The only reply I got to my earlier post (below) was from Aldo, saying this was a child's bottle and cage. I sent a note to the seller, saying I still felt the same, that this bottle was for a child, and I received a note in return from the seller stating:
"David, These bottles took place in the Zeus Super ser team of Luis Ocana, team Bic before, other spanish teams, I have some photos and docs to prove that. I need a long moment to find pictures but honestly it's true. TA produces until 1979 small bottles called in french "topette" to put in rear pocket, in 2 different shapes. The model I sent you was exactly the same than TA. Racers of the "70" wanted light bikes, light rims, drilled levers to save weight.....bottles producers decided then to reduce bootles. Like Jean Robic winner Tour de France 1947, Luis ocana put in bottle iron for more speed in downhill. Small bottle were in this way of thinking. I try to send you pictures as soon as possible. Roland"
OK so know I'd really like some of the CR folk to lay in here on what they know about this subject. Please, if the above is true, I'd love to hear about it.
Puzzled,
David Bilenkey
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
where it's a really cold -15C this morning.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
> [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org]On Behalf Of David
> Bilenkey
> Sent: January 10, 2003 2:44 PM
> To: Classicrendezvous
> Subject: [CR]Water bottle and cage sizes over the years
>
>
> Perhaps the group could humour me a moment and tell me if I'm being fed a
> line of ... something. I recently won an auction for a bottle and cage:
>
> http://ebay.com/
>
> I was surprised when it arrived yesterday to discover it was, in fact,
> small. That is to say smaller than normal, like a child's bottle
> or perhaps
> for someone with really small hands. I had a similar vintage (~'75?) ALE
> cage that was rusty that I thought this would replace but it is far too
> small to fit a regular bottle in.
>
> I sent the seller a note mentioning my surprise about the size to which he
> replied:
>
> "David,
> It's smaller because it's vintage. It's the vintage way of
> bicycle drinking,
> the bottles were to put in pockets behind; it was easier to drink"
>
> Riiight. So then why do my regular plastic bottles fit in all my
> old cages.
> Even the old style spring loaded REG cage that would pre-date this one for
> sure.
>
> Thoughts, opinions, facts?
>
> Thanks,
>
> David Bilenkey
> Industrial Designer
> Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
> dbilenkey@sympatico.ca