Published by Lyn on 26 November 2013
Ever felt the urge to attach a flask to your bike? Need somewhere to carry all those fiddly bits? Richard Peace says the Monkii range of carrying attachments may be the answer.
Monkii System of bicycle attachments, priced from £11.75
Every so often an idea comes along so simple and so useful you wonder why it hasn't been thought of before; just what I thought after trialling this range of small items that clip on and off your bike.
The system involves fixing a couple of cleats to your bike and you have the choice of three attachments: a bottle cage (Monkii Cage) with adjustable velcro strap that lets you fix all manner of drinks bottles on your bike and within reach; the Mono bag for small essential items that you need to hand; and the Wedge tool roll for easy access quick fixes.
The attachments slide on and off the bike easily and quickly whilst the cleats stay attached. The cleats come either as allen key fixings that simply screw into standard thread water bottle bosses (mounts) on the frame or, if your bike is bossless or you already use them and want to mount extra stuff on the bike, as part of a Monkii clip that will clamp around any tubular part of the bike between 25mm and 38mm.
Apparently the Monkii Cage has been warmly greeted and widely purchased by Brompton riders whose water-bottle-mountless bikes with unusual size frame and stem tubing mean something as simple as mounting a water bottle has proved a hassle.
The Monkii Cage could be a great boon to cycle tourists in particular. Standard water bottle holders take up to 800ml at most, but the adjustable velcro system of the Monkii cage means you can fit up to 1.5 litres in whatever type of bottle you want (actually 1.5l is the recommended limit - we managed to squeeze a couple of litres of shandy into the cage). That means hot tea and coffee in vacumn flasks on tap for caffeine-powered cyclists, or plenty of ice cold water for those summer tours of southern France...
Likewise the Wedge tool roll could make fettling with your bike at the side of the road that much easier and quicker. Touring bikes, covering long miles with extra loads, need more maintenance than average and the wedge makes maintenance on the go that much easier.
The bike is a wonderful tool for carrying stuff and the Monkii system is a great addition to help you carry your smaller but necessary items that much more easily and securely. The only real downside is that, compared to standard water bottle holders, it's more fiddly to grab a drink on the go with the Cage system.
Prices are £11.75 for the Cage, £17.75 for the Mono and £18.75 for the tool Wedge.
This might seem steep at first glance, but for durable-looking, lightweight items likely to get used over and over again, you might well find a Monkii attachment or two a worthwhile investment.
Available from CycleMiles.
