Alpitude has a brand new restricted version of ultralight Superleggero Ti Black 3D-printed titanium water bottle cages to both boost your individual fancy highway bike or stuff any person particular’s stocking. Weighing simply 14.5g a bit and solely being bought in pairs – along with a hand-crafted wood field – the Alpitude Superleggero Ti Black cages now characteristic a brand new stealthy black Cerakote end and are incrementally lighter because of extra exact printing that leaves a smoother floor texture.
They’re undeniably costly at a bit greater than 13€ per gram – about the identical Walter White would possibly cost you – however a pair of Superleggero Ti Black cages will bling out your trip and received’t run you afoul of the legislation, except possibly you might be already flirting with the UCI’s 6.8kg restrict…
Alpitude Superleggero Ti Black ultralight ltd 3D-printed titanium cages
Final fall, the Italian light-weight element makers at Alpitude launched their ultralight & ultra-expensive 3D-printed titanium water bottle cages. Now a yr later, they’re again in one other restricted version with a couple of small key updates.
The obvious replace is their new smoother black end. Alpitude does love the look of uncooked titanium. However in a world of carbon bikes, it’s additionally exhausting to argue with matte black. So Alpitude partnered with Cerakote to deliver their sturdy, light-weight & ultra-thin ceramic coating in-house to complete off these new cages (and certain extra light-weight parts sooner or later). I didn’t notice, however the skinny ceramic coating is sprayed on equally to traditional paint, after which requires a particular oven to remedy it. Alpitude does all this in-house, then laser-etches on their brand subtly revealing the titanium beneath.
Much less apparent, however extra vital actually, is what occurs beneath that Cerakote black outer ceramic layer. The most important change Alpitude made to their Superleggero Ti cages previously yr was collaborating with a brand new 4-laser DMSL titanium 3D-printing companion, much less centered on quantity & turnover and extra on high quality. The result’s a a lot smoother end of the cages straight out of the printer, which probably shaves nearly a gram off every cage ultimately. That smother floor can be higher suited to the applying of Cerakote, and the diminished weight greater than offsets that added by the ceramic coating itself.
The tip consequence, Alpitude instructed us the cages now weigh 14.5g every with the identical design. That’s down 0.2g or 1% from final yr. However Alpitude say that’s nonetheless inside the +/- weight tolerances anyway, so that they’re not calling it out as any actual change.
Tech particulars
- 1-piece hollowed-out 3D-printed titanium water bottle cage
- sandblasted, baked-on black Cerakote end & laser-etched graphics – all in-house
- 14.5g per cage (claimed)
- 199 individually numbered, restricted version field units
- solely accessible in pairs: contains 2 cages in a hand-crafted wood field with low-profile black titanium screws & a carbon quantity card
- restricted numbered version
2024 Alpitude Superleggero Ti Black – Pricing & availability
Though launching with solely a pair weeks left within the yr, these 3D-printed titanium cages Alpitude names this restricted run of Superleggero Ti Black cages the 2024 Bundle Version. Every boxed bundle sells for 390€, and simply 199 units are being produced. The vast majority of cage field units will likely be provided via Alpitude’s companion retailer retailers. The few units provided up instantly from Alpitude appear to have already bought out.