The bottle cage is one of those cycling accessories that’s easy to overlook. Until it becomes a problem that is.
While its function is a simple one, a bottle cage that makes it hard to access the bottle can add unnecessary stress to a ride or a race. Equally, a cage that doesn’t grip the bottle sufficiently, causing it to rattle, is an unwanted annoyance. Losing a bottle mid-ride is worse still.
But reliability doesn’t have to be complicated. Elite has been making high-performance bottle cages for decades, with its Custom Race series favoured by professional and recreational cyclists alike. The latest iteration the Elite Custom Race X builds on the performance credentials of past models to create a bottle cage that’s not only lighter than before but comes with new design features to improve security and usability.
The Custom Race X cage is 35% lighter than its predecessor.
(Image credit: Elite)
Weighing just 28.5 grams the Custom Race X is 35% lighter than its predecessor, the Custom Race Plus. But vitally this reduction in weight doesn’t make it any less durable. Made from a polyamide material that’s been reinforced with fibreglass, the cage is designed to withstand the rigours of cycling, from challenging terrain to extreme weather conditions. In short, the CRX is built to last.
WorldTour teams, including Bahrain-Victorious, Alpecin-Deceuninck, Decathlon-AG2R, FDJ-Suez and Cofidis, have come to rely on Elite bottle cages, and the Custom Race X is no exception. In 2025 it’s the number one choice in the pro peloton, and with good reason. Knowing that the world’s best racing cyclists can’t leave any aspect of their bike to chance, Elite sweat the details, so the riders don’t have to.
When racing at high speeds, bottle retention is paramount. After all, the cost of a lost bottle, and the fluid inside, can be critical. And for those of us not in the heat of battle, an ejected bottle means an unwanted break in the ride as we search roadside. With the Custom Race X in play, these scenarios become a thing of the past.
A new profile makes the bottle easier to insert and remove.
(Image credit: Elite)
But this degree of retention still needs to be balanced with the ability to insert and remove the bottle effortlessly. Fiddling around trying to put a bottle back in the cage is a distraction that no cyclist wants. To achieve this Elite has focused on improving the cage’s ergonomics. It’s been refining its molding and stress-analysis technology for years with the Custom Race X the latest beneficiary.
The cage features an extended front section to improve bottle adaptability, allowing for smooth insertion and removal of the bottle; this is of vital importance, whether you’re competing in a Grand Tour, enjoying a fast-paced ride with friends or tackling some technical gravel trails. The Custom Race X benefits too from a lowered profile that allows for side access as well as making it a better fit for gravel and MTB frames that typically have more compact triangles. And with a standard diameter of 74mm it’s compatible with the majority of water bottles.
The Custom Race X’s retention is aided by a redesigned base lock.
(Image credit: Elite)
To ensure those bottles remain in place, Elite has redesigned the base lock. The result is a cage that both eliminates annoying vibrations – the bane of many a cyclist – as well as bottle ejections, no matter the terrain.
Typically though, professional-grade equipment comes with a prohibitive price tag. But the beauty of the Elite Custom Race X is that any cyclist can enjoy the advantages of its reliability and performance. Priced at £14.99 / $22.99, it’s an affordable yet refined upgrade that’s as beneficial to club riders, mountain bikers and gravel cyclists as it is to Mathieu van der Poel and Elise Chabbey.
