My original version of a Bidon Cage was fitted onto both Bromptons, Ralph & Robinson, & have proved to be an excellent setup (if I do say so myself!?). They were really meant as an interim solution, until Brompton released their rumoured “magnetic water bottle” or something else came along that I was happy with. One unit that I’d read about (but never encountered in Australia) was the Monkii bidon cage & Brompton stem mount adapter. The reviews were good & once seeing them with the designer, Miles, at the CycleMiles stand at BWC2013, I figured they would be a quality addition to my Brompton tweaks (or at least deserved an evaluation?).

Once back in Australia, I started to have some reservations but fitted one to Ralph anyway. My concerns were minor & there were some good points about the Monkii cage, so I just had to give them a go…

My evaluation went well for about a month & I became quite comfortable with their different operation to a standard bidon cage (ie the Monkii cage has a Velcro strap to hold it to the bidon & the cage clips onto an adapter bolted to the Brompton stem). I also found that I coped with (mostly) leaving the bidon strapped to the cage when off the bike & when using the Tardis “cup holder” (in our VW T5 Campervan). When folding Ralph, I made sure I unhooked the bidon/cage first & then clipped it back on after the handlebar was folded. (This avoided any fluid spill & accidental unclipping of the cage when the bidon was inverted with the handlebar fold.)

The turning point of the testing process came about when I needed to double-back on my ride to retrieve my bidon laying on the ground after being ejected vertically from the adapter clip through the jolt of riding up a driveway ramp! Not ideal & I could see no easy way of improving or tightening the cage clip onto the adapter lug. Sorry Miles, maybe I should have advised of my misfortune & maybe you’d already had a solution? With my version of a bidon cage having held up so well & so long – & survived all trips & travel without needing to be removed from Ralph or Robinson – it was a no-brainer to resume using it.

Refer pics of “Mr Aussie’s (non-)patented Brompton Bidon Cage” (ie 2 bits of bent alloy strip, some dense foam (with adhesive), stainless nuts & bolts, 2 O-rings & a proprietary standard cage)