A closer look at detanglers (Gyros)

Although they have gone a bit out of fashion, I have always found detanglers to be an integral part of my brake setup for two reasons:

1. I NEVER have to unwind my bars/cable(s)
2. Properly setup, the load is distributed over two cables, rather than one. This leads to an increase in stiffness, as well as providing a failsafe in the event that one cable snaps.

On that note, I highly suggest the use of a dual cable setup (either with an Odyssey Modulever, or something like the Dragonfly/Snafu adapter) and brake noodles for the lower bends.

Note: No detangler manufacturer recommends disassembling their units, nor should it be necessary unless you lubricate a bushing detangler. But I find these things fun and throw caution to the wind :)

But this post is about the guts of detanglers, so lets get on to that. The original Gyro (or Oryg) is pretty easy to figure out: 2 pieces of stamped and bent steel with loose-ball bearings. These use no lubrication; actually, they require no lubrication be used. By doing so, debris is able to freely pass through the bearing mechanism without being trapped by lubricants.

Advantages:

• Cheap and easy to manufacture
• Replacements are available at almost all bicycle shops

Disadvantages:

• Flexy
• Can be noisy and not so smooth when debris is present
• Prone to "gyro flop" where the detangler shifts side to side due to uneven cable lengths (which can be adjusted out, but is more difficult than newer detanglers)

Next came the Odyssey GTX sealed bearing detangler(s). The original steel has been discontinued due to much better sales of the lighter GTX-R aluminum version. Both are a good improvement on the above Gyro.

Advantages:

• Sealed to keep things running smooth for a good long while
• Very stiff assembly reduces the incidence of "gyro flop"
• GTX-R (aluminum) is a good bit lighter and available in red and blue anodizing
• Long lasting (I have never worn one out)
• Built in set screws for custom cable setups
• Can be disassembled with a flat head screw driver

Disadvantages:

• Set screws tend to fray cables, deterring many people from using them
• Virtually all cable heads require modification to not hit one another. The main culprit is the seats for the cables were machined shallow to allow for the set screws
• Significantly more expensive than competition
• Difficult to rebuild as balls do not easily hold in the retainer

A response to the GTX by Snafu, and more recently Stolen, is a simple Teflon bushing detangler called the Mobeus (or Satellite).

Advantages:

• Cable heads sit snug and clear one another
• Bushing requires no lubrication
• Lower cost and weight than GTX (though the GTX-R is within 0.2 oz)
• Low profile

Disadvantages:

• When lubed, debris builds up quickly and rapidly degrades performance
• Some people complain of binding when pulling the brakes during a tailwhip
• More prone to "gyro flop" than the GTX, but less than Gyro/Oryg
• Requires snap ring pliers to disassemble