www.arundelbike.com

 

Arundel Bicycle Company LLC was formed in 2000 after returning from a trip to the Milan bike show. Although the Italian show had a great selection of very cool bikes and parts, we left there with the idea that we should design and make our own stuff rather than buying and selling someone else's stuff. Our first product, the Dave-O carbon cage was drawn on paper while on the air flight back to Texas. It was David's idea, so against his wishes we named it the Dave-O (his nickname). The first 500 were made by Dave-O personally here in Fort Worth, in our buddy's carbon plant. He let us loose in his shop, working along side the parts for the Space Shuttle and the Joint Strike Fighter. Of the first 500, we lost money on every one. Dave-O joked that each one was "like a little black snowflake; perfect yet different". By then it had occurred to us that we weren't so good at manufacturing a lot of them and that we needed help. Through an old industry friend, we were introduced to a guy who now makes our cages. Dave-O was good but this guy is better. Not to mention, we can sell a cage for less than USD 129.95.

The goal of the Arundel Bike Company (as grandiose as it is.) is simple: come up with some cool bike equipment that people want to buy.

 

"DAVE-O"

Gloss Carbon
Blue Decal
Matt Carbon
Silver Decal
Gloss Carbon
Yellow Decal
Gloss Carbon
Red Decal
Gloss Carbon
Silver Decal
Shiny Carbon
Black Decal
Matt White Carbon
Silver Decal
Gloss White Carbon

It's doubtful that we were the first guys to think of making a bottle cage out of carbon fiber but we have been at it longer than most. As simple as they look, carbon bottle cages aren't that easy to make and they cost a lot of money. If we could figure out a way to spit 'em out like candy from Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory, we would!

Each cage is made in a compression mold. Layers of fabric are placed in the mold by hand, the mold then goes to the press where it is subjected to temperatures around 250 degrees and pressures close to 1000 psi. Not a healthy environment to grow up in, unless you are growing up to be a top quality carbon fiber water bottle cage. When you plunk down your money for one of our objects d' art, you can rest easy knowing that the latest in quality control and manufacturing techniques are implemented to produce one hell of a cage.

These cages weigh in at 30 grams, and so far have proven to be quite strong, given the fact that they are extremely lightweight. Some of our early test cages were in the 18-22 gram range but the bottles weren't always secure. Our main design parameter was to choose a design that was not only light and durable, but would prevent the bottles from "ejecting" out of the cage, since there is nothing more frustrating than losing contact with the bunch just to retrieve an errant water bottle.

We, along with some pros, have been testing our cages since October of 2000 and have made countless modifications and improvements along the way. Before we sold the first cage to a paying customer we made sure we had a great product. You can use these off road or on, big bottles or regular, your choice. They hold the bottles really well!

In 2004 we added extra colors. The cage itself remains unchanged but the mounting boss decal is available in the original red plus for '04, silver, blue, and yellow. It is a simple accent but when you want your bike to be perfect, it is best to not overlook the details. The Dave-O is also available in a matte finish. So, you get the security and style of an Arundel cage yet it won't detract from some of today's less exotic paint schemes.

Weight: 30 grams.

 

"TRIDENT"

 Gloss Carbon
- Front View -
 Gloss Carbon
- Side View -

The Trident was released for sale in 2004 after two years of testing and modification. It utilizes the same construction methods as the Dave-O, yet the two arm design cradles the bottle differently than the Dave-O. These wider, lower arms appeal to riders who grip the bottle by the waist as opposed to the neck. We don't believe there is a "right way" to grab a water bottle, by the way. Dropping the thing though - that's bad. We've figured that much out.

Weight: 30 grams.

 

"SIDELOADER & LEFT SIDELOADER"

Gloss Carbon
Red Decal
Gloss Carbon
Silver Decal

Our side loading cage utilizes the same manufacturing processes as our other cages, therefore the quality is up to our high standard. Instead of building this cage to be all things to all people we concluded a specific, one piece shape works best. We could have made it a "flip-flop" or a "reversible" design with two or three pieces, so one could mount it right or left, down tube or seat tube.

But, we didn't think instructions should be required reading to use a water bottle cage. Our Sideloader doesn't need to do everything. It just needs to work great on the seat tube of a smaller or a compact frame. And it does. We keep getting back to a basic tenet of Arundel; keep it simple.

The Sideloader is really a ¾ loader, since it's easier to holster the bottle that way. Try it and you'll see. Our Sideloader also comes with a longer spine channel with additional mounting holes, in order to fit as many brands and sizes of frames as we can. Just because your frame is small doesn't mean you have to have a goofy-looking cage. To this end, we spent many hours refining our Sideloader to blend with our Dave-O design. 30 grams. Arundel logo comes in red, pink or silver.

Newly added is the Left-Sideloader. Looks similar but the opening is on the other side. Suitable for left-hander (cage on seat-tube) or right-hander (cage on down-tube - small frames)

Weight: 30 grams.

Gloss Carbon
Pink Decal
Gloss Carbon
Red Decal

 

CRONO

CRONO
Bottle + Carbon Cage

Special bottles and cages for use on Time Trial bikes were all the rage in the early 1980's. The two largest component makers offered these bottles and cages for a time. As road bike sales declined with the advent of mountain bikes, so did special equipment for such specific road events. Times have changed.

The Chrono bottle and cage combo is specifically shaped for races against the clock, including triathlon. The odd shape pays special attention to the mechanics of releasing and inserting the bottle in the cage. The cage and bottle mate together in a positive snap. The countersunk surfaces on the bottle form a seamless interface with the cage. The bottle flows in a natural route in and out of the cage enabling the rider to spend less time getting a drink. The cap on the bottle is an industry standard with a mouth wide enough to use ice cubes or sports drink powder. Our logo serves to improve the grip.

We are confident our Arundel Chrono strikes a keen balance between a slippery aero shape and the critical issue of usability. The bottle is offered in white with a black cap

 

STAINLESS STEEL CAGE

STAINLESS STEEL

The original Arundel Dave-O design is now available in stainless steel. The polished finish and stamped spine adds class to any bike. It still holds the bottles securely as Arundel cages are known to.

Weight: 58 grams.

 

SADDLE BAGS

DUAL

The Dual

The Arundel Dual seat bag is the perfect compromise between the two extremes of seat bag design. It’s bigger than a coin purse sized bag that barely has enough room for a “superlight” tube, yet it’s smaller than the carry-all sized bag that wouldn’t fit in the overhead bin of a commercial airliner. The Dual is small enough to nestle under a seat without scraping against your thigh, yet it’s big enough to hold two 700C tubes and two CO2 cartridges, plus an inflator. So, why two sets of spares? Because you never know what’s up the road, and it’s nice to know that you’re prepared. That extra tube will make the rest of your ride that much more enjoyable knowing that you won’t have to use your cell phone if another flat occurs.

The materials that went into making a Dual seat bag are not the latest techno-fibers, and the leather patch could be called "old-fashioned". But what did go into the construction is a lot of thought. Initially, our buddies thought the embossed leather patch should face out the back so it could be seen, but that would defeat the purpose. Its job is to snuggle up against the seat clamp mechanism and protect the nylon bag from wear. So, after several years of use the leather will look pretty worn but the tubes inside the bag will still be protected and the bag won’t have holes worn in it.

The double stitched Velcro straps are simple, yet secure. When the Dual is fastened to the seat rails, the end of the strap is in just the right spot to avoid tearing up your expensive cycling shorts. The Velcro has a long enough contact patch to hold the bag securely. We’ve tested the Dual in the same rough terrain and ugly conditions as our bottle cages. No rattling, no swaying. You may even forget that it’s there until a fellow rider points out how cool your bike looks, given the matching coloured piping of your seat bag. It’s all in the details!

  • The Right Size

  • Fits Two Tubes and two gas cartridges

  • Leather Reinforced

  • Double Sewn Straps

  • Coloured Piping (red, blue, pink, yellow and grey)

TUBI

The TUBI was designed specifically for riders who prefer using tubulars than the standard clincher tires. And why leave your tubular hanging either on the rear of your saddle or in an empty bottle cage and let it be exposed to the elements? Before you know it, the tires may be unserviceable and when you need them.....

Designed and made similarly to the Dual but larger in size.

  • Slim Compact Design

  • Fits One Tubular Tire, a CO2 cartridges and a filler

  • Side pockets for key and cash

  • Double Sewn Straps

  • Coloured Piping (red, blue, pink, yellow and grey)

 

HANDLEBAR TAPE

Handlebar Tape

New to the great Arundel collection, handlebar tapes. 2 model, Cork and Gecko, comes in the standard 5 favourite colours. More information coming your way soon!

 

 

 

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