Save Weight on Brake Cables
 

Hi there,

Am looking for ways to push my 1982 8.0 kg bike to 7.8. Pretty much everything is done. The Superleggera seat would save me about 60 grams, the tyres will have to stay on the budget side.
Are there brake cable housings from aluminium or titanium? I couldn´t find much.

Thank you very much in advance!

Cheers
Nuovo

CLB had brake cable kits which used aluminum coil in the housings. Yes, very light!

I fitted such housings on Joe Englert's carbon Willier build, got the weight down to a very low 11 POUNDS figure or 5kg.

He's on road-worthy 24/25mm clinchers (albeit with no bar tape), full-carbon saddle (I've ridden the bike and it's fine).
He's well on his way to climbing 1 million feet in 2021 after riding the same bike 20210 miles in 2020.

Same housings as I fitted to this old 22lb French bike. Colors offered were clear (shown), smoke, red, blue and yellow.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2777c9ed7e.jpg


EDIT: I should have mentioned tat the CLB housing is lined. It's a bit squishy and is more vulnerable to kinks or deformations but is very smooth. Squishiness tends to be more of a problem as the weight load increases, why fly-weight racers usually feel less "need" for disc brakes even in hard conditions.

They could be had as part of a complete set, here's a pic with a bit of the housing visible:


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...77956ea1aa.jpg

The tyres have to be budget versions, yet you have the money to splurge on aluminum brake cable housing? :foo:

Also, if that's a Concor Superleggera you're talking about, here's a cautionary tale....
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...77390dc009.jpg

are those wooden rims???

Yes.

Criterium Setas.

I’m hoping my recently acquired Super Corsa for my Medici holds up better . Maybe different rails?

Yeah the Superleggera had thicker, aluminium rails. You'll never have a problem with the Supercorsa.

How does the weight of the Superleggra compare to the Flite Ti?

/snark Want it to be lightweight? Turn it into a fixie -- no brakes at all, plus no derailleurs or freewheel -- super lightweight! Cut off the derailleur tab and any other braze-ons to shave off more ounces! Then get out the drill and go to town old-school on the chainrings and other bits! / snark ;)

Is your goal to get a photo of the bike on a scale for bragging rights or to try to make the ride more lively or "better?"

FWIW, retaining cheap tires while spending $$ on brake cable housing in an effort to save 100 grams or so is, IMHO, misguided. Rene Herse or Soma Supple Vitesse or the like tires will not only likely be a lot lighter than the cheap tires you don't want to consider replacing (almost certainly more than you'd save in weight by buying boutique brake housing -- and that's rotating weight), but they'll also likely make a large difference in the feel and performance of the bike, which cable housing won't (ok, light housing "might" make braking less effective, but that's presumably not a goal).

OP original title was:

Save Weight on Brake Cables

Here ya go, only $110, gotta be one of the worse $/g
https://r2-bike.com/KCNC-Brake-Wire-...ating-MTB-Road-

Yeah, the Superleggera used those solid Aluminum rails, 8mm thick. The regular Concor Supercorsa should be fine. When it broke, I decided to replace that one with a more modern version of the Concor with a relief channel, which is both cheaper than a real Supercorsa and more comfortable.
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​​​​​​​Thanks , I will try it out this weekend. It is heavier than the UniCanitor that is on there now but has SOME padding , plus it is Medici branded on the back so it will add some originality to the bike. Joe

Saddle comfort is so important, and what saddle is comfortable for who such an individual thing that it's one place I don't worry about authenticity in my old bikes. I want to RIDE THEM!!! and if the saddle is a torture device (like the Kashimax that came on my 1982 Lotus Classique), I swap them for something that I can ride comfortably.

How much weight have you taken off the rider?

I still have several sets of tyres that I want to use up, Continental Giro and similar ones. I just don´t like to waste anything.

I am aware of this. Concor Supercorsa Profil Superleggera.

Fixie? No. Way. Period-correct Superlight.

The drilling is already done. 10 holes in the chain ring save 1 gram.

My goal is just to have fun playing.

The easy answer to that is to put light, supple tires on this bike and don't waste the old tires -- just buy project bikes that need them! ;)

My BMI is 22. Trust me, the brake cables are the last thing to work on.

Thank you, I´ll think about it. They do shift cables, too. Hmmm...

Naw, I´m downsizing. I have even sold my Gios Super Record and my De Rosa Professional.