I links pics. Regular and Mini. [Test report on page 3]

[Frankie - B]

erm, because you don't need shift cables?

Can you be more specific, or do you just want to let us know that you are building a bike with DA DI2?

I edited my earlier message to add a picture of the parts.

[mrfish]

Thanks Frankie. I'll probably get some to put on my light bike, then donate any excess to our tandem.

That has had more rear brake setups than any bike in history (probably) in an attempt to get it to stop quickly. Team Sky's philosophy of marginal gains is paying off though as it's now possible to lock the rear wheel 2-up while also pulling a loaded child trailer. When it's sunnier I will post a couple of pictures as it's gradually becoming a weight weenie tandem as it gets donations off other bikes.

[MasterOMayhem]

Hi Frankie, do you think that these would work with Internally routed bars? What about some of the tighter bends? There is probably a theoretical limit to the bend due to the pieces snapping together. mini vs regular. thanks

[jrz1]

It was great to see that table listing the weights per meter of all the different cables. I am wondering if anyone knows, for comparison purposes, the weight of Yokozuna cables?

[wezep]

Just received my I-links en mini I-links from the US here in the Netherlands.
4 days!

Why is the liner from de I-link brake black and from the mini I-link shift white?
Is the last one also available in black?

[Home:Ballyhoura]

Hey there! Are you not using the orange rubber bumpers that protect the frame from cable rub? Will they slide on over any cable system or just the iLink? If you think they will, would you mind me buying them off you? Please let me know, cheers! (P.S. I have been looking for something like this for ages and was so happy to see it in your photos so fingers crossed!)

[MisterEd]

Hi everyone!

I've had a read around and can't see the answer to my question, so here goes...

Can you use powercordz with the ilink minis?

And if so then which size (1.2 or 1.5) and which liner should you use?

I've just got my set of ilink minis and was hoping to set them up and after i'm happy with them change to use powercordz for an even greater weight saving!

[ms6073]

The iLink mini's come with teflon coated 1.2mm stainless shifter cables so while I have not tried it, if you are using the 1.2 powercordz, then I see no reason why it would not work.

[LiteAgilis]

Has anyone tried theses with under-bar routing like the Stealth EVO or internal routing like the BMC (I see this question sitting unanswered above and thought I'd bump it back to the forefront of peoples' minds).

And thank you Frankie for the detailed report. This site proves so much more useful than any cycling magazine and more so than most informed bike shops...

[ms6073]

Has anyone tried theses with under-bar routing like the Stealth EVO.

If you mean with road shifters like DA7900 or SRAM, then yes, I am using them with 7900 but will stretch a bit and say that if nothing else, the smaller diameter of the links should make internal routing easier.

[LiteAgilis]

Sorry, should have mentioned the shifters too, yes, red. Thank you though for the info, now ordering for sure.

[jvanv8]

Can you use powercordz with the ilink minis?
And if so then which size (1.2 or 1.5) and which liner should you use?

I am using iLink "Minis" with Powercordz (1.2) and it works pretty well so far. I used the stock Alligator liners that came with the iLinks. I also have the regular iLinks and Powercordz for the brakes with Nokon liners and that also works nicely.

[Gearjunkie]

Hi Frankie.

How are your liners going? Staying in place or do you need to "heat and squash" them? If so, what exactly do you do? Won't squashing the liner cause friction on the inner cable?

Also, what sort of lube do you use? I don't have cable magic (or any other cable specific lube) and am too impatient to wait for some to come from overseas to NZ. So will a standard lube work (like,say a wax based lube like Pedros Ice Wax or maybe Purple Extreme being lighter?)

Thanks and sorry for all the questions!

GJ

[Frankie - B]

Hi Gearjunkie,

The liners are still fine as they are not moving around. Squashing them seems not necessary.
For lube I still use the good old Slippery spit from Shimano. I believe that that isn't made anymore, but any oil based lube will work fine. Personally I would not use wax based lubes, because I think that after they have dried out they will not keep the cable slippery.

[Gearjunkie]

Well I've installed iLink for brakes and iLink Minis for shifting.

Both replaced Yokozuna outers with Gore cables. The Yoko combination worked very well but is weighty.... hummed and harred for a LONG time before taking them off the bike (function vs weight) but, well, this is WW after all, so the iLinks went on my WW bike, though I've left the Yoko / Gore combo on my commuter/second bike.

So far only done one ride with the new cables. 110km only so far. The iLinks worked very well (maybe not quite in the league of the Yoko's once you take into account that the iLinks are brand new so should be better) but crikey, those iLink shifter inner cables know how to stretch! I did my usual pre ride stretch routine (lots of shifting in the stand, then leave in the tightest gear combination overnight) but still had a lot of stretch during the ride. Used to having some, but this was lots.

Some install comments:

* Don't bother measuring your existing cables. The iLinks will follow such a different line that they will be a different length - shorter and .... lighter

* Lot's of experimenting to get the right length.

* Overall very easy (if time consuming) to install (thanks to Frankie's excellent tips!)

* I kept the RD loop length quite long in order to keep the cable bend relatively normal - it's possible to bend the iLinks much tighter than standard cables (esp Yokozuna) at the RD.

* Make sure to use plenty of frame protectors - those metal iLinks could make quite a mess of your frame.

* My brake adjusters (on KCNC CB1's) now work MUCH better than with the Yokozunas. Turn very freely so now important to use the lock nuts.

* On the flip side I can't get the Gore in line adjusters (on the shifter cables) to work while I'm riding. It's now necessary to hold both ends of the adjuster to make an adjustment - they just move too freely relative to the neighbouring iLink at each end. Still work fine in the stand (useful for FD adjustment) but not so helpful while riding - which is a b_gger when there's a lot of cable stretch.

* Overall performance is very good, and no doubt the stretch will settle down soon.

And the most important bit.... (using Frankie's "left overs" weighing method, which I didn't do as accurately as him because I threw some of the small leftovers and some of the small old Yoko bits out before weighing).... about 76g saved!