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Upgrade your Cables with Jagwire’s New Elite Road and MTB Kits

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Jagwire Elite Link Cable Kits (6)

Cables aren’t something that most cyclists get excited about, but they are a major contributor to how well you bike functions (or doesn’t). With Gore Ride-On cables no longer being produced, Jagwire saw an opening in the market for not only a new Elite sealed kit, but a Link kit to compete against Nokon, Alligator, and more.

Available in mountain and road, shift and brake, Jagwire’s new kits are certainly worth a look.

 

Jagwire Elite Link Cable Kits (3)

If you’re not familiar with link style housing, it basically uses hundreds of single links that interlock to form one long piece of housing. Due to the rigid construction of each link and how they interlock, the resulting housing is compression-less and allows for tighter bends than traditional housing all at a fraction of the weight. In this case, the Jagwire Link brake kit is half the weight of a traditional housing system, while the shift kit is 20% less – pretty good considering it performs better too.

Jagwire Elite Link Cable Kits (5) Jagwire Elite Link Cable Kits (4)

The Link kits will include pieces assembled to stock lengths, which can be strengthened or shortened as needed by adding or removing links. The links fit over a full length PTFE liner which keeps the inner teflon coated cable sealed from the elements, and fit into standard sized end caps. Rubber bumpers that fit over the links are also included to keep the alloy links from damaging your frame’s paint.

About the only downside to the Link kits is that there are currently no full length housing kits available, so at this time only frames with split housings can take advantage of them.

Link kits will be available in SRAM/Shimano compatible black, silver, and gold, and should be at dealers by October, with prices ranging from $45-55 or about 10% less than similar systems from Nokon.

Jagwire Elite Link Cable Kits (2)

If you are in need of full length housing, or just want to keep it traditional, Jagwire has you covered with their new Sealed kits that should step in nicely where Gore left off. Using polymer coated cables in a Speed Lube filled sealed housing system, Jagwire’s Sealed kits offer long lasting performance in muddy, wet conditions – just in time for CX.

Jagwire Elite Link Cable Kits (8) Jagwire Elite Link Cable Kits (7)

One of my first questions for Jagwire was how the coating will hold up – meaning will it strip off the cable causing problems in the housing? According to Jagwire, to prevent that from happening they are actually using a smaller 1.1mm cable with a thicker polymer coating than Gore uses which will be more durable in the long run. Combine this with the full liner from shifter to derailleur, and you should have awesome performance from start to finish.

The Sealed shift and brake kits are currently available only for road and will be sold in 5 colors (black, grey, coffee, white, and red) and will retail for $25-30.

 

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19 Comments
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Ck
Ck
11 years ago

I was curious if anyone was going to fill Gore’s shoes. I tend to use JagWire because it’s pretty decent and reasonably priced. And i’m a sucker for colors. I will definitely be looking into one of these two for next year.

Mindless
Mindless
11 years ago

I tried Nokon and Alligator, and do not see the point at all. Nothing beats just some decent full length housing – Shimano, or regular Jagwire for some color.

Peter R
11 years ago

No campy compatible link system? Hopefully that is just for now……

Dave
11 years ago

I actually like it for the aesthetics alone. It gives the bike a sort of alien look. I think they look cool and function well if not better. I’m currently running Alligators and like them. I’ll give these bad boys a shot at some point I figure.

Sardinian Rider
Sardinian Rider
11 years ago

Funny how the fancy and aggressive marketing names are called here while the set it and forget it ones are skipped : Shimano’s SP41s DA. ‘Imma eagerly trade the bling for some pure and effective cable pull.

Jacob
Jacob
11 years ago

Lighter and better performing. What’s not to like?

jay
jay
11 years ago

“CURRENTLY no full length housing kits available”….implying that they will be? I would be interested in that for the mechanical discs on my cross bike.

Ted
Ted
11 years ago

A solution looking for a problem. Get some genuine Shimano stainless shift cable and forget about it for years.

chasejj
chasejj
11 years ago

Total and complete FAIL.
I have used the Nokon stuff on 2 bikes a few years ago. Tedious install and noisy when tapping against the frame.
Zero advantages and nothing but negatives. Jagwire is blowing it.
Make Gore Rideon with good housing like Shimano XTR/DA and sealed like Rideon and you will dominate.
I have a stash of multiple Rideon kits foreseeing this issue.
If I am not mistaken Gore had Jagwire making their kits.

Carytown Bicycle Co.
11 years ago

I have had VERY good luck with Jagwire’s Ripcord stuff in the past. Good seals keep the grime out despite tons of commuting, touring, and general foul weather riding. BIG improvement over standard housing when it comes to road disc brakes too.
http://www.carytownbikes.com/blogs/carytown-bicycle-co/7713207-tested-and-approved-jagwire-ripcord-cables-and-housing

I’m looking forward to trying this stuff.

Jack
Jack
11 years ago

Ted is right.

Andrew
Andrew
11 years ago

After years of being an sp41 fan boy I tried the Jagwire ripcord kit. Better shift performance than the sp41 and being able to seal the whole lot with the nosed ends and ‘cable cover’ pipes/hoses/whatever has meant half the cable/housing changes I used to do. Plus, the Jagwire colour palette is fantastic!

joe
joe
11 years ago

IF they come out with green, than im in!

Engineer
Engineer
11 years ago

Honestly I’ve never noticed a difference whether I was using Gore or jagwire/sram cheapo’s with some Tri-Flow dripped down the line. Its just a cable and housing… this should not be a hundred dollar kit… its under 10 bucks for a full kit at most shops for regular housing and cables. Other than the looks, this does nothing for me.

greshkov
greshkov
11 years ago

i know colours don’t always translate well in photographs, but that orangish colour looks more like fools gold.

EM2
EM2
11 years ago

nokon totaly sucks
before 2 years i set alligators on my road bike both gears and brakes … still there

nsp234
nsp234
11 years ago

No word on the material of these links – it sure is aluminium?

Personally, i don’t like the look of linked kits. It just generates too much optical noise. (Aside from acoustical noise, which is even worse). The ripcord stuff is killer though.

mateo
mateo
11 years ago

Nokon is great when setup properly, but that is definitely a tedious task.

I’ve seen prototypes of this stuff and it should install much easier. The links are snug enough on the liner that they stay where you put them, and the liner is flanged at the end so it won’t pull through the links

adam
adam
11 years ago

Thumbs down. Keep it simple. Buy cheap. Replace often.

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