Weight savings on cables?

edten
edten Posts: 228
edited June 2013 in Road buying advice
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?

Comments

  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    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
    sungod Posts: 17,427
    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
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    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...

    collapsing-giraffe.jpg

    ...there you go, Giraffe with Nokon legs! More crap than bling.
  • barrie h
    barrie h Posts: 102
    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
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    You'd notice a saving of 120g on a bike ? Yeah sure you would.
  • meesterbond
    meesterbond Posts: 1,240
    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
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    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
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    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.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • edten
    edten Posts: 228
    Cheers guys great stuff! I never would have guessed cables can improve saddle comfort, bonus! ;)
  • meesterbond
    meesterbond Posts: 1,240
    They also make you more attractive to the opposite sex and guarantee at least one extra winning number on the Euromillions.
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    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.
    Ben

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