and out of the cage even in smaller framesets.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Topeak Dualside Cage EX to be an affordable and easy to use side-entry bottle cage. Topeak has utilized a clever two-piece design that makes it easy to switch from a right side to left side side-entry direction. It’s a simple design that uses a symmetric top piece and a directional base that securely mounts to frames and has a tight grip on bottles. We were impressed with the affordable price and clean curves that Topeak has integrated into the plastic exterior. There are also nice details like a uniform textured exterior and smooth inner surface with rounded corners. The only thing we’d like to see improved would be for Topeak to include more color options. That said, the Topeak Dualside Cage EX is a budget friendly and reversible side-entry bottle cage.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Topeak. 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.