Like most people who get really into Bikepacking I’m always experimenting with kit set ups and ways of loading my bike up. For me the ultimate is to not use a backpack, it’s so nice to not be carting extra kit on my back and if that means a heavier bike I’m really not bothered.

I’d seen somewhere on Instagram someone who had modified their Blackburn Outpost cages to add an addition bottle cage. Previously I have used the excellent Gorilla Cages, but having seen the Outpost cages they appeared to hold their contents far more sturdily and looked like they would deal with this additional mod well too.

So to start off with I drilled the back plate of the cage so that is mounted on the three cage mounts on my fork legs, rather than the two it comes drilled for. Then on the sides I’d added the additional two holes for a bottle cage.

Then I got some aluminium tubing from B&Q to act as a spacer and some long M5 bottle cage bolts to bolt on the additional cages. These are secured with nylock nuts to stop them rattling loose.

These spacers were necessary because of the size of the carbon fork legs, it gives enough for the bottles to clear the leg comfortably.

So I’ve done quite a few trips now, both short and longer, and I’m pleased to say that they seem really secure and have not loosened off at all. Best of all it means I can get all the kit I want on the bike and ride without a backpack.