King Cages - Ti or Steel, that is the question

[bikerboy337]

So I've decided to bite the bullet and get some decent cages on my bike... Have decided to get some good old USA made King cages, but i'm wondering if I should go Steel or Ti. It seems crazy to me to drop $100 on cages for the Ti (for 2), but then again, I dont want to look back in a few years wishing I should have gone with Ti... Assuming the only real difference is the weight (which I dont really care about).

Any reason I should get the Ti over the Steel that I'm not thinking of? Any reason to grab them at a $70 premium (for 2)?

Thanks. :banana:

[David Kirk]

I've had the same pair of Ti cages on my road bike for MANY years now and they are like new. I imagine the stainless would perform in a similar fashion while weighing a bit less.

You really can't go wrong.

dave

[AngryScientist]

they are both excellent, but the ti cages definitely are stiffer and hold the bottle better in my experience. i use ti cages on two bikes and the stainless on one.

again, they both work perfectly well, but the Ti is just a little nice, in both function and weight.

[goonster]

Do the Ti cages mark up bottles, the way aluminum cages do?

[rwsaunders]

No problem with loose bottles using the King Iris ss cages after many years on the rotten roads around here.

[krismac23]

Ti all the way. They won't break like those bs carbon cages. And they are stiffer than the steel ones! Also the weight!

[deluxerider]

I have both the SS and Ti. I prefer the look of the Ti with the fatter tubing and they are a bit lighter. These cages are the best. Either way you will be happy. Oldpotatoe usually has a pretty good deal on the Ti cages.

[deluxerider]

No they do not.

Do the Ti cages mark up bottles, the way aluminum cages do?

[Formulasaab]

This is the first time I've posted since joining but this seems like a safe one to start with...

There's only two reasons to choose the Ti cages over the stainless steel ones... Weight and bragging rights.

They're equally durable, can both be polished or painted, and can both be "heat anodized".

On the other hand, you'll have $84 more dollars left in your pocket after buying the stainless ones.

[54ny77]

ti's are awesome.

oh and don't cold set it to hold bottles more snugly while screwed in the frame....;)

[Tony T]

Iris (steel)

[avalonracing]

Big fan of the SS Iris model. I have eight of them use them on my road bikes and MTBs. They are more than tight enough for both uses.
If you get the SS model and regret not getting the Ti a few years from now I envy you as you have very few problems in this life. ;)

[jpw]

I took delivery of the NAHBS 2013 vintage Iris ss last week. Seem just about perfect. Ti is nice, but the weight saving is marginal to the overall weight of bike and rider, and it's not rotating weight so forget about it.

[jr59]

I love them. not so much the Iris, but that's jus me!

I also have both steel and Ti. It's easy, Ti on Ti, and steel on steel!

Seeing as I don't own a CF, then I would be more confused than normal!

[Pete Mckeon]

If TI complements the looks you want than get them otherwise it will not matter. Stainless or Ti and showing up still in frames. I like the Ti frame and just came back again from riding a week in Tx on it

THe bottles filled weigh more than either cage


I've had the same pair of Ti cages on my road bike for MANY years now and they are like new. I imagine the stainless would perform in a similar fashion while weighing a bit less.

You really can't go wrong.

dave

[bikerboy337]

lots of responses on this one... from what i've read, I'm likely sticking with steel, which is what I was planning to do in the first place, just wanted to make sure the TI version wasn't that much better...

just looking for cages that will last a good while... seems like either will do...

FYI, they're going on a Tig welded steel frame... if I had ti, i'd probably pick up the Ti version...

[Ahneida Ride]

[QUOTE=AngryScientist;1318910]they are both excellent, but the ti cages definitely are stiffer and hold the bottle better in my experience./QUOTE]

Amen ...

They are also more flexible.

[abelson]

I am a big fan of King steel cages. I like both the standard and the iris. At around $17 you can't do much better. I would not pay the premium for ti.

[pdmtong]

The ti look good on a ti bike. that's pretty much the difference to me.

otherwise, IMHO go Iris for classic steel and regular for everything else.

yes my carbon cages do mark the bottles - scraped designs and all that. plus not all carbon hold tight. oddly, the profile design cages I got with a frame years ago seem to work best. they certainly dont have name cache but they have NEVER ejected a bottle.

[wgp]

For the ultimate, I bought a pair of Ti King cages that Moots sells that match their bead-blasted frames EXACTLY - looks great on my Vamoots.

[jlwdm]

Really depends on the bike. I have a CSI with all silver Campagnolo components and bought the King Ti a couple of years ago. I immediately sent them back because I did not like the look of Ti with the silver components. Got the Arundel Stainless Steel instead.

Jeff

[bironi]

I bought the King Ti cages first for my Moots, but traded them out for the King SS. The Ti were a little too snug. You'll never lose a bottle with them, but I have never lost one with the SS either. It has been about 5 years, and I'm still happy. Hey, I'm a smaller guy and I didn't like muscling the bottle out of a ti cage. Both are great products.

[sevencyclist]

Definitely steel. Because Iris only comes in steel. I much prefer the Iris in the ease of use and grasp.

[toytech]

I love the King cages. I have only used the steel ones though. They look right at home on steel frames. I bought a stack of them at NAHBS in Sacramento from the man his self. He was bending cages as he shot the breeze with everyone.

[Llewellyn]

I love the King cages. I have only used the steel ones though. They look right at home on steel frames.

I agree - they look the dogs dangly's on my steel frame :banana:

Great cages

[beeatnik]

http://www.cannondaleexperts.com/Cannondale-GT40-Cage--Silver--5a03slv_p_35.html

[robin3mj]

Definitely steel. Because Iris only comes in steel. I much prefer the Iris in the ease of use and grasp.

This is me as well. The iris just works, looks good too.

[Tony T]

Is there a reason why KC only makes the Iris in Steel?

[Jack Brunk]

My ti and steel 29ers have King ti and Iris cages. Scalpel has Arundel carbon. King's are the best hands down.

[oldpotatoe]

Definitely steel. Because Iris only comes in steel. I much prefer the Iris in the ease of use and grasp.

Every time I reorder from him, since he answers the phone, I ask him to make a Ti Iris cage..and he just giggles. Like the look of Iris.

[AngryScientist]

i had the iris and promptly sold them, just too much effort to get the bottle in/out in my opinion. i greatly prefer the standard model.

[weiwentg]

I have the steel, ti and Iris versions.

The ti version holds the cage so much better, is much lighter and is more aerodynamic to boot.

Just kidding.