Delta Aztec Powerline Shifter Cable Set

Review Date
May 19, 2008

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Reviewed by: Dan (Unregistered User) ,  Downhiller , from Annandale, NJ USA

Price Paid:  $20.00

Summary:
This product absolutely stinks, don't get it, it isn't worth the trouble.

Similar Products Used:
Jagwire Pro L3 Ripcord, XTR, Avid Flak Jacket.

Review Date
February 27, 2008

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Reviewed by: Steve (Unregistered User) ,  Cross Country Rider , from Mountain View CA

Price Paid:  $30.00 at Performance

Summary:
So far very disappointing. There was insufficient housing to do my Superlight. If I didn't reuse some of my Gore housing I would have been out of luck. And it's not like my SL takes a lot of cable. What they provided would have been insufficient for my Trek 5200 road bike as well.

As well, these cables are taking a long time to seat. I've had to adjust them each of three rides so far. I don't know if it's the little aluminum links that are settling, for if it's the cable, which seems a bit on the thin side.

I noticed Universal Cycles has the Gore cables, so it looks like they are being imported again. I love having sealed shifter cables, so I'll go back to the Gore if these don't work. They are pricey, but they work well in my experience.

Similar Products Used:
Gore Ride-On

Review Date
February 23, 2008

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Reviewed by: Dave (Unregistered User) ,  Cross Country Rider , from Lincoln Univ, PA, USA

Price Paid:  $40.00 at local shop

Summary:
I have used Ride-On's for years on this and my other bikes. After >6000 miles the ones on my Jekyll finally failed (due to crashes, not wear). I always keep an extra set of cables in stock, but after I used my last set of Ride-Ons a couple years ago I was dismayed to find that Gore had stopped making them. When I saw the Power Lines, I thought they would be a good substitute and bought some. So, when finally I went to use them, the first thing I found was they came with grossly insufficient length of housing. The good news, when I complained to Aztec they acknowledged the problem and promptly sent me another set with enough housing. The bad news, who wants to leave the bike in the shop for two weeks waiting for stuff that should have come in the package? When the parts came I installed them carefully and found: 1) they start out pretty well, but the slop associated with the segmented cable housing means that you will need to make frequent adjustments for proper shifting (which never, in my experience, really settled in); 2) they don't come with a "grub" like the Gore system uses to keep water and mud from entering the ends of the liner (especially important on the front derailleur of the Jekyll, whose cable feeds from beneath the bottom bracket and thus tends to suck up mud), but fortunately I was able to reuse the grubs from my old Gore cables; and 3) the plastic housing tube on the Powerlines that contains the little aluminum segments kinks easily. This allows the segments to misalign, pinching the liner and resulting in friction on the cable that quickly feeds back on itself. So shifting gets worse and worse. When I finally realized the housing was source of the problem, I replaced it (with my old Gore housing that I had never thrown away). That made the rear cable barely usable again, but it was too late for the front one, whose liner had kinked too badly. The good news: Gore has finally brought Ride-Ons back into production, although at a grossly inflated price, $60-65, and the extra cost seems only to have gone into prettier packaging. Still, 6 months (tops) for $40 Powerlines that never really settle in vs. $65 for Ride-Ons that shift beautifully from the start and last indefinitely? Stick with the Gore.

Similar Products Used:
Gore Ride-On

Review Date
January 31, 2008

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Reviewed by: Mike (Unregistered User) ,  Cross Country Rider , from Chester County, PA

Price Paid:  $40.00 at Performance

Summary:
Look up "garbage" in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of these things next to this definition- "things that should be thrown away". First off, they don't provide you with enough housing to outfit a modern FS bike (they're on my Blur XC). You'd think for $40 (remember, most cable sets cost $15) they'd give you enough housing to actually use them (they instruct you to order and extension kit for an additional $20). Second- they're frustrating to install- I spent half the time chasing little aluminum barrels across my basement floor (my fault, but still a pain). Third, the cables BARELY fit in the black plastic inner liner. I could hardly push the cable through it- I'm surprised they work at all. Once I “broke them in” they seemed to work ok for awhile. They needed to be adjusted after a couple of rides like the instructions said- no problem. I almost decided I liked the cables until my bike started shifting horribly last night. It seems that the clear plastic outer tube isn't very durable. The tube on the loop at my rear derailleur cracked. I didn't crash, didn't hit it on a rock, it just cracked. Now the cable kinks at that location. $60 plus the hour for installation/chasing the aluminum bits around with a 1-month service life.. I'd have to label this one of the most disappointing purchases I’ve made in a long time. DON”T BUY THESE!!!

Similar Products Used:
Avid Flak Jackets, Jagwire, LBS specials, etc

Review Date
January 5, 2008

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: Steve Nilsen(Unregistered User) ,  Cross Country Rider , from SF/Ca

Price Paid:  $40.00 at Jenson

Summary:
I can't believe how bad you're rating these cables. It is the best system I've ever used and performs much crisper and effortless than regular cable and housings, even the XTR which contaminate as well as many others. Goretex get rusty with time.

It is not hard to install. It is much easier than bleeding your brakes.
You have to measure and mark with a pen where are you going to cut, every housing segment. Then place the entire housing as it comes from the package on a table. Use a sharp blade to make a flat cut betwen 2 pieces. Add one aluminum piece to every segment you cut and slide it until there is half of each piece exposed to to each end and press the housing ends. This step is very important if you want a perfect install. That is the commom mistake for those of you who refered 'flex or shrink' of the system.
Do EVERYTHING in the table and you won't lose the small parts from the outer lining.

Add the cable to the shifter, slide the cable cover/liner and make that a straight line. Then slide all 2 or 3 housings you have prepared. Now place every housing on the frame stops.
The rest of installation is identical to what you're used to.

I have installed these cables on my 3 bikes, the older has 2 years, and performs like new. I usually ride in mud and rain, so I'm not a 'roadie' mountain biker. This system is flawless, just need care during installation.

Similar Products Used:
Goretex