King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review

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The new King Cage Mini Thing Cage is a pared-down, two-bolt version of the popular Manything Cage that’s designed to carry bottles (or tallboys) that don’t fit in a standard cage. We’ve been using one for a couple of months for this review…

Back in the early 2010s, long before there was a surplus of options, the only real oversized cargo cage was the aluminum Salsa Anything Cage. It had issues soon after its release, and it was eventually recalled. At that point, a lot of folks were clinging onto the rumors of a forthcoming titanium interpretation by the Durango, Colorado-based small business, King Cage. It took a while to hit the streets, but the King Cage Manything Cage finally launched in 2016 and was one of the first cargo cages available—and the first titanium cage. There are a boatload of anything-style cargo cages on the market now, but I’m always happy to see new and interesting variations on the theme. Recently, some six years later, King Cage released a smaller, two-bolt sibling to the Manything Cage, affectionately called the Mini Thing Cage. Read on for the full review after I put it to use on a few rugged rides.

King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review
  • King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review
  • King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review

King Cage Mini Thing Cage vs. Manything Cage

The King Cage Mini Thing Cage and Manything Cage are quite different, despite their homonymic naming. Now something of a classic, the ultralight titanium Manything Cage was designed around a three-pack mounting configuration to lash extra gear or oversized bottles onto a utility fork or the underside of a properly provisioned frame. The Manything is made for either bottles, ~5-liter bags, or similar sized items. The Mini Thing Cage builds on the design of the Manything but has a significantly smaller and slimmer profile. The Manything cage is 2 1/2” wide x 8 1/2” tall, with a shelf that juts out ~2 1/4” (approximately 6.4 x 21.6 x 5.7cm). The new Mini Thing cage is 7” tall with a platform that’s 2 x 2” (17.8 x 5.1 x 5.1cm) and is built for carrying bottles that don’t quite fit in a standard bottle cage.

King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review
  • King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review
  • King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review

There are a couple other major structural differences between the two cages. Most notably, the smaller Mini Thing Cage is made from solid titanium rod, whereas the Manything uses hollow Titanium tubing—like all of King’s water bottle cages. King Cage mentioned that they decided to move to solid rod for the smaller cage because it’s stronger and more durable. Plus, if the bottom platform takes a hit and gets bent, the solid Titanium rod can be bent back into shape without any risk of the tubing breaking. It makes sense that they use the solid tubing for the smaller of the two cages. However, I’ve never had any issues with the lighter hollow tubing on the Manything cage, and I’ve been using it since its release.

King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review
  • King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review
  • King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review
King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review

New Manything Cage?

The folks at King Cage mentioned that they made a batch of Manything cages with the same solid rod and are awaiting feedback from people testing it. If they go this direction, it will no doubt be a little heavier, considering its size. Either way, it’s proven to be exceptionally durable despite the lighter weight tubing and negligible ___-gram weight. I’ve carried a large 1.5-liter Klean Kanteen on it over extremely bumpy terrain, too. King Cage claims they’ve tested the Manything Cage with up to two liters of water weight and mentioned that the Mini Thing Cage should be rated for about two-thirds the weight of the Manything—about 1.33 liters of water weight. That rating should be taken lightly, though, and it may vary depending on whether you’re riding on the rough stuff or on relatively smooth roads.

The other key differences between the Manything and the Mini Thing is a little more obvious. The Mini Thing has a two-bolt mounting pattern instead of three. And it has integrated slots for threading the included 12″ Voile Nano Strap, which is a super nice touch. Instead of losing straps on the forest floor, it stays intact. I’ve also been impressed with the Nano’s strength and durability, using it as a handlebar bag strap, to hold 1.5L bottles, and other such rigorous uses. While it might seem a little troublesome to rely on just a single small strap for water bottle duties, it hasn’t posed a problem for me. For a little extra security with larger (and full) bottles, you could also wrap an additional strap around the bike tubing.

King Cage Mini Thing Cage Review
  • Model Tested: King Cage Mini Thing Cage
  • Actual Weight: 47 grams
  • Place of Manufacture: Colorado, USA
  • Price: $44
  • Manufacturer’s Details: KingCage.com

Pros

  • The slot made to thread the Voilé Nano Strap is a nice addition for keeping the strap in place at camp
  • Like its older sibling, the Mini Thing Cage is unobtrusive when not in use
  • Design is perfect for a tallboy can
  • Solid Ti tubing is solid and rugged yet still lightweight

Cons

  • Not as versatile as the Manything Cage

Wrap Up

After trying the Mini Thing Cage, I still think the three-pack Manything remains one of my favorite options in the cargo cage category. It’s tough, light, and a little more versatile than the new Mini Thing. However, the Mini Thing is a great two-bolt option for bikes without triple mounts, and like its predecessor, the Mini Thing cage’s minimalist design allows it to be left on the bike and remain unobtrusive when not in use. To me, that’s the winning formula with these cages: they’re minimal but ideal for important overflow items that you pick up along the way, such as additional water or the occasional tall-boy can.

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