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Brake & gear cables
Fibrax Powershift Sport Stainless Steel Gear CableFibrax Powershift Sport stainless steel gear cable

Fibrax Powershift Sport Stainless Steel Gear Cable

7
by Shaun Audane
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Jun 25, 2012

0
£6.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Nice workshop staples that perform very sweetly with careful instalation and periodic shots of PTFE lube
Weight: 
65g
Contact: 
www.fibrax.com
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Fibrax Powershift Sport Stainless Steel Gear Cables are affordable everyday replacements with looks and performance that are impressive for the price. Ours proved initially susceptible to cable stretch and fraying so leave them overnight before correcting, cropping and crimping come the morning.

The compressionless,Teflon lined polyester housing for these cables comes in a choice of five cheerful colours (black, blue, white, silver or red) and hosts a 1.1mm stainless steel inner wire. Rubberised ferrules might lack rigidity but work just fine without any risk of scratching the frame.

They were supple enough to install in 20 minutes. On the stand there was little separating them from premium models, delivering swift and surprisingly slick shifts in both directions. Unfortunately cable stretch made things decidedly sloppy across a wide ratio touring triple.

Releasing the cable anchor bolt and pulling the inner wire a few millimetres solved this. For the first hundred miles in foul weather, performance was nigh on what I've come to expect from premium models, under load or through the stop start of town centre traffic.

A quick shot of PTFE spray's needed to retain their initial zing in the longer term but we're talking every couple of weeks when used in all weathers. Some might baulk at this and the omission of those little rubberised paint protectors but £12 hardy constitutes a kings' ransom and makes a great workshop staple; good enough in performance terms for mid-range bikes but cheap enough for workhorses.

Verdict

Nice workshop staples that perform very sweetly with careful instalation and periodic shots of PTFE lube.

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Fibrax Powershift Sport stainless steel gear cable

Size tested: Red

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Fibrax don't give much away on their website but I'd describe them as workshop staples; modestly priced, inexpensive and reasonable quality.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Powershift Sport Cable (Red with Black Plastic Ferrules) – Stainless Steel Gear Cable (with 4 ferrules & wire end). Wire length = 2000mm, wire diameter = 1.1mm, outer casing length = 1400mm. Supplied in a card sleeve.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Fibrax Powershift Sport are affordable workshop staples, cheap enough for hacks but good enough for all bar the best bike.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Performance relative to pricing-should last a season or two's hard service with regular shots of WD40.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Inner wires prone to cable stretch.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, as an everyday gear cable.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 38  Height: 1m 81  Weight: 70 kilos

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

 

stainless steel gear cable
gear cable
fibrax
Shaun Audane

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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