If there is one thing I have always not liked on my tri bike its been the braking performance. I have ultegra brakes and immediately swapped out the dia compes for quick stop 2s. I am on a saber with carbon x bars if it makes any difference. I have decided the only thing left to do is overhaul the cables as I think this is the source of the mushiness (I’m almost sure of it as it looks like the cable routing wasn’t very well done and is too long in some places = sloppy - also several years/ seasons old). Should I get the standard dura ace brake cables or should I spring for something else? I appreciate any opinions/ advice.
Also nowadays you dont put any grease/ oil to prep cables no? I think I may have done this in an attempt to improve my braking performance but made it worse because modern designs use teflon…
Several seasons old, huh? I recommend cable replacement every season, twice per year if you regularly train for IM-distance or race every single weekend.
Cables stretch, get dirt on them, get corroded and wear quicker than you will ever realise. It always amazed me when I was a wrench and would see some of the cables that would be on the bikes in my stand. Some people had the same cables that they had on the bike when it was delivered, and the bikes were over three years old. I would replace the cables while I did other work that they would ask me to do, as well as tell them the safety risks that they were posing to themselves.
This being said, I like the Dura Ace cables and SIS housings. I have also been known to use the QBP stainless cables, as well. I lube the cable like normal as I do think it helps with smoother operation and corrosion prevention.
I had used the Gore-Tex cables, but haven’t been able to track them down for quite awhile. But I know that one can always find the Shimano cables and SIS housing in any bike shop.
The bike is 2 years old - do you recommend swapping shifting cables every year too or are they fine as long as they shift okay - I have no problems with my shifting performance so I think I may leave those alone.
I read in a couple of places not to use grease on teflon lined housings - maybe some oil for corrosion but that grease would make it worse.
What about all these kevlar housings that are supposed to be ultralight?
I am basically a guy who is pretty religious about swapping cables out yearly, whether they are shift or brake cables. I know it seems overkill, but cables are cheap and it certainly beats having broken cables making you have to get the bike home in a tall, tall gear.
I would have to see whom the sources are that say you should not lube housings. If it is the mfr., then you should heed their advice.
I wouldn’t mess with the ultra-light housings- I see no serious performance enhancement from that.
i used the shimano cables for a long time, and they were ok. now i use the gore cables, and they are superior. they are light, but the best feture is the improved shifting and lower friction. phenominal.
This is the standard waiver…if you get injured or die its not my fault!! That being said:
I hate mushy brakes, so I recently started using shifter cables as brake cables. I still use the brake housings since they are a larger inside diameter but I use the thinner shifter cables. Wow, you want a quick return and non-mushy brakes…try it! I’m using these cables on my Zipp 2001 and Softride Rocket SE7. I’ve been using them for about 3 months now without any problems at all.
And like I said earlier…try this at your own risk, if there is any : )
What are the best cables and housings? Nokon. But how much better? Not enough, in my experience, to really justify the extra cost. If you have the $$, try them. You won’t be disappointed. In fact, mushy TT bike braking is an outstanding reason to try their brake cable setups. But if you just want solid braking you just need the good Shimano housings and some teflon coated cables.
If I can get the Nokons for $35 would that justify the cost over dura ace? I really want roadbike-like braking. Has anyone tried the nokon’s on a tri bike and found them better? Also I’ve heard they make noise - they slap against the frame or something which would probably make them too annoying.