The Wolf Tooth B-RAD System for Maximum Versatility
B-RAD (Bottle Relocation and Accessory Device)
I recently met up with the folks from Wolf Tooth Components with specific interest in any gravel solutions. One product in particular captured my attention, the B-RAD system. Known for manufacturing innovative hardgoods for cycling, Wolf Tooth created the B-RAD line with function and versatility in mind.
The system itself is comprised of a series of slotted mounting bases, mounting plates, straps and bottle adaptors. Just this week Wolf Tooth has also introduced bags to the product line as well. At the most basic level, the concept is to either reposition your existing bottle cage mount or introduce additional functionality to your bosses. All that is required to start is at least 2 standard threaded 64mm spacing bottle cage braze-ons.
From here, things start to get interesting as there are lots of potential directions one could go with B-RAD. The first decision will be which Mounting Base you want to build off. There are 4 to choose from:
B-RAD 2 - Can move bottle cage mounting position to an alternate location up or down the current frame position. Will be most useful for smaller frames or full suspension MTBs.
B-RAD 3 - The 3 slot base is 7.95in long with 4 threaded holes provides the additional adjustment and several accessory mounting options. Below I describe how this was used on my gravel bike.
B-RAD 4 - The 4 slot base is the longest base at 12.1in long with 9 threaded holes for maximum flexibility and capacity. This would be most useful for bike packing, touring or commuting applications. For my purposes I found this to be a bit much, but certainly a good option for those looking to maximize their storage and hydration options.
DOGBONE - The Dogbone can be used to offset a bottle or other B-RAD accessory to an optimal location.
Our Setup
Now the fun part! I decided to go with the B-RAD 3 to test out this system and its capabilities. I was mainly interested in eliminating the need for a saddle bag, which lowers the center of gravity and looks a bit cleaner. Also I was curious about the option to carry additional water for those super long backcountry rides. Again, the B-RAD 3 is the medium sized offering, with three slots and four threaded holes. Wolf Tooth will also include a piece of foam padding, zip tie, and four stainless steel bolts.
For my application I opted to place a bottle cage in the top two threaded holes with a B-RAD Medium Strap mounted to the lower two. This strap affixes to a Mounting Plate to allow anything under 10″ in diameter to be strapped on. The strap, made of a sticky Toughtek Grip Fabric, Velcro Hook and Loop, 3M SALAS reflective tab, and an EVA Foam Pad threads through the mounting plate which bolts to the base.
In the strap I wrapped up a 700x40 tube, tire lever, CO2 cartridge and inflator with some room to spare. With an additional bottle cage mount on my Rocky Mountain Solo, I didn't see an immediate need for the B-RAD Double Bottle Adapter, but could see use for the Half Bottle Adaptor, which would allow me to add a B-RAD Mini Strap next to a bottle cage.
I liked this setup so much that wanted to bring the utility over to my mountain bike as well. In this case, since I only have one bottle cage mount, B-RAD 3 allowed me to not only introduce the Medium Strap, but also employ the B-RAD Double Bottle Adapter. I found this application is really where the B-RAD shines, transforming one bottle cage mount into something that can carry 2 water bottles and almost everything I put in my saddle bag. This solution has eliminated the need for me to carry a hydration pack for everyday riding, for a very reasonable cost. One word of caution here... to make this work we needed to also use the B-RAD Dogbone underneath the B-RAD 3 base, to allow for sufficient clearance for my Orbea Occam's curved downtube. While I'm not sure if this is an intended use for the Dogbone, thus far it has worked extremely well and fits everything nicely within the frame.
Overall we love the added versitility this product can bring, and can't wait to see more innovative products from Wolf Tooth Components. B-RAD products are designed and manufactured in the USA.
B-RAD Products and Pricing:
2 Base Mount $17.95
3 Base Mount $19.95
4 Base Mount $22.95
Half Bottle Adaptor with Dogbone $27.95
Medium Strap and Accessory Mount $29.95
Double Bottle Adaptor $23.95
Do you have other solutions for maximizing your bike storage? Let us know in the comments below or share with us on Facebook or Instagram.