Gore RideOn Sealed Low Friction Mountain Derailleur Cable Kit

http://www.mtbtrailreview.com/blog/review-gore-rideon-cable-system-shifting-cables/

Well bought these to install myself for the first time. Easy, obviously, but some of the "sealent" peices such as the "rubber hose thingy" can get in the way of certain derailleur setups. You've got to be careful with the actual Gore lining on the cable itself it can fray very easily.

Shift super smooth and the white's blinging. I ended up leaving out the "rubber hose thingys" as they didn't not line up or work with my X0 RD. Perhaps next time around I'll get it all dialed, but they still feel awesome.

As a racer.. these are great.. wet-dry anything.. no missed shifts. period!

Love these. They work geat if installed correctly. Watch the video on the vendor website for installation tips. The white matches my fork, sweet!

I wrote a full review on MTBR.com, including instructions on how to get the grub seals to work with XO/X9 derailleurs. There are instructions on their site that address this, but they're not included with the cables, at least as of April '09.

Bottom line: The shifting performance is outstanding and if the previous version is any indication (the 12 year old cables on my original MTB are still shifting perfectly), these should outlast several sets of competitors cables and provide perfect shifting the entire time

Fully sealed derailleur cables out there, but my only choice. So glad they are back on the market. When properly installed, Gore cables are a set and forget item. Shifting performance remains tight and consistent; impervious to weather/dirt and is long term smooth. Two of my oft used bikes are still running their same rear Gore cable after 4 years.

Straight forward to install with the video from their web site. They are working well so far and improved my shifting.

OK, I'm too cheap to buy another dedicated tool (brake line/cable cutter), but I did find that I already owned another tool that works great! Those steel cables that make up the cable housing were too hard to cut cleanly with my sheet metal shears. So, I used an angle grinder with the abrasive cutting blade to cut the cables, and actually to trim the plastic ends a little to fit into the ferrules nicely. That worked very well!

This is the first brake cable job I've ever done and it went very smoothly. Hopefully, it'll be the last one I have to do for this bike (I've neglected yearly maintenance for 5-6 years for biweekly riding in the very rainy Pacific Northwest; until catastrophic cable failure during a ride)....

http://www.rideoncables.com/en_us/support/support_slfsder.html

A little more expensive up front, but worth it.

I bought the Gore RideOn Sealed Low Friction Mountain Derailleur Cable Kit for my Yeti ARC and am very impressed by the noticeably smoother shifting these cables deliver. My Yeti is a 1997, and all of it's components are 1997 Shimano XTR - while the shifters, chain and derailuer are 12 years old, they literally have never shifted better! Yes, the Gore RideOn Sealed Cables are more expensive than typical cables - they are clearly a superior product. They perform noticeably better and will last far longer than any other non-sealed cable. The way I see it is this: we spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on our bikes' "important" parts like the fork, wheels and shifters... then we skimp and save a couple bucks on the cables? No thank you, from here on out, I'll be bucking up for the Gore RideOn Sealed Low Friction Mountain Derailleur Cable Kit on all my rides.

Sealed means no dirt or gunk inside, ever. The Teflon makes my brakes (mechanical Avid disc front, Avid SD7 rear) feel strong and smooth as silk, every time. FYI, before you install them go to Gore Ride-On's site and watch the installation video. And if your bike has a space on the top tube where bare cable usually runs, run the inner cover over the cable in that space. I had plenty of housing, ferrules, inner cover, etc. left over after installing on an 18in hardtail frame and Fox fork.

Not sure where to begin with these. Throw the old cables in the trash and hook these up. Not only do they last way longer than the standard cables, but they also work much smoother than standard cables.

i only have one ride on these so far, but there is definitely a nice buttery smooth feel to the shifting in my rear derailer now. I should have bought the extra long for my bike though (a size medium cannondale prophet 2000). I had to shorten my housing lengths by a cm for the rear to leave close to enough for the front.

From: http://www.rideoncables.com/en_us/faq/index.html

FAQs

* Is the product different from the ones sold previously?
* Does the coating need to be removed prior to cable installation?
* Why is low-friction important for derailleur cables?
* Why is low-friction important for brake cables?
* What is the difference between Low Friction and Sealed Low Friction cables?
* Is cable installation difficult?
* Do any of the RideOn® Cable Systems require lubrication?
* Which system is for me?
* Compatibility
* The amount of cable housing included in the RideOn® Sealed Low Friction Derailleur Cable kit was not enough to run complete housing on my full-suspension bike. Can I get an additional length of cable housing?
* My SRAM® X.0 rear derailleur pulls the GRUB™ seal off of the liner, what's the best solution?
* What are the cable and housing lengths in each system?
* Can GORE™ RideOn® Sealed Low Friction Derailleur cables be used with a Shimano® gear indicator?

Is the product different from the ones sold previously?

* The low friction coating is tougher and about 10 times thinner than the previous coating.
* No coating removal is required for installation.
* An updated look and package means RideOn® Cable Systems' image matches its performance.

Does the coating need to be removed prior to cable installation?

* No, the cable can be installed as is.

Why is low-friction important for derailleur cables?

* The less friction there is between the cable and the housing, the easier it is for the cable to move the derailleur quickly from gear to gear. Not only do shifts occur instantly, but without high levels of friction binding up the derailleur movements, shifts are more accurate and missed shifts are less likely to occur. The result with RideOn® Derailleur Cables is quick, precise shifting.

Why is low-friction important for brake cables?

* The only resistance the rider will feel when pulling the brake lever is from the return springs in the brakes. With other systems, the rider has to fight the friction between the brake cable and housing. The reduced friction also results in better "brake feel". The result with RideOn® Brake Cables is smooth, easy braking.

What is the difference between Low Friction and Sealed Low Friction cables?

* Both cable products have Gore's proprietary, ultra-low friction coating technology, resulting in quick, precise shifting and smooth, easy braking. The Sealed Low Friction cable systems have the additional benefit of a continuous liner and GRUBâ„¢ seal which, when installed properly, prevent dirt, grime, mud, grit, and any other contaminant from entering the cable housing. This maintains the high performance of the bike cables in any condition.

Is cable installation difficult?

* The Low Friction cable systems are installed exactly like any other cable system.
* Installation of the Sealed Low Friction cable system is slightly more involved, however, detailed installation instructions come in every kit. Additionally, our website features an instructional video for cable installation. It is possible to damage the coating during installation of any system, so extreme care should be used during installation.

Do any of the RideOn® Cable Systems require lubrication?

* No! In fact, use of a grease or oil lubricant can hurt the performance of RideOn® Cable Systems. The lubricant acts as an adhesive that collects dirt and dust and slows cable movement. Do NOT use any lubrication with RideOn® Cable Systems!

Which system is for me?

* Because the Sealed Low Friction cable system completely protects cable movement from the elements, it is the perfect cable system for tough riding conditions. While mud, grit, grime, dirt, dust, and water will creep into normal cable systems and hinder performance, the GRUB™ seals and continuous liner protect RideOn® Cables from the nastiest contaminants. So the Sealed Low Friction system is perfect for mountain bikers, cyclocross racers, touring riders, all-weather commuters, and any rider who tests his or her will against the elements.
* If typical riding conditions are on-road and dry, the Low Friction cable system is all a rider needs to experience the smooth, easy braking and quick, precise shifting of RideOn® cable systems.

Compatibility

* Currently, both the Low Friction and Sealed Low Friction derailleur cables are compatible with Shimano®, SRAM®, and Campagnolo® road and mountain bike shift systems.
* The Low Friction and Sealed Low Friction brake cables are currently only compatible with Shimano® and SRAM® road and mountain bike brake systems.

Termination Compatibility Chart
Cable System Shimano®/SRAM® Mountain Shimano®/ SRAM® Mountain Campagnolo® Road
Derailleur: Sealed Low Friction YES YES YES
Derailleur: Extra Long Sealed Low Friction YES YES YES
Brake: Sealed Low Friction YES YES —
Brake: Extra Long Sealed Low Friction YES YES —
Derailleur: Low Friction YES YES YES
Brake: Low Friction YES YES —
Brake: Low Friction for Road Bikes — YES YES
The amount of cable housing included in the RideOn® Sealed Low Friction Derailleur Cable kit was not enough to run complete housing on my full-suspension bike. Can I get an additional length of cable housing?

* Yes! Ask your local bike shop if they have the Extra Housing kit (part number ROFSMEA). They can order the kit, or you can email us at rideon@wlgore.com and we will send you the additional housing!

My SRAM® X.0 rear derailleur pulls the GRUB™ seal off of the liner, what's the best solution?

* The "fin" on the X.0 derailleur will tend to grab the end of the GRUBâ„¢ seal when the derailleur is shifted into the largest rear cog (lowest gear). This results in the GRUBâ„¢ seal being pulled off of the liner as the derailleur is shifted back down onto the smallest cog.

The best solution to mitigate this problem is to trim the liner about ¾" (19 mm) from the cable housing stop on the X.0 derailleur (instead of the 3/8" or 10 mm recommended in the installation instructions).

Figure 1 - Liner extends ¾" (10 mm) beyond exit of cable housing stop. Liner is shown in black for clarity.

This solution allows the GRUBâ„¢ seal to maintain a complete seal by sliding along the liner as the X.0 "fin" moves the end of the GRUBâ„¢ seal back and forth.

Figure 2 - When shifted into the largest cog, the GRUBâ„¢ seal is fully compressed against cable housing stop, but still completely covers the liner.

Figure 3 - As the derailleur shifts into the smallest cog, the GRUBâ„¢ seal is pulled with the "fin" but is able to maintain a seal with the longer liner.

What are the cable and housing lengths in each system?
Cable System
Housing

Front Shift Cable

Rear Shift Cable
Derailleur: Sealed Low Friction
2,050 mm

1,900 mm

2,200 mm
Derailleur: Extra Long Sealed Low Friction
3,000 mm

2,200 mm

3,000 mm
Brake: Sealed Low Friction
2,500 mm

1,350 mm

2,350 mm
Brake: Extra Long Sealed Low Friction
3,000 mm

1,350 mm

2,900 mm
Derailleur: Low Friction
2,050 mm

1,900 mm

2,200 mm
Brake: Low Friction
2,500 mm

1,350 mm

2,350 mm
Brake: Low Friction for Road Bikes
2,500 mm

1,350 mm

2,350 mm
Can GORE™ RideOn® Sealed Low Friction Derailleur cables be used with a Shimano® gear indicator?

* Yes, the best way to set up GORE™ RideOn® Sealed Low Friction Derailleur cables with the gear indicator is shown in the diagram below. A piece of standard cable housing is used between the shifter and indicator, then the sealed cable system is started on the other end of the indicator. Because of the smaller inner diameter of the indicator, a GORE ferrule is not necessary at the start of the sealed cable system.

Ride On in Gear Indicator