ENVE brings aero bottles to any bike: dedicated bottle cages and conventional bottles

The new ENVE SES Aero Carbon bottle cages promise to reduce aerodynamic drag by up to 2.5 W, work with conventional round bottles, and can be installed on most road bikes.

ENVE SES Aero Carbon Bottle Cage, aerodynamic without changing bottles

Aerodynamic bottles have become one of those small details that manufacturers rely on to shave off watts from their fastest bikes. The problem is that they usually form part of a specific system for each frame and require a particular set of bottle cage and bottle. ENVE now offers a much simpler solution with its new SES Aero Carbon Bottle Cage.

These bottle cages were presented alongside the new ENVE Melee v2, but they are not exclusive to this model. They will be sold separately, can be installed on most road bikes, and, above all, work with the conventional round bottles that any cyclist already has at home.

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Among the most common recommendations when looking to improve aerodynamics without having to change bikes or wheels is precisely to pay attention to the bottles. It is no coincidence that more and more aero bikes incorporate bottles with specific profiles that try to integrate with the shapes of the frame.

The drawback arises when these systems use proprietary shapes. An aerodynamic bottle designed to integrate with a specific down tube usually requires its corresponding bottle cage, and in many cases, the entire set is specifically designed for one bike.

ENVE has approached the problem differently. Instead of making the bottle itself aerodynamic, it has developed a carbon bottle cage that partially wraps a conventional round bottle and modifies the way the set faces the air.

This allows for one of the great advantages of traditional bottles to be preserved. They are easy to find, come in a multitude of capacities and models, and can be replaced practically at any bike shop.

Up to 2.5 W improvement and two different bottle cages

The SES Aero Carbon Bottle Cage was born during the development of the new Melee v2. ENVE explains that its wind tunnel tests showed that the cyclist's body, the frame, the bottle cages, and the bottles themselves interact aerodynamically in a significant way.

In fact, in the tests conducted to develop the new Melee, ENVE attributes 2.6 W of the total 17 W aerodynamic improvement of the bike to its new bottle cages used with conventional bottles. 

The brand now claims that the benefit can reach approximately 2.5 W, although the gain will logically depend on the bike and the configuration used.

There is another important detail. It is not about mounting two identical bottle cages. ENVE has developed a specific version for the down tube and another for the seat tube, as each position receives airflow differently. This same solution is already part of the aerodynamic approach of the new Melee v2.

According to data provided by ENVE, the bottle cage for the seat tube weighs 47 g, while the one for the down tube weighs 55 g. Both are made of carbon and are offered in matte black or glossy white.

An aero improvement that is not limited to the Melee v2

The brand claims that it has also verified a reduction in aerodynamic drag when installed on both the original Melee and road bikes from other manufacturers. Its compatibility extends to most road bikes, although the different shapes and positions of the mounts on each frame make it advisable to check beforehand that there is enough space.

Thus, there is no need to buy a Melee v2 or use a proprietary bottle to take advantage of them. It is enough to replace the conventional bottle cages and continue using standard round bottles.

The new ENVE SES Aero Carbon Bottle Cage is priced at 99 euros each, so equipping a bike with both versions costs 198 euros.

On ENVE's official website, they are already available to choose in white or black, but it will still be necessary to wait a few days to be able to purchase them.