dubbelop

I'm in the process of replacing the handlebar of our 2004 Cannondale Road Tandem. This automatically includes wrapping a new bar. The bike came with extra brake levers that I never use and won't remount. Therefore I'll need to replace the brake cable housing along with the cables themselves.

The tandem is still fitted with the original silver-coloured cable housing. I've got the idea from other bikes with the same Avid BB Road brakes that stiffer housing is available. But then again we like the color a lot (picky people )

Any recommendations on "the best" (read: the stiffest) housing for this purpose?

steve53mg

If you experienced any resistance in your old set-up, especially in the rear brake, I think that the best cable sets are the Gore Ride on cables. They are sealed and the cables ride with virtually no drag. They are, however, quite pricey. I've also used regular Shimano housing with aftermarket teflon coated cables with good success.

mkane77g

We use the jagwire braided housing for rear disc. Nice feel at the lever.

steve53mg

Actually, Jagwire is the maker of the teflon coated cables that I was referring to! Great product!

dubbelop

Also @mkane77g: thanks for these suggestions. It's not that I ever experienced resistance, but I want the most 'uncompressible' housing to maximize the brake performance. Jagwire is on my list now!

steve53mg

Marten, Do keep in mind that the Jagwire cable refers to the inner wire...I'm not even sure that they make their own housing.

justcrankn

Jagwire makes a whole line of cables and housings.

swamptandem

The "Best" is Nokon https://www.nokonusa.com/NokonUSA_Home.htm - Many colors to choose from. Expensive, and it takes a bit more time to set up initially. But, well worth it. The housing does not flex. Also, lighter than other cables systems. You can also buy the inner housing by the foot so you can run the inner full length on the tandem. This is what I plan to use on my Paketa (when it arrives).

Good luck!
Rick

austex

I am looking at Yokozuna Reaction housing/cable kits. Unfortunately, the housing doesn't seem to be available separately in bulk, and the available kits do not include tandem-length cables. So far, it's difficult to rationalize $60 (kit price, includes 2 brake cables and housings plus 2 derailleur cables and housings) for a 6-footpiece of housing.

But talk about compression-less brake housing! The housings consist of a Teflon liner with a collection of parallel wire strands, like shifter housing, but then the whole is wrapped with a flat wire coil to prevent rupture (as will happen if one uses shifter housing for brakes), and finally a vinyl cover.
https://www.yokozunausa.com/reactionkit.html

slide23

+1 on the Nokon. I am an avid user of Nokon. Almost all my bikes get Nokon cabling because it's just that awesome.

Depending on your tandem design, if there are large runs of open cabling, i.e. sans housing, then Nokon is especially well suited to your situation. You might not need an extension kit (get it anyway, they're not that costly). But even better, the cable will be sealed in the inner housing for the full length.

Chris_W

I also love Nokon housing. Positives include: It is very flexible, making any curve you ask it to without affecting it's excellent performance. It's nice and lightweight. You can lengthen or shorten the housing quite easily, and even switch it to another bike. Plus, it looks awesome if you buy a different-colored extension kit and make a pattern (mine is a repeating sequence of 3 black then 1 red section). It's from Germany, so some of the German online retailers (e.g., bike-components.de) have the best prices for it, but if you have to get it shipped to the States then that may negate any savings.

Negatives of Nokon are: Price. Lenghty initial setup/installation time (not helped by the badly translated instructions). Plus, after a while it does start to creak when turning the handlebars (I fix this about every 6 months by putting some dabs of light oil between the individual housing sections, then wiping off the excess). The positives outweigh these things for me, so I'm very happy.

I have one bike done completely with it, and I used the leftovers from that and from a friend's full installation to do the rear shifter housing on the tandem and another single bike. When I need to change other cables, I may consider buying more of it.

zonatandem

If we are not mistaken dubbelop/Maarten would not have much issues with shipping as he does not live in the US but in The Netherlands (Holland).
We use the Nokon housing in a spot where there is a rather excessive bend for routing our cable to the front derailleur on our Zona tandem. Has worked fine for the past 30,000 miles.
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

uspspro

I have these and they work great. Definitely a big difference over Campy or Shimano housing.