Weight savings on cables?

edten

Asking more out of curiosity than any plan to change cables, at least not now. Just wondering what kind of weight saving (installed) can be expected from moving from say Campag or Shimano cable housings to something like the Aligator I-link or Nokon stuff?

mfin

A terrific amount. In fact, you'll really notice the difference in weight when you're out riding.

It is however worth using Nokon on some bikes that have tight bends, either due to the cable stop locations or tight curves on some bars, especially on some TT setups. Apart from that, no point really.

Good cables can be worth it though, Yokozuna are great if you can find them cheap, but the outers are bloody stiff, so don't buy them if you have bends that are even approaching tight (thats on the brake outers, gear ones are fine).

sungod

if you go from traditional cable/outer to powercordz+nokon/similar you'll save c. 120g, you get better shifting too

downsides: cost, fiddlier to install

upsides: lighter, better performance, optional bling factor

mfin

sungod wrote:

if you go from traditional cable/outer to powercordz+nokon/similar you'll save c. 120g, you get better shifting too

downsides: cost, fiddlier to install

upsides: lighter, better performance, optional bling factor

Surely Powercordz and Nokon together cost one hell of a lot? That's a downside too? My Nokon wasn't better than Yokozuna, the brakes definitely weren't.

I don't think there's any bling factor to Nokon myself... it looks like the legs on one of those wooden toy giraffe things that you push your finger up and its legs collapse. (...cough... no jokes about things you push your finger up and legs collapse)

Dum de dum de dum... quick search... dum de dum...



...there you go, Giraffe with Nokon legs! More crap than bling.

barrie h

I needed a change of cables so I went to Aligator I-link , Time consuming to fit but because I have Z/G brakes which are critical on cable lengths it was a boom, easy to shorted or make longer, and a very light cable system,
I cant recommend them enough but they are expensive

Barrie

cougie

You'd notice a saving of 120g on a bike ? Yeah sure you would.

meesterbond

I think there was an air of sarcasm in the earlier post...

That said, saving 120g for what, £100 investment is actually a pretty good return when you compare it to most forms of weight-weenieing bike-dieting - assuming that the product actually works as well as the more standard offerings.

dennisn

I have Nokon links at my rear D due to a tight radius situation. The gains in speed, areodynamics, ease of pedaling, shifting ease, vibration damping, and saddle comfort are just too much to list.

Monty Dog

I have a couple of bikes with Nokons and one with i-links. Nokons are fit and forget - don't need to touch them year after year. Experience with i-links is metal is too soft and the links can split - I wouldn't recommend them.

edten

Cheers guys great stuff! I never would have guessed cables can improve saddle comfort, bonus!

meesterbond

They also make you more attractive to the opposite sex and guarantee at least one extra winning number on the Euromillions.

Ben6899

The bike I just passed to my brother has Nokon cables fitted. I wasn't interested in the minor weight saving, but the shifting and braking feels much nicer than with standard cables.