Upgraded cables, worth the cost?

[stackie]

OK,

I'm replacing cables on my road bike as part of overhaul. Are Gore Ride On cables worth the extra cost? Nokon? Mostly, I am interested in increased performance vs. saving weight.

Thanks,

Jon

[gone]

OK,

I'm replacing cables on my road bike as part of overhaul. Are Gore Ride On cables worth the extra cost?

Jon
Nope. I've never tried the Gore's but I have tried Nokon's, Aztec teflon and a few other "performance" cables and haven't been able to tell the difference from standard shimano cables.

[cadence90]

On brakes, where housing compression isn't an issue, I haven't noticed a difference.
On shifters, where the less compression in the housing the better, I have (IRD Metawire, i. e. Nokon).

[EXTREME5]

OK,

I'm replacing cables on my road bike as part of overhaul. Are Gore Ride On cables worth the extra cost? Nokon? Mostly, I am interested in increased performance vs. saving weight.

Thanks,

Jon

I recently replaced my Campy cables for the Gore Ride On. They are noticeably smoother, but significantly more expensive. Honestly, I'm not sure they are worth the expense, but I would buy them again. Why, because I like them. If price is the issue, then there are other places to spend the money and get more bang for the FRN. It truly becomes a matter of personal preference.

[vqdriver]

i've had the gore ride on sealed version. i loved the continuous cable sleeve. much cleaner and easier to maintain. added bonus, i typically grab my bike by the top tube. but with exposed brake cable running along the side, i worry about scratching the frame by rubbing the cable up against the tube. with the sleeve, no worries.
i don't remember any comparative performance benefit. and yeah, don't know if it's worth the cost.

haven't tried the nokon system, but i think they use a similar continuous sleeve.

[thinpin]

I was changing my campag shifter cables every year. You really notice the difference. On the peg I've put Gore ride-on. Only time will tell. The covering on the cables themselves is fragile. The idea for me is to change cables less frequently as there is little difference in shifting when new.

[davidlee]

Steer clear of the Nokons. Tremendous pain to install and I don't think they shift as well as stock Campag . The aluminum housing also corrodes fairly quickly and makes an annoying creaking noise on out of the saddle efforts.
Stick with the stock housing and replace twice yearly, depending on mileage and conditions.
Just my 2cents.
xo
david

[rustychisel]

Do you have cause for complaint with your current cabling?

ie, you suggest performance, so what about the performance leads you to consider the expenditure?

[Just trying to help clarify the issue] :confused:

[Louis]

replace twice yearly, depending on mileage and conditions.

I'm not sure I would necessarily follow David's advice on this one - he rides like a gazillion miles per year, so twice a year for him is probably every three years for most folks...

[musgravecycles]

No

Used to sell a ton of the old Gore, was a PITA to set up correctly, but it was noticeably smoother especially on tandems.

But personally I feel that you're better off sticking with Campa/Shimano cables/housings and replacing often (several times/year). Cables are "consumables" and shouldn't be stretched (pun intended) beyond their useful service life...

[musgravecycles]

Put it to you another way, I just traded another shop guy 2 sets of Nokon in return for 2 sets of Campa cables...
;)

[davidlee]

Put it to you another way, I just traded another shop guy 2 sets of Nokon in return for 2 sets of Campa cables...
;)

and I think YOU got the better deal..
Amen
d

[T-Crush]

At one point I was totally on the Nokon band-wagon; loved the look, believed the performance claims and got good/quick at installing them. They went on everything I built. On my last change I found a complete set of Campy cables in an ignored box o' spares, put them on and I cannot tell the difference. I want to believe the Nokons are quicker shifting, provide more positive brake action and are imune to "stretch", but the reality is I just can't tell. So, if you dig the Nokon look or if the 20 grams matters (a claim I think I read somewhere), have fun. Go with the silver and start conversations where ever you go. If you're more in line with the traditional look and feel, stay the course with Campy or Shimano. Now if you're building up that Motorola MX Leader, you'll need something in blue...

[Needs Help]

Steer clear of the Nokons. Tremendous pain to install...The aluminum housing also corrodes fairly quickly and makes an annoying creaking noise on out of the saddle efforts.

I had the exact same experience...and they scratch the hell out of your frame. I switched back to standard campy housing and noticed no difference in performance.

Long ago I used gore ride on cables that were so slick that switching back to regular cables was a shock: I couldn't make an emergency stop with one finger anymore. However, in the intervening years I think both shimano and campy have slickened their cables, so there might not be a noticeable difference anymore.

[duke]

No!
duke

[Ahneida Ride]

There have been tons posted on after market tcables thru out the years.

I believe the consensus is that the extra frn for theses cables is questionable.

I always hear RPIA to set up too.

[NateM]

If you ride in nasty conditions,rain,slush,salt,mud, the Gore cables are worth the hassle. I've only used them with Shimano drivetrains cause thats whats on my winter bike.

[WadePatton]

So, if it ain't broke, don't broke it. :D

[vqdriver]

So, if it ain't broke, don't broke it. :D

hehe. pretty much