KCNC titanium brake cables

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bazmac
Posts: 42
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:30 am

by bazmac

Hi, is anyone using titanium brake or derailer cables? Powercordz?

I'm fairly new here and keen to hear what really lightweight cables are being used for your road bikes?

Thanks baz


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drainyoo
Posts: 789
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:56 pm

by drainyoo

I've done some searching because I was interested in using the KCNC Ti cables for my build, but it doesn't seem like many people use them. My guess is the price. They're ridiculously expensive. For the price of a set, you can get a full set of AICAN Bungarus with cable and housing. Also, there's concern that they might stretch more than steel cables, but I haven't found any info from real use.

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madcow
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by madcow

I've used both Kcnc ti cables and Powercordz in a lot of builds.

Stretch isn't an issue. We've lately been testing cables and housings in our brake fixture and I can't yet give away the results. I will say that when you look at just cables without housing the differences are small and only really show up in the higher load tests which in my opinion don't matter much. We tested cables up to 125 pounds of force on the cable, but with a good brake the wheel will lockup at about 75 pounds of cable pull, well less than the max of our preliminary tests.

So the short answer is that both work well and stretch isn't a problem. The Cordz are a couple grams lighter but are limited in application. They don't work with some of the lightest housings and the lightest brakes. The Ti really seem to fit every application and work really well but he drawback to them as mentioned is the price.

bazmac
Posts: 42
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:30 am

by bazmac

Why are the Ti cables so expensive? Is there extreme gouging happening or is there significant costs involved in the manufacturing process plus the raw materials are dear? The fact that they are not yet very popular also probably adds to the cost as economies of scale are yet to kick in?

I'm trying to build a special project and want to shed grams wherever possible but I'm also concerned with the costs. $90 per cable set for the Ti cables is crazy dear and I won't justify this so am looking at other options.

Thanks baz


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jpanspac
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:21 pm

by jpanspac

I'm using the KCNC Ti brake cables. I haven't noticed any stretch with them. I'm sure they're expensive for the same reason Ti bikes are expensive.
My favorite components are the ones I never have to think about.

dereksmalls
Posts: 2305
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: New Zealand

by dereksmalls

I wonder if anyone has thought of using something like this to develop carbon fibre cables? Wonder how it would compare price and strength wise to ti and Powercordz?

http://www.fibraplex.com/ProductPages/Carbon%20Fiber%20Rope%20String.asp

bazmac
Posts: 42
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:30 am

by bazmac

I'm not an engineer so don't what all the strengths mean in real life. Seems strange that none of the carbon experts like Fiber lyte or BTP have not developed carbon into this type of application.

Cheers baz


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vlastrada
Posts: 225
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 3:12 am
Location: uphill

by vlastrada

just got a ti set for shifting (will use with campy) from FWB - will they work equally well with Nokon and mini-i-links?

any specific issues with internal cabling?

drainyoo
Posts: 789
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:56 pm

by drainyoo

madcow wrote:I've used both Kcnc ti cables and Powercordz in a lot of builds.

Stretch isn't an issue. We've lately been testing cables and housings in our brake fixture and I can't yet give away the results. I will say that when you look at just cables without housing the differences are small and only really show up in the higher load tests which in my opinion don't matter much. We tested cables up to 125 pounds of force on the cable, but with a good brake the wheel will lockup at about 75 pounds of cable pull, well less than the max of our preliminary tests.

So the short answer is that both work well and stretch isn't a problem. The Cordz are a couple grams lighter but are limited in application. They don't work with some of the lightest housings and the lightest brakes. The Ti really seem to fit every application and work really well but he drawback to them as mentioned is the price.


Is there a lightweight housing that would work well with the KCNC Ti cables? What are the options?

jpanspac
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:21 pm

by jpanspac

The Aican Bungarus housing works well with the Ti cables.
My favorite components are the ones I never have to think about.

drainyoo
Posts: 789
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:56 pm

by drainyoo

Thanks, but is the housing sold separately? I've only seen it sold with cables. Does that mean they also work with the Powercordz Swift housing?

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