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review
2022 Silca Sicuro Black Cerakote bottle cage 8.JPG£90.00
VERDICT:
Seriously attractive, super-tough cage that will probably outlast your bike, but the £90 price tag is astronomic
Subtly good looking
Holds bottles securely
Impervious to marking
Reasonably light
Ridiculous price tag
In this black coating, less sexy than titanium
Weight:
33g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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- Quite good
- Average
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- Appalling
The Silca Sicuro Cerakote Titanium Bottle Cage is absurdly expensive, but it is a thing of beauty. If you can afford it, or you're mad, or both, then you'll be pleased to hear that you probably won't need another; this gorgeous piece will look like new forever thanks to the highly abrasion-resistant Cerakote ceramic coating.
No, your eyes do not deceive you – this is indeed a bottle cage that costs £90. I think the most I've ever paid for one is £15, and even that seemed ludicrous at the time. So, what does a lot more than most people would probably ever spend on a bottle cage get you?
Well, first of all the Sicuro cage is made from high-quality 3Al/2.5V titanium, and is hand-bent and laser welded in the USA. It's pretty light (33g on the road.cc scales, just over the claimed weight of 30g) and being titanium it's also pretty tough.
> Find your nearest dealer here
Second, it's been further beefed up courtesy of a Cerakote coating. According to Silca, it's 'the world's leading high performance ceramic coating for use in aerospace, military and biomedical applications'.
The idea behind the coating, which is a mere 1 micron thick, is to provide additional protection from abrasion – nobody wants their nice shiny titanium piping getting scuffed up by a gritty bottle, after all. It's said that by protecting the underlying surface, Cerakote also improves fatigue resistance by preventing the titanium from stress cracks.
In Silca's promotional video for the Sicuro Cerakote, it shows the cage being marked by a sharp knife. Only, the marking on the cage isn't actually a scratch, it's metal residue from the blade that's been left on the surface of the Cerakote. That's how tough it is. Once the metal is wiped away, the cage looks new again.
It's an interesting demonstration of the effectiveness of the Cerakote coating. I tried to replicate the test myself with a not-entirely-sharp Stanley blade, and indeed, it did the same thing. After inserting and removing a bottle through a couple of months' worth of grimy weather, I've not noticed a single mark on the cage.
Silca also says the cage should prevent scratching to your bottle, but I'm not totally sold on that – surely if you have some grit in between cage and bottles it'll mark the plastic when it goes in and out of the cage, Cerakote or not? After one particularly wet and muddy ride this winter, both my bottles were scratched from grit. So, there you go.
> Read more road.cc reviews of bottle cages here
Other than its protective qualities, what else is there to say about the Sicuro? It's a good looking cage, with a simple, traditional style. There are two long mounting holes, allowing you a decent amount of adjustment (21mm) if you want the cage to sit higher or lower when fitting to your frame, and Silca's logo takes pride of place just below the top mounting hole. The cage is also available in a rather fetching Copper, which I must admit does look rather good, and Ruby Red.
Bottles are very secure when placed in the cage, and I've not found that it's deformed in any way to give a less snug fit over time – unlike some alloy cages I've tried in the past, which have bent after a while.
And so to value... Alternatives for the titanium connoisseur? Silca's own Sicuro Titanium Bottle Cage (V2) costs £75, so if you don't care about the Cerakote side of things but you want the bling, you'll save £15. Still very expensive, of course.
The King Cage Bottle Holder is an almost reasonable £54.99 by comparison, and features the same classic looks.
> 23 of the best road bike upgrades under £50 – get a better bike on a budget
The Supacaz TiFly Cage, in contrast, is much more extravagant, but still somewhat attractive, and even less at £41.99.
And if you like the bling but need side entry, David tested the now-£69-a-go Arundel STR and DTR cages in 2019.
Obviously, none of these options have the protective advantage of the ceramic coating.
Conclusion
Overall, this is a very lovely cage, and the Cerakote protection does appear to work. Obviously it's an insane amount of money, and I'm not even going to try to justify the price, other than to say you'll probably never have to buy another bottle cage again (unless you want to get a second). The only possible negative I can draw, other than the price, is that the coating does diminish the visual appeal of raw titanium somewhat.
Verdict
Seriously attractive, super-tough cage that will probably outlast your bike, but the price is astronomic
road.cc test report
Make and model: Silca Sicuro Cerakote Titanium bottle cage
Size tested: One size
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Silca says, "All the benefits of a highly secure titanium bottle cage with a black finish that won't wear away. Other secure cages don't allow easy access to bottles, scratch your bottles, etc, but not SICURO."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Silca's UK distributor Saddleback lists:
Hand-bent seamless 3-2.5 titanium tubing
Ultra-durable Cerakote ceramic finish
Redesigned backplate shape for increased stability
Longer slotted eyelets for up to 21mm of fore-aft adjustment
Weight ~30g
Classic looks to match any frame
25-year Silca Shield Warranty
Rate the product for quality of construction:
10/10
Like a work of art (as far as bottle cages go).
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
Holds bottles securely, and doesn't bend.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
The cage remains unmarked after months of testing, while bottles seem to still look good too.
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
6/10
Reasonably light, given its strength and durability, but there are much lighter cages out there for a lot less.
Rate the product for value:
3/10
No, you'll never need to buy another cage again, unless you want two (which you probably will). But it's expensive even compared with expensive cages.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It does exactly what it's intended to: the cage still looks like new. It's also a pretty good place to hold your bottle, I guess.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The finish is pretty amazing.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing (though I didn't pay for it).
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Silca's standard titanium Sicuro cage is cheaper at £75. The King Cage is much cheaper at £54.99, while Supacaz's TiFly Cage is 'just' £41.99. You don't get the benefit of the Cerakote protection, though.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? No
Would you recommend the product to a friend? I don't have rich friends!
Use this box to explain your overall score
It's certainly a statement (albeit a subtle one – not many people are likely to notice it), and though it's mega expensive, you could argue that it's a bottle cage for life.
About the tester
Age: 39
I usually ride: Condor Italia RC custom build My best bike is:
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: A few times a week I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, mtb,
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64 comments
Damn. I want my money back
Not telling anyone what to do. It's a lot of money for something with no real unique selling point - I've had my Elites for 8 years and they're happily going strong. Go spend £90 on something that won't function (or look) any better than a £10 version if you want - entirely your shout if you think it's what you want.
That's the exact point - you read the review, right? apparently not - because Hollis pointed out the USP's of a 25-yr warranty'd scratch-free finish. It is literally guaranteed to look perfect pretty much for ever.
I have about a dozen alloy/painted cages that now look like utter shite, because they scratched up over the years of use / being in bike racks / bags / etc. Do I want to put them on a lovely new, clean bike? no. If each one cost £10, that's a waste of money and resources - I should have purchased one Silca Ti cage and be done with it for life
Thankfully, that's just your opinion.
Though I do admit it has a traditional look, is that a bad thing? What do you want - for it to look like a spaceship?
Clearly if you had read the review (your comments suggest otherwise) you'd appreciate that most of the design is the use of titanium (hand made in the USA - always going to be expensive), and then the implementation of the Cerakote coating which makes it pretty much indestructible.
I'm not saying that makes it worth £90, but it certainly adds value when you're looking at it versus a much cheaper bottle cage. Personally I see the kind of person buying this as the kind of person who is already set on getting a titanium cage, and will be spending at least £50 anyway.
Obviously if you only want to spend a fiver and you don't care what the thing is made of, then of course this isn't going to be of interest.
Oh and I absolutely agree with Mike - the last comment about having more money than sense. Who bloody well cares. Get a life, it's not your money.
You and Mike seem to care a great deal about his opinion.
But it's just an opinion, perhaps even a throwaway remark (and leavened slightly by admitting to spending more than perhaps he should). The term 'more money than sense' is one I've heard all my life but I really don't think it's a huge insult.
Perhaps chill out a bit - it's just a bottle cage.
I'm left wondering if it will be the right colour for when someone changes their bike !
How many bikes within a 25 year life span ?
But doesn't black or dark grey work with everything?
White, orange, iridiscent purple/green, fluoro pink and even EF's latest take on DPM...
It's black it goes with everything, just like black cycle shorts, black tyres, black bar tape
I don't care about a bottle cage. I do care about crap, antiquated comments like that. Throwaway or not, it's a pointless thing to say, that's not only unhelpful to anyone, it's also degrading to someone who has the money to spend how they want.
Can we get over the 'money' thing on road.cc please. I'm sick of hearing about it.
Ps in my experience telling someone to chill out is not going to make them chill out.
Obviously not working in your case, you really are in quite the tizzy over virtually nothing here. It's "degrading" to people who buy a product to say that in one's own opinion the product is not worth the price? Really? People have often said to me that I have more money than sense with regard to the number of bikes and guitars I have, and the ones that I buy (in both cases usually products that far outrank my ability), I've never felt the slightest "degraded" or offended, I just laugh and say yes you're probably right.
One of the main purposes, and one of the most useful ones, of Road.cc is its reviews of new products. For most people, whether or not a product is good value for money is one of the most important parts of a review - I can't really see how it wouldn't be except for those for whom money is absolutely no object.
P.S. If you're sick of the 'money' thing, why did you mention the price of this product, by my count, nine times in your review, including describing the price tag as "insane" and "ridiculous"?
Here, here.
Re the money thing, you also say this in the review:
"it's expensive even compared with expensive cages."
That is in the value for money section. Hmmm.
You've answered that question yourself - the reason I get annoyed by the focus on money is because the review already takes this into account (or should do anyway).
I would agree that had I not, as you state, mentioned the price nine times, then it would be fair of you to be critical of the review and question the value proposition.
As you can see, I don't disagree that the price tag is high, but equally I didn't state that it makes for a pointless purchase if you have the money.
So by your logic, it's fine for you to repeatedly highlight the "money thing" in the review but it's not fine for anyone else to do so in the comments section.
Hmmm.
Well, yes because I wrote the review. You're more than welcome to say it's too expensive 500,000 times in here, if you really want to, I just think its a point that isn't worth mentioning since its already been covered. I don't think that's unreasonable?
So, you're confirming that it's fine for you to say it's expensive but not me because you've already covered it? Hmm. How strange.
I haven't been critical of the review once, Hollis, it's a perfectly good review, I'm just critical of the price of the product. Unfortunately you seem to have taken that as some form of attack on you, it's not.
I guarantee you I have not taken your thoughts on the price as a personal attack - you would need to do a whole lot of bad to offend me. I'm merely disagreeing with you, and others, on a couple points. Also known as debating.
Sorry, not trying to antagonise anyone, I couldn't think of a better way to phrase it. But it seems you are getting uptight about something that I'd say doesn't warrant it.
Rendel's remark may seem uncharitable and unhelpful to you but that doesn't mean it is worthless or inappropriate. The item has a price, the cost of things really does matter to people and they may wish to express a view about whether that price is good or bad value.
How you react to his choice of words is entirely up to you. But if we start policing every throwaway remark, snarky dig or negative post then there won't be much left to read. Expensive (overpriced?) brands like Rapha, Silca and so on would have only glowing responses, which seems to negate the purpose of having a comments section.
Nothing wrong with the traditional form, there is a reason why that shape has been around for a long time - it works.
However describing a very traditional shape as "a thing of beauty". is a stretch. It doesn't look different from this
https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-accessories/bike-bottle-cages/half...
And I can get 18 for the same price, so comments about it lasting seem a little pointless.
I think it could be a thing of beauty in a natural titanium finish.
Again, you're entitled to your opinion. I also have umpteen cheap cages - this is visually far superior, and there are some nice details that elevate it. That's my opinion - this is a review based on my opinion, not yours or anyone else's.
I did actually state in the review I think it would look nicer in raw titanium, but it would lack the same function.
I know you only meant it as a comparison, but surely paying more for a product that lasts a lifetime is better than buying multiple cages?
Personally I like the matte black finish - whilst I admit raw titatnium is inherently aesthetically pleasing, I don't think it "works" for a bottle cage when viewing the bike as a whole, unless carefully coordinated with other bits of titanium hardware. Matte black "works" with a far greater variety of bikes.
You hope it will last a lifetime (or at least a very long time). People used to claim that a Ti bike would "last a lifetime" but in too many cases that has not been the case.
I think part of the problem people have with it is that it is a very simple accessory and the market is already saturated, many of them for a fraction of the price of this one. A bottle cage does not have the complexity of construction of, say, a fine watch or bring glaringly obvious benefits such as people might feel they get with a £400 GPS computer over an old-style cycle computer that costs £40.
As a cheapskate I would want to know just how much better it is than an Elite Ciussi (£10), the stainless version (£18) or a standard alloy cage (~£5).
But if you are happy with yours then that's great, you needn't care a jot about anyone else's opinion.
Quite, but what products are really ever going to last a lifetime? Granite?
The bottle cage is useful to someone if that's what they find useful. You can't state one thing over another because you perceive it to be otherwise. I don't know about you, but I'd say a bottle cage is one of the most well used parts of a bike. So why not get a really good one - why does it have to be cheap? And if you've just built up a really nice, luxury bike, why not make that a finishing touch?
On the last point - I'm sure functionally it works as well as a £10 Elite cage. But then functionally I'm sure a £100k lambo works as well as a £200k Ferrari (crap analogy, I know).
Ooh - I think I know this one.
Is it a coffin?
Single-use product. Not reusable. You can't even appreciate the finer points of its appearance from the inside, especially once the lid is fitted.
But thank you, it made me laugh.
If I read anymore of these comments about value, I think that's where I'm headed.
I would pose the opposing question: why does it need to be expensive if a cheap one works perfectly well?
I use my handlebars and pedals far, far more than I ever will use the cheap bottle cages I have (Lifeline alloy on the winter bike, £3 plastic jobbie on the nicer bike). But I don't feel the need to buy £200 handlebars or pedals when £20 ones work perfectly well.
I only use a bottle on longer rides, maybe once every 2 or 3 weeks, I need it maybe half a dozen times during a ride. But I'd get absolutely nowhere without bars & pedals (disgustingly inexpensive but incredibly reliable Shimano M320 & M530, both bought s/h for about £20). Would XTR pedals do the job any better? No.
Having said that, I'm genuinely intrigued by the thought that carbon handlebars may actually provide a significant increase in comfort; however, I am very reluctant to fork out £150 or more in order to find out.
It depends on the person really. I'm guilty of changing/upgrading stuff just because I'm curious about improved looks/performance so I fritter away money on carbon handlebars when realistically they're not going to make any noticeable difference to my riding. However, I enjoy doing that and end up learning about bike maintenance and at the end of the day, I justify it by accepting that it's a hobby and lots of people spend excessive money on hobbies.
Seems entirely reasonable to me.
But can't you at least try to get defensive and prickly about it?
I'm genuinely interested in trying the handlebars one day as I have seen good comments about them, but I simply don't have money spare to spend on anything unnecessary. Maybe one day...
How very dare you complain about my lack of defensiveness!
I really like my Prime carbon aero handlebars but can't say that I've noticed them being more comfortable or faster. I notice more difference by changing tyre pressure, so you're not really missing out.
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