Classtime 

Has anybody tried it? I just re-stocked with 10m of Jagwire Sport and now I'm second guessing being cheap at half the cost and being afraid of creating problems learning to use a new technology. Jagwire makes a compressionless pro level brake cable housing that is similar to shifter housing with additional kevlar wrap that can keep the cable together under the forces of braking. The product is less flexible which is cool (as I remember vintage campy brake cable housing). I think they sell some less compressionless/more flexible sections to deal with tight bends like with aero levers and perhaps at the seat cluster and that didn't make any sense to me. And I think the Pro level Jagwire Compressionless is a bit larger in diameter which would be a problem with many of our bikes that have brazed on guides and maybe forces you to use stepped ferrules at the caliper and maybe the lever? Anyway, I'm looking for a review of this Compressionless Brake Cable Housing used on vintage bikes with vintage brakes. Is it worth the money and the hassle?

lasauge 

Having looked into this myself and knowing folks who have tried it, the conclusion I reached is that compressionless housing only makes sense if you're running mechanical disc brakes. For rim brake calipers, the whole system from lever to caliper just isn't sensitive enough and typically has enough flex at the caliper anyways that the insignificant amount of flex present with ordinary housing has a negligible effect on how your brakes feel and perform. Maybe if you've already optimized your setup with grippy brake pads and the stiffest possible calipers and are still looking for the absolute best braking possible it could make sense, but otherwise it's a lot of faff and cost for very little improvement.

repechage

Vintage Campagnolo cables and housing were the least floppy as I recall then and now still.
hard to find the 1.8 mm cables, well at a reasonable price today.

I agree low compression housing will shift the flex and limberness to the calipers and or cable hanger. And prob not top tube cable clip friendly

blamester

It depends on how fine an adjustment it takes to get good brakes.
If the brakes are fine what's the point.
If this is to cure a problem and it works then fine.
But if I thought my brakes needed these to work good then I would also looking be at the whole system. And getting a better one.

Bianchigirll 

I’ve never heard of that compressionless your talking about but I don’t mess with disc brakes.

Any good quality “flat wound” lined housing should be fine for most any brakes.

smd4

I put Aican compressionless cables on my Cinelli with Dura Ace 7700 brakes. Aican cables are pretty much the same as the Jagwire--basically the same as derailleur housing, wrapped in Kevlar, and a lot lighter than the regular coiled brake housing. They're lighter because many of the longitudinal cables that form the housing are aluminum instead of steel. Regular brake cable housing is just a coiled tube of pure, heavy steel--which, because of its design, is essentially a spring. I'm using Dura Ace 7402 levers, with the cables wrapped under the bar tape. The cables took the curves of the handlebar just fine.

The added responsiveness in the brakes--especially the rear brake--is astounding. Externally, the cables look identical to regular brake cable housing, so they look fine on a vintage bike. They don't move when the brakes are applied, so there is no stress whatsoever on the cable guides. You need to use the ferrules provided on the cable ends (they look like regular ferrules but prevent the wires that form the housing from "squeezing through" the ends of the cables. You use them on both ends of the housing). My brakes are pretty high-end, and flex is not transferred to the calipers. The improved braking I get from both front and rear brakes is in no way "negligible."

I'm a former bike mechanic, so my brakes with the coiled housing "worked good" before. Now they work better.

The technology isn't exactly "new," but you will need to use shop-quality, bike-cable specific cable cutters for the housing--diagonal cutters from Home Depot won't do the job. Other than that, the cables install just like any other brake cables.

So for the money, I got way lighter cables and vastly improved braking. A win-win-win, in my book.

blamester

That's a good recommendation. Next time I'm buying outers I will get some. Nuthin to lose.

smd4

The compressionless systems are definitely more expensive. But I don't mind spending money on my bike, and have been known to spend far more than necessary for much smaller upticks in performance or weight reduction.

mstateglfr 

I tried some jawbreaker compression less brake housing on an older rim brake frame because it was left over from a modern disc gravel frame I switched from cable to hydraulic.

The compressionless brake housing was just stiff and offered no better braking than the 50' of sunlite brand coiled housing I buy every couple years.

Steel Charlie

I have used the stuff on my last five builds. The price for the quality was no problem at all. I see no reason to use anything else on my bikes.

shoota 

I have it on my DA7400 Tommasini build and it's great. Definitely adds stiffness and response. I'd much rather have the flex at the caliper than through 3' of spongy brake housing.

d_dutchison

I can highly recommend the Shimano 7900 (Dura-Ace) Road Brake Cable Set. These come with a stiff compression-less housing and PTFE coated cable. Super smooth and stiff, and the silver-grey housing looks correct on vintage bikes. My Holdsworth is my daily rider, so I needed good brakes even if it meant replacing them with modern ones. With these cables, Koolstop pads, and careful setup, I was able to get my Mafacs to stop as well as modern dual pivot brakes, and with a very solid feel.

smd4

Thanks for the scoop on the DA 7900 cables. I used to run grey cables, and would have preferred to go Dura Ace, but the Aicans came in white, which I wanted to try. I've got all-white trim (except for black brake hoods) on my late-80s bike, and was going for sort-of a mid-80s look.

Classtime 

I'm not sure Shimano makes compressionless brake housing. The brake housing I had on my 7900 bike was coiled like normal. And the replacement kit I put on my 7700 bike is also coiled.

smd4

Thanks for the clarification.

repechage

Vintage brake housing was coiled wire core.
Campagnolo and others used coiled steel strip, a bit less compression and less floppy.
CLB had a version with aluminum coiled strip, light and for me, time trial only.

smd4

Who's "CLB?"

The coiled steel strip is probably what most of us are used to. Like what Bianchigirll posted. Spongy and heavy.

Aican claims their compressionless housing is 40% lighter than standard coiled housing. Which I believe.

Classtime 

A dude passed me yesterday during my commute. He was riding a NR blue/white/chrome Pinarello with clips and straps. I had to catch him to ask if he was heading to Cambria. He is not going this year. Any way, he just rebuilt his Pinarello while he waited for a top tube replacement on his other bike and got NOS housing from Spain where he is from. He was more concerned about the housing diameter and ferrules fitting the levers properly.

smd4

The Aican housing is 4.9 mm in diameter—the same as the DA SLR cable it replaced. The ferrules are 5.9 mm. They did not fit in the DA 7700 caliper cable adjusters, but fit fine in DA 7400 adjusters. They fit fine in my DA 7402 aero levers.

repechage

CLB is a defunct French brake manufacturer.
lots of NOS stuff still out there.
nice calipers, at one time about the lightest around.

oneclick 

It looks the same. Don't know if it feels different - haven't ridden this one yet:

repechage

regular pads, wood rims... not a long term happy pairing.

smd4

I know it's a sidetrack...but what kind of pads do you use with wooden rims?

Oldairhead 

I use cork pads.

oneclick 

Cork.

Another on the list of things-to-be-done.