Thanks for tuning in today we're going to be reviewing the Topeak Ninja Master+ Cage SK
water bottle holder. Side water bottle cages are the perfect solution for small bike frames or
suspension bikes where space is limited they allow you to insert a water bottle from either the right
or the left side which allows you to mount these in very tight areas where traditional bottle cages
require coming in from the top. This is the Topeak Ninja Master+ Cage SK which is part of their
Master+ series. It's a very clever design that lets you actually attach other accessories
directly onto the bottle cage. You notice a little bracket on the bottom it's compatible with a wide
range of other products. You can see actually illustrations on here you have tool boxes
tires and tubes as well as inflation kits. Packaging wise it's very simple you just have
a cardboard backing with the characteristic yellow and white color scheme on the back .
You have all these specs illustrations of how to mount it whether on a road bike or mountain bike
and then basic usage. So in terms of the retail price this is 12.95 so very affordable. It is
made from engineering-grade polymer so it's a plastic construction and it's a reversible
side cage so instead of having to buy a left side cage or a right side cage
there's actually both so you simply pop this off and then you can mount it on the left or the right
so a nice simple solution. It's compatible with all standard water bottle cages you'll notice a simple
lip here and then the groove on back so any 74 millimeter water bottle will work with this.
It's also again compatible with all the Ninja Master+ accessories that Topeak currently offers.
Let's take a look at the weight of the bottle cage being a plastic construction it's not
going to be as light as some carbon fiber cages but it's very simple. So i'll throw it on here
so it comes in at 44 grams so not the lightest but definitely not that heavy either.
Now let's go over the fit and finish of the Topeak Ninja SK bottle cage. You can see a very simple
construction it's a one prong design that extends from one side and that leaves the whole other side
open. Now the reversibility comes from the fact that it's actually symmetric from left to right. So
you can see the top and bottom have the same lip and that's what the little bracket attaches to so
you simply push it in and then it just sits there flush then the bolt goes through and holds it in
place. If you decide you want to flip the side you simply remove it from the bike flip it around and
then attach to the bottom once it's attached you have the same design features you'll see with any
bottle cage. You have a little lip here and that'll go in the groove inside your water bottle they
usually have a little indentation near the middle and that's exactly where this will fit preventing
it from falling out on the bottom you have this l-shaped bracket which extends quite a bit
and that prevents the bottle from pushing through. It's a plastic construction which is fairly
lightweight and you can see has a nice springiness to it this is compatible with any standard bottle.
So they all have a 74 millimeter diameter and that's compatible. The other nice feature
about this is the recessed mounting bolts so you can see they're actually inset here and that means
they won't get caught on the water bottle and it won't scratch your water bottle either so when
you want to insert it you simply just push it in this will kind of extend out and then you rotate
it flat and it'll push all the way in so simple solution and being a reversible design very clever
you don't have to decide which one you want and you can mix and match depending on your preference.
Now take a look at the SK cage mounted on our Triban bike. As you can see here it's really
easy to use and quite secure you can use that as a top entry where you slide it in or as a side entry
where you come in an angle and then push down. What's nice about a side cage you can pull it
completely diagonally out so if you have limited space it's a great option. We also have the multi
tool attached to the bottom and you can see a very nice compact solution that lets you have your
multi-tool directly beneath instead of having it hidden underneath a saddle bag or jersey pocket.
Now let's do a little comparison between the Topeak and some other bottle cages on the market.
We've actually reviewed another side cage the Elite Prism. This is the carbon fiber version
it's about 28 grams so almost half the weight of the Topeak but honestly doesn't matter. It is carbon
fiber so it feels lighter and looks cooler with this matte finish versus the plastic of the Topeak
otherwise very similar design details as I mentioned all bottle cages will have the same
little riser there. I'll take off this bracket so they'll have a little ledge on here the
Elite has quite a bit more structure so you can see the back side is a lot larger
that holds the bottle prevents the bottle from flying out and it's just thicker
otherwise the design is a little bit fancier on the elite because the carbon fiber has a
little more graphics a multi-arm design where this is a single arm this is a two arm design
that it connected on the middle but again they're all very similar. If you want to pay a little extra
and you don't care about the Ninja Master+ series of accessories you can
simply get an Elite version and shed a couple grams but obviously cost quite a bit more.
At $12.95 the Topeak a good deal. You can also buy eBay specials like this little carbon fiber
one we picked up for maybe ten dollars. Again same design you have two bolts to attach. This
one obviously doesn't have the attachment uh slot for the ninja master plus accessories but with the
normal bottom attached you can see same lip same ledge on the front this one actually will drop
bottles quite a bit that's one reason we don't ride with us anymore. With the one arm design
you can see it's not much holding in place and being a top design you can see it's a lot requires
more space above your frame while the side one lets you just come in directly from the side.
Now let's go over the pros and cons for the SK bottle cage. What we like about it is
that has a reversible design so you can choose the side that you prefer and even switch it up
after riding with it. It's also compatible with the Ninja Master+ series of accessories
so you can mount your extra tube your multi-tool or tire repair kit directly underneath the bottle
cage for a nice all-in-one solution. The bottle cage also holds water places securely in place
so whether you're doing road cycling or mountain biking you don't have to worry
about a bottle flying out. Now some of the cons for the bottle cage the fact that
it's only offered in black there's no colors no graphics and it's not nearly as sexy as some of
the carbon fiber versions but obviously a lot more affordable. Taking everything into account
would give the Master+ cage SK a 9.1 out of 10. It's a very versatile side entry bottle cage
at an affordable price point. Thanks for watching this review don't forget to like and subscribe.
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