New cables..Gore RideOn
 

A few weeks ago I had these http://www.competitivecyclist.com/pr...87.2171.0.html installed on my bike.

I was having some shifting issues and though I tried to adjust them I just couldn't get them right. I had thought about getting Shimano 6700 Brifters installed (upgrades are always nice, have 105 now) but the mechanic at the LBS said why not try these cables.
I had read about them but thought they were a little pricey for cables. Well they were less then new brifters so I said lets do it.

My shifting is better than it has ever been. Smooth and precise. Now maybe it could be that "regular" new cables would have solved my problem but it seems these are effortless to shift.
They are a sealed system so they will not get dirt and grime in it anywhere to slow it down. They are a cable within a housing that runs the entire length within the regular housings.
Had the brake cables done too.
Pricey but I am a believer and a happy customer. :thumb:

Very good cables. I have them on two of my bikes, however, in my experience, if a good careful job is done of installation (correct length and routing the housings, cutting the ends of the housing cleanly and square, seating them properly in the ferules or stops, no kinks in the cables) any reasonable cables will work as well as high-end cables when new. High-end cables/housing will usually work well longer before performance degrades, and the Gore cables, with their sealing, will work well longer than others in wet nasty conditions.

Funny, just now I'm taking a break form installing the Gore Ride-On Sealed Low-Friction cables on my primary commuter, for exactly that reason. I'm hoping that by keeping the crap out of the cable, (especially winter's snow, sand and salt) I'll get a little better longevity. I've had to replace the little loop of housing at the RD as often as once a month in some conditions.

Ask me in a year if I like them.

Of course, I'm also swapping my 5603 levers for 5703 to get the shift cable out of the way of my bar-mounted headlights. The 5603 get handed-down to my Litespeed which just got a whole new drivetrain.

In two minds about the Gore-Tex cables. They are not better than a good conventional cable but they stay cleaner and for that reason keep working well for longer. But cables are not one of my problems. Bike cleaning for me does involve releasing the outers and washing through with WD and lubricating with "Dry" chain lube. Never have a problem with the cables except that I do seem to get gear cable inners breaking a thread. Normally every couple of years and I change the inners but always use Stainless steel inners.