Jagwire

Jagwire Hyper Derailleur Cable Kit hasn't wowed me in the same fashion as its more glamorous racer sibling but it successfully fills the void between budget and bling. Cheap enough to replace on a seasonal basis, the generous, sturdy and yet compliant housings go a long way to overcoming the problems presented by convoluted cable runs and ensuring the Teflon liners' uninterrupted flow maximises foul weather performance when combined with a monthly blast of PTFE spray.

Jagwire Hyper Brake Cables are a low compression design aimed at the entry level to mid range road and mountain bike rider that with a bit of careful prep also make sound choices for winter and cross duties too.

The 4mm thick plastic coated conical outers have Teflon linings and the stainless steel inners feature snip to suit pear/barrel heads to suit drop or flat levers. Detailing is generally very good right down to the anodised aluminium ferrules, crimps and those nifty silicone cuffs that prevent the outers gnawing through paintwork.

Aimed at higher end, competition quality callipers, Jagwire Sleek Rd pads provide superior braking prowess without sacrificing modulation so are logical alternatives for Shimano’s racier Dura Ace, Ultegra and 105 family. That said, those looking to bolster the performance of older top-flight single pivots might be pleasantly surprised but the sleek wouldn’t be a cost effective upgrade for lowlier models.

Supplied as a complete brake and gear system and weighing a claimed thirty per cent less than your regular models, the Jagwire Racer road cable kit is not only the perfect complement to road, cross, tourer or indeed winter hack but designed with nominal maintenance in mind, under normal conditions should only require annual, as opposed to seasonal replacement. Gentler to paintwork than the builder’s hose sealed types, the Kevlar outers can still chomp through frame lacquer so the rubberised cable protectors are an absolute must-especially for older thin walled steel frames.