Yokozuna

Reaction Complete Cable and Housing Kit

We've spent the last year riding a SRAM Red-equipped bike. As lifelong Campy devotees it was a leap of faith. And a year later, it's a leap we're glad we made. In nearly every way it's lived up to the hype, and while it could stand some nip and tuck work (what gruppo can't?), there's little doubt that Red offers the best ROI of any PRO-level componentry out there. We have only one real beef with Red, in fact. It's the cables. They don't befit the group. Even when they're new they're sluggish & high-friction in comparison to the slick, point-and-click feel of Campy Record or Dura Ace cables. It's not a fatal flaw. But it's Red's most notable drawback, and we told a fellow SRAMophile this lately and he replied with a one word answer, "Yokozuna." It was a tip that'll change the way we think about cables forever.

Who is Yokozuna? It's a Japanese company who allegedly manufacturers Shimano's cables for them. We haven't substantiated the rumor, but given that Yokozuna puts a big Japanese flag on their packaging, and in their marketing materials they have the guts to say "Some say they can tell the difference between our cables and those coming out of Taiwan and China just by the touch," it leads us to believe there's likely some truth to it.

So we followed our pal's advice and bought the Yokozuna Reaction Cable Kit -- their top-of-the-line stuff. And our experience? We are periodically impressed by new bike stuff. But to be amazed, that's a rarity. And amazed is exactly what we are. No cable set we've ever tried -- not Campy, not Dura Ace, not Nokon, not Gore, nothing -- can match what we felt. What ceramic bearings are to your drivetrain, Yokozuna is to cables: An astounding reduction in drag, except unlike ceramics, the Yokozuna difference is one you can feel on a moment-to-moment basis. It's dragless. It turned our SRAM DoubleTap into HyperTap. We barely stroked the lever and the derailleur slammed the chain into gear. Amazing. SRAM could include this cable kit with Red and refer to it as "Red, Second Generation." The difference is that vast.

Yokozuna isn't just about shifting, either. This kit comes with a compressionless brake housing -- something no other company has ever successfully manufactured. Again, the cable response is instant and has zero friction, which is especially nice for subtle braking modulation.

This kit is a complete kit that includes 2 derailleur cables, 2 brake cables, and a full on set of "Jet-Lubed" derailleur housing and "Jet-Lubed" brake housing. And, no, it's not just for SRAM bikes. You can use it for any Shimano bike, and we also offer it in a Campagnolo version as well. Please note that the Campy version is for 10-speed only and is not compatible with 11-speed shifters!