Custom BTA bottle riser / spacer

[spocket]

I had been looking for that for a while, found a few posts about it but none really offering the solution I was looking for, ready to buy.
The BTA riser is mostly to allow for closer elbow and arm positions.

In past years I’ve been using just aluminum unthreaded spacer from McMaster Carr, but this was a bit of work (cut to the exact height I was looking for, prime, paint) and I did not like the look.
Here’s my previous setup on SC gen 2:

I was looking for something cleaner, a bit like we see on a lot of pro bikes. Nothing fancy, no wedge. I thought this would be easy to find and I am sure they are out there, but I did not find them.

So I ended up learning a few basics from Fusion 360 to design my own for 3D printing;

Parallel faces, unthreaded holes that can handle 64-65 mm bolt spacing (one hole is slightly slot-shaped) to meet standard range for bike bottles.
No threads, just pass-through holes for the bolts;

I don’t have a 3D printer but simply uploaded the model to ShapeWays, online printing service that have several types of fancy and expensive 3D printers. For sure more expensive than doing this on a home printer if someone owns one, but the advantage is that the surface finish and material properties are a LOT better on a Multi Jet Fusion printer than a consumer-grade FDM printer.

About 10-12 days later, received it in the mail - looked pretty good

Installed on my 2 TT bikes;

24 mm riser on Gen 2 SC:

And a 50mm riser version on my SC Gen 3

If someone else is would like these risers, I have uploaded versions of the spacers in 5mm increments from 25mm to 50mm height on ShapeWays’ market place.
Anyone can order the 3D printed parts from the site directly.

Link:
https://www.shapeways.com/shops/triguertin

For sure not the cheapest way to have a simple BTA riser, but clean looking and printed on high end machines. I thought this might interest a few peeps.
I can also make versions with custom heights (in between or shorter/longer) on demand.

[Riedinaustin]

Great job!

[thamanman]

https://profile-design.com/collections/accessories/products/hsf-bta-wedge-set

These may work for you.

[Titanflexr]

Nice; simple and elegant. Thanks for uploading to shapeways so others can benefit.

[Specialized22]

Nice work! For those of us that already have a 3d printer, would you be share the file or sell it for personal use?

[spocket]

FYI - I had a request for a height outside the range initially covered; I’ve updated the options to cover from 15 mm all the way up to 70mm height in 5 mm increments.
Hope this helps someone else!

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/triguertin

[Savage8778]

Curious about the computer mount -I like the placement of the computer, and trying to get mine into a similar position.

[spocket]

That one is a Frankenstein one…
The front part of the articulated mount is the original Trek/Bontrager one with a twist release (so you can mount and remove the Garmin without needing to do a quarter turn, since it is nested between the aerobars).
Bontrager Mount

The back part, to connect it to the carbon sheet, I hacked from a piece of aluminum bar stock using an angle grinder, then drilled holes with a drill press…
(bottom piece below)

Found a local shop to anodized it black.

[Savage8778]

Thank you - I was looking at similar looking computer mount from K-Edge and was going to attempt to ‘adapt’ it for my P5 Disc. Narrow, odd shaped bars (51Speedshop Rev) make it difficult for sure when wanting to use a BTA set-up.

[canadianreaper7]

Noob question: where do you get the fasteners + washers for each length of printed spacer?

[spocket]

You do need to have a bracket of some sort you are already bolting into. The riser above just allows to rise the cage, and therefore longer bolts are required.
If right now you have a solution securing the cage using zip ties, this riser is not useful.

Sourcing bolts…I got myself some Titanium bolts from Wanyifa

https://www.wanyifabolt.com/collections/m5-titanium-bolt

Some styles and length of the same brand are also directly on Amazon; They stop at 60mm length though (~50 mm spacer)

But it does not have to be titanium. You can buy any bolt on McMaster-Carr:
https://www.mcmaster.com/

Bottle cages are normally secured with M5 threads.

[mathematics]

Noob question: where do you get the fasteners + washers for each length of printed spacer?

Hardware store
.

[s13tx]

Can we just use nylon spacers like this and use long bolts? Not aerodynamic enough???

[spocket]

I did that too in the past. Short length works fine, just does not look as clean.

I also got a bar stock (see link below) that could be cut to length.
It’s tough to get a clean cut/edge but it worked. It did seem a bit flimsier on longer length.
https://www.mcmaster.com/92377A620/

McMaster does offer some standard (pre-cut clean) lengths up to 25mm.

[Herbie_Hancock]

I just received your 50mm riser off Shapeways. It works great. The 50mm version gave me more rise and a solid feel compared to the nylon spacers I had been using before. Thank you!

[spocket]

Hello Herbie - Glad to hear and to know this was useful in optimizing your setup!

I was surprised at first of the low interest as I had seen several times people asking for this type of risers before. But in recent weeks, looks like Shapeways got several orders of the various riser heights. I think 18 or 19 risers have been ordered/made as of last week.

Thanks for your feedback. Happy riding!