Teflon coated cables
#1
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 790
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Teflon coated cables
So i broke a rear derailer cable on my 2015 TARMAC ELITE, i have 1400 miles since last September.
It was replaced a week ago.
I noticed that the cable diameter on the new Teflon cable is twice as large as the other stock cable so i had the front derailer cable replaced today.
It seems to shift much better.
So do factory bikes have sh**y cables on purpose so you will upgrade or no ... ?
#2
I eat carbide.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Elgin, IL
Posts: 21,627
Bikes: Lots. Van Dessel and Squid Dealer
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1325 Post(s)
Liked 1,306 Times
in
560 Posts
1. Teflon coated inners suck
2. Yes there is small differences in the inners that everyone uses.
3. Teflon coated cables suck because the coating tends to rub off inside the housing and constrict the inner. Even though it's teflon it causes the cable response to slow and shift performance to crap out.
In the future just put some basic stainless inner cables on.
2. Yes there is small differences in the inners that everyone uses.
3. Teflon coated cables suck because the coating tends to rub off inside the housing and constrict the inner. Even though it's teflon it causes the cable response to slow and shift performance to crap out.
In the future just put some basic stainless inner cables on.
__________________
PSIMET Wheels, PSIMET Racing, PSIMET Neutral Race Support, and 11 Jackson Coffee
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
#4
I eat carbide.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Elgin, IL
Posts: 21,627
Bikes: Lots. Van Dessel and Squid Dealer
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1325 Post(s)
Liked 1,306 Times
in
560 Posts
__________________
PSIMET Wheels, PSIMET Racing, PSIMET Neutral Race Support, and 11 Jackson Coffee
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
#7
Senior Member
Teflon is old news anyway, as Shimano has moved onto "polymer coated" cables now. If you ask me the real cable innovation will be those highly-polished stainless cables that Jagwire are pushing though.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 28,682
Bikes: 1990 Romic Reynolds 531 custom build, Merlin Works CR Ti custom build, super light Workswell 066 custom build
Mentioned: 109 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 58 Times
in
36 Posts
Hmmm. I wonder what that polymer could be. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) perhaps? Whew! I'm just glad it isn't Teflon.
#9
Senior Member
I have no idea what the polymer is, but I can tell you that the "polymer coated" cables look and act differently to the PTFE coated ones. For one the polymer pills up on the exposed cables, which doesn't happen with the PTFE coated ones. It looks quite unattractive. They seem to work well enough, but then again I never had any issues with just stainless cables.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC, duh Bronx.
Posts: 3,578
Bikes: Salsa Ti Warbird- 2014/ November RAIL52s
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 67 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I have no idea what the polymer is, but I can tell you that the "polymer coated" cables look and act differently to the PTFE coated ones. For one the polymer pills up on the exposed cables, which doesn't happen with the PTFE coated ones. It looks quite unattractive. They seem to work well enough, but then again I never had any issues with just stainless cables.
#11
just another gosling
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Everett, WA
Posts: 19,526
Bikes: CoMo Speedster 2003, Trek 5200, CAAD 9, Fred 2004
Mentioned: 115 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3884 Post(s)
Liked 1,936 Times
in
1,382 Posts
Another vote for Jagwire Slick Stainless. It's the only cable that has delivered accurate shifting on our tandem. Durable, too. I see they have a new Elite Ultra-Slick cable which I haven't tried.
#12
I eat carbide.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Elgin, IL
Posts: 21,627
Bikes: Lots. Van Dessel and Squid Dealer
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1325 Post(s)
Liked 1,306 Times
in
560 Posts
Their coating still sheds as well. Still crap compared to simple, durable, slick stainless inners.
__________________
PSIMET Wheels, PSIMET Racing, PSIMET Neutral Race Support, and 11 Jackson Coffee
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
#14
Climbing: Ropes or Wheels
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Unied States, Maine
Posts: 384
Bikes: 2012 Scott Foil 30, Homebrew Windsor Fens Build, 2015 Fuji Touring, 1980 Univega
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I bet coated cables would work really well with inner-coated housing. I doubt it would work too well with plastic on steel. That's always a recipe for disaster.
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 28,682
Bikes: 1990 Romic Reynolds 531 custom build, Merlin Works CR Ti custom build, super light Workswell 066 custom build
Mentioned: 109 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 58 Times
in
36 Posts
Back in the day I used to occupy a lab at DuPont's Jackson Laboratory across the hall from where Teflon aka PTFE was discovered. Apparently a lab assistant was tasked with adding some tetrafluoroethylene to a reactor (or something) but found no pressure in the storage cylinder. But the cylinder still contained the full weight. Nothing would come out, so the guy sawed the cylinder in half (horrors!) and found this sticky white goop in the bottom. Voila, Teflon. Apparently some rust in the cylinder or something else had catalyzed the polymerization. Imagine doing something like that today.
#16
Senior Member
Yes, I can't reconcile Shimano's line that these new polymer cables "don't shed" with the visual shedding I see on the exposed parts of the brake cables on my bike. If the cables didn't come with the brakes/brifters in my groupset, I wouldn't have bothered with them.
#17
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,664
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Back in the day I used to occupy a lab at DuPont's Jackson Laboratory across the hall from where Teflon aka PTFE was discovered. Apparently a lab assistant was tasked with adding some tetrafluoroethylene to a reactor (or something) but found no pressure in the storage cylinder. But the cylinder still contained the full weight. Nothing would come out, so the guy sawed the cylinder in half (horrors!) and found this sticky white goop in the bottom. Voila, Teflon. Apparently some rust in the cylinder or something else had catalyzed the polymerization. Imagine doing something like that today.
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 4,764
Mentioned: 28 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1975 Post(s)
Liked 232 Times
in
173 Posts
Crap is relative, the coated cables may trade some amount of lasting average performance for super smooth gliding when new. The new polymer cables make a noticeable difference compared to uncoated SS when compared back to back, especially for under bartape applications like 5700/6700/7900.
#19
Super Modest
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 23,456
Bikes: Trek Emonda, Giant Propel, Colnago V3, Co-Motion Supremo, ICE VTX WC
Mentioned: 107 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10957 Post(s)
Liked 4,613 Times
in
2,118 Posts
#20
Super Modest
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 23,456
Bikes: Trek Emonda, Giant Propel, Colnago V3, Co-Motion Supremo, ICE VTX WC
Mentioned: 107 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10957 Post(s)
Liked 4,613 Times
in
2,118 Posts
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
deacon mark
Road Cycling
1
05-14-15 08:16 PM