Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage Review
Active Gear Review is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Silca Sicuro Capsule and Carbon Bottle Cages
Silca is a fascinating company to me. Born in 1917 outside of Milan, Italy, they’re steeped in cycling tradition in a part of the world where cycling is life. It’s no surprise that they became known for classically styled products that were as much little works of art as they were functional bits. The Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage slot in nicely with the company’s heritage, but up the innovation game just a bit.
For nearly 100 years, Silca was family-owned. One could say that although their products were of high quality and quite beautiful, they may have been stuck in the past. Tradition? Sure. Innovative? Arguable. That started to change in 2013 when Joshua Poertner bought the company from the Sacchi family and moved it from Milan to Indianapolis.
Joshua spent the previous 14 years as Technical Director of Zipp Speed Weaponry. As you can imagine, the ‘innovative’ nature of Silca rose sharply from that point on. Poertner retained the fabled classic nature of Silca, but infused it with a healthy dose of innovation and creativity.
To that end, it makes sense that the product on review here fuses innovation, creativity, and a dose of carbon fiber for good measure. The Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage retain all the history but add some new millennium to the mix. The Silca Sicuro Capsule is an ingenious idea that solves a problem I didn’t realize I had. And the Silca Sicuro Carbon Cages are not only a necessary piece of the equation but a welcome one as well.
Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage Test Conditions
Most of my time with the Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage was spent on my gravel bike. I have roughly 15 rides, ranging from 20 to upwards of 60 miles, with this setup which proved to be plenty to give this combo a fair shake.
Silca Sicuro Capsule On Bike
Installation and Setup of the Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage
Installing the Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage proved to be a little trickier than I had imagined. The setup is unique in that they’re a matched pair. The Silca Sicuro Capsule requires the Silca Sicuro Carbon Cage as the cage has the correct mount points on the bottom to secure the capsule. It’s ingenious, really. The cages are standard for all intents and purposes, with the slight addition of two bolt holes at the bottom.
Silca Sicuro Capsule Mount
The tricky part is ensuring you have enough clearance in your frame to allow the Sicuro Capsule to fit. My first pass at this was to install the combo on my road bike. However, after several attempts, I just couldn’t get the capsule to nestle inside my frame as the fit was just too tight. I attempted to slide the cages up as high as they could go given that Silca adds 16mm of fore/aft wiggle room to the mounting ports. Imagine trying to squeeze your 32-inch waist into a pair of 30-inch skinny jeans. No Bueno.
So, on to the gravel bike I went. That particular frame has plenty of room, and although the fit is snug, it slots in well. The snugness adds a layer of confidence that your Sicuro Capsule contents won’t come spilling out as you hit some washboard gravel roads. Silca provides handy sizing guidelines in the “specifications” section of their product page that I found very helpful.
Once installed, I tested the cages with a full water bottle. Everyone’s different when it comes to bottle cages. Some people prefer a silky smooth release, having the bottle glide to and from the cage to make retrieval a breeze. Others prefer a gorilla fist wrapped around their bottles in an effort to avoid ejection at all costs. I was used to my faithful Arundel Mandible cages, which have a vice-like grip. I definitely fall into the gorilla fist group. The Silca Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cages fall into the silky smooth category, so I was dubious on their ability to secure my bottles. Considering they were installed on a gravel bike that can be subjected to some bone-jarring rides, I was mildly concerned.
Silca Sicuro Carbon Cages
Versatility/Performance
As mentioned above, I rode with the Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage on roughly 15 rides, and I can happily say I never once ejected a bottle. A couple of those rides were on decent tarmac, but the rest were all fire roads, gravel trails and even some single track in and around the Colorado front range. The cages did their job and my gorilla fist desires are starting to soften. They weigh in at 26 grams, so if you’re a weight weenie, you can rest assured the Sicuro Carbon Cages won’t break the scales.
The Silca Sicuro Capsule isn’t meant to stow much, so if you’re a packrat, you might want to stick to a saddlebag of some sort. However, if you’re a minimalist or you want to augment a small saddle bag/bento box with a small, out-of-the-way storage solution, the Sicuro Capsule will suit you nicely. On my gravel bike, I tend to roll with a large Revelate Designs Gas Tank bento box on the top tube. The Sicuro Capsule is a nice addition as it frees that bento box up to focus on nutrition, my phone, etc.
Silca Sicuro Capsule Contents
I’m able to get a small Portland Design Works Shiny Object inflation tool, crankbrothers M19 multi-tool, a small tire lever, one CO2 cartridge, and a tire boot comfortably inside without over-stuffing. Using this on a road bike with smaller inner tubes, you’d likely be able to wedge one of those in also. These are items I won’t need to access often and that’s probably the sweet spot for the Silca Sicuro Capsule. Being that its location isn’t easy to access while on-bike and removing the top of the capsule takes some finesse as the fit is snug, easy access isn’t at the top of its to-do list.
The Sicuro Capsule uses a high-strength magnetic lid instead of a zipper for closure. Smart move on Silca’s part as taking the lid off the capsule can involve some creative maneuvering. Dealing with a tight fit AND a zipper might box you in too much. The only real downside I’ve found to this method is that it’s not a 100% debris-free closure. I’ve noticed a bit of extra dirt and dust inside the capsule, likely due to the gravel roads. Not a big deal, but it’s worth noting if you’re a neat freak.
The Sicuro Capsule is made of thermoformed EVA, so it’s rigid enough to take a beating, but with enough give to allow for some bending/twisting during application and removal.
Silca claims a capacity of 255 cm3, so if that means something to you, bonus! I just know if fit what I needed to carry.
Aesthetic
Silca Sicuro Capsule and Carbon Bottle Cage
Silca makes beautiful, functional products, no doubt. Check our review on the Silca T-Ratchet And Ti-Torque Kit (Read the review here.) However, when it comes to storage on your rides, looks aren’t the first thing you think about. Nonetheless, if you’re rollin’ GQ style then you can relax knowing the Silca Sicuro Carbon Cages look the part. They’re really beautiful, actually, and add to the aesthetic of any machine. The matte carbon was a nice addition to my titanium frame and added some cred during my post-ride coffee shop stop.
The Silca Sicuro Capsule, for all intents and purposes, disappears on the bike. Especially when a bottle is placed in the cage that secures the capsule. That was no doubt Silca’s goal…discreet storage that gets the job done. So don’t worry, you won’t look like your bike has a fanny pack on. The capsule will keep your aesthetic on point.
Summary:
The Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage offer a discreet, minimal storage solution that is so out-of-the-way that you’ll forget it’s there.
Silca Sicuro Capsule and Carbon Cages
The Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage do a great job of carrying the bare necessities in a most inconspicuous way. The Sicuro Carbon Cages do their job like a top-shelf bourbon…smooth and without fuss. The setup proved versatile and handy in carrying the gear you won’t need directly at your fingertips. Assuming the capsule fits your frame, this is one nice piece of kit. Is this the Leatherman of the cycling world…discreet, good looking and useful AF? It just might be…
Specs:
The Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage come in black only. The cages offer a choice of either a black or white logo.
Silca Sicuro Capsule and Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cage MSRP:
Silca prices the Sicuro Carbon Bottle Cages at $70 each, and the Sicuro Capsule at $30. For more info on these and other Silca products, visit www.silca.cc.
