Compressionless Brake Cable Housing For Vintage Brakes
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,704
Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road
Mentioned: 55 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1949 Post(s)
Liked 2,010 Times
in
1,109 Posts
Compressionless Brake Cable Housing For Vintage Brakes
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?
__________________
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
#2
Pedalin' Erry Day
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.
Likes For lasauge:
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 20,305
Mentioned: 130 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3464 Post(s)
Liked 2,829 Times
in
1,995 Posts
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
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
#4
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.
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.
#5
Bianchi Goddess
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Posts: 27,858
Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.
Mentioned: 192 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2930 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times
in
1,491 Posts
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.
Any good quality “flat wound” lined housing should be fine for most any brakes.
__________________
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 5,790
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3511 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times
in
1,775 Posts
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.
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.
Last edited by smd4; 04-24-22 at 10:45 AM.
Likes For smd4:
#7
Blamester
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.
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.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 5,790
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3511 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times
in
1,775 Posts
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.
#9
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,614
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10964 Post(s)
Liked 7,490 Times
in
4,189 Posts
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.
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.
Likes For Steel Charlie:
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Stillwater, OK
Posts: 7,827
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1872 Post(s)
Liked 692 Times
in
468 Posts
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.
__________________
2014 Cannondale SuperSix EVO 2
2019 Salsa Warbird
2014 Cannondale SuperSix EVO 2
2019 Salsa Warbird
Likes For shoota:
#12
Classic, Vintage Mechanic
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Vancouver B.C. Canada
Posts: 117
Bikes: '65 Legnano Gran Primeo || '76 Holdsworth Mistral || '82 Specialized Stumpjumper
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 47 Post(s)
Liked 40 Times
in
25 Posts
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.
Last edited by d_dutchison; 04-25-22 at 03:24 PM. Reason: clarity
Likes For d_dutchison:
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 5,790
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3511 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times
in
1,775 Posts
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.
#14
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,704
Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road
Mentioned: 55 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1949 Post(s)
Liked 2,010 Times
in
1,109 Posts
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.
__________________
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
Likes For Classtime:
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 5,790
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3511 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times
in
1,775 Posts
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 20,305
Mentioned: 130 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3464 Post(s)
Liked 2,829 Times
in
1,995 Posts
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.
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.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 5,790
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3511 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times
in
1,775 Posts
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.
#18
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,704
Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road
Mentioned: 55 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1949 Post(s)
Liked 2,010 Times
in
1,109 Posts
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.
__________________
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 5,790
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3511 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times
in
1,775 Posts
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.
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 20,305
Mentioned: 130 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3464 Post(s)
Liked 2,829 Times
in
1,995 Posts
lots of NOS stuff still out there.
nice calipers, at one time about the lightest around.
Likes For oneclick:
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 20,305
Mentioned: 130 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3464 Post(s)
Liked 2,829 Times
in
1,995 Posts
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 5,790
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3511 Post(s)
Liked 2,926 Times
in
1,775 Posts
I know it's a sidetrack...but what kind of pads do you use with wooden rims?