Between the Arm (BTA) setups have now become pretty standard. We have gone from simple zip-tied cages to increasingly sophisticated setups, including computer mounts, straws, and fairings. But not everyone is looking for sophisticated or complex. Sometimes all we want is an efficient way to store a standard 20oz bottle on your bars—having a computer there may be an added bonus. If this sounds familiar, Zipp built the new Vuka Alumina BTA Mount just for you.
The Vuka Alumina BTA Mount
In many ways, the Vuka Alumina seems like the evolution of the original Profile Design HC Mount. Like the HC, the Vuka’s main design element is a bridge between the two aerobars. However, where the HC mount was secured via zip ties, the Vuka uses pair of securable clamps. Mounted to the bridge is a combination bottle boss and quarter turn mount for Garmin Edge computers (unfortunately the 910xt quick release kit will not work).
The mount alone weighed in at 106g (with hardware).
Vuka BTA Carbon Cage
We mounted a Vuka BTA Carbon Cage to our Vuka mount. Weighing in at 24g, it’s an extremely light-weight cage. So far we’ve experienced no bottle launches. In fact, we would say the cage is actually a little on the tight side. You have to be pretty deliberate about grabbing a bottle—it won’t just slide out. Zipp calls this “super secure bottle fitment.” We call it “snug.”
Our Impressions
This is easily one of our favorite cage-only BTA solutions – if only for the perfect location of the computer mount. The computer is placed where you can easily read it, even in the aero position. When talking to Zipp, a completely usable computer position is one of the key design elements they had to have, and they absolutely succeeded.
The mount itself is strong and secure. We originally had some concerns that a single bridge may cause the bottle to vibrate or bounce. However, the mount itself is wide enough to get a solid connection to your bars, and the bottle never moved.
The only real issue we had with the system is the cost. At $140 for the mount and cage combined ($65 mount\$75 cage) this is far from a cheap solution. There are quite a few options that offer similar functionality for less. However, perfection never comes cheap. And having the computer exactly where you want is going to be worth every penny to quite a few. That really sums up the Vuka BTA system – for a price, it provides one of the simplest and well-executed options out there for a bottle-only setup. Speed Weaponry at its finest.
You mentioned the 910xt quick release wouldn’t work with the mount. Did you test the 310xt quick release by any chance? What was it that prevented the 910 from working? Thanks.
Unfortunately the 910 uses a different orientation than the Edge series of cycling computer. If you try to mount a 910 it will end up facing the wrong direction.
Amazing what some people will pay for these gadgets. I have yet to see anyone adopt my method for BTA mount–one strong rubber band. It is strong, easy to install, and essentially costs nothing. Never launched a bottle, it is flush with the bars, and easy to mount a spare too.
Tate, that is what I do also… I use a regular bottle cage zip tied and use a old cut up tube as my big rubber band to hold it secure. works amazingly well and only costed me 3 zip ties
I also use a cage and some zip ties. I have tried a bunch other other popular systems (torhans, profile designs, xlab) but was not satisfied with any of them. It drives me crazy when my bike is covered with sports drink after a ride so all of the leaky systems had to go. My big question about this new Zipp system is how the bottle stays in on rough roads or on hills. I once tried positioning a cage in that direction and it didnt work out well.
While we werent able to take use the cage on any cobbles we did hit a few decently rough roads. Never had an issue with it moving, actually quite the opposite. We found that with some of our bottles the cage held on so tight that it took a very deliberate action to get it out.
That sounds good. Are you worried at all that the Garmin mount might break the plastic off of the back of your Edge computer? I have heard that can happen with third party mounts that are made of metal, or basically anything stronger than the plastic of the Garmin.
We have been using a few metal mounts for a while now and so far no issues. We will keep an eye on it though!
I like the concept of this BTA set-up, but recently ran into issues with it’s interface with the Garmin. The issue is with the Garmin mount, not the plastic tabs on the back of the garmin, but the garmin mount part of the BTA. The BTA is made of metal, and the Garmin mount is made of some composite material, that is held in the metal recess by adhesive and a couple of guides to keep it oriented correctly. I was racing the SoCal TT championships, on good roads with only modest about of “bumpy-ness”, and the composite part with my garmin came flying out of the BTA. I was able to track down the broken Garmin with the composite piece after the race. . .really disappointing to use a Zipp product that not only breaks, but trashes my Garmin and the race with it. . . I don’t know why this mount wasn’t designed with a better interface between the 2 materials they used to make it, or why they didn’t make it from a single piece of metal. I only had it for 2 weeks before this happened.
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