****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I’ve owned the Jagwire Pro Internal Routing kit since 2018. I’m a 58 year old racer and one of the technicians for a local amateur racing team, so I’ve pulled more wires, housings, cables and hydraulic lines than I can recall. I’ve used the Park Tools kit as well on a number of occasions, but felt it was overpriced, so I bought this small kit at half the price to try. I’m happy with it and I haven’t found anything better, but it’s not perfect.The bad• It’s got 2 very small parts that are easily dropped and will go bouncing into oblivion.• Its flexible wire has a plastic threaded part and if you do not take care, you will damage those threads. Even with proper usage, you will eventually wear out the threads. Mine are definitely looser after 2 years, but still OK.• I’d describe the assembly onto a cable as somewhat “fiddly”, so you do have to be “detail oriented” and not brutish, else you will damage the threaded part.• Some have complained about weak magnets. This has not been my experience. They are more than strong enough on my tool. You do have to push the housing/cable/wire into the frame as you move the magnet, but that is expected and normal.• The small storage compartment for the flexible wires and 2 small parts is so small, you have to put those parts in there just right. If you don’t put them in right, you can jam the threads on the compartment, making it difficult to get back open. It is explained in the instructions which makes it easy, but I didn’t read that detail the first time around.• Since it doesn’t have cables with it, it is advantageous to keep a couple old cables around for pulling purposes when you are doing housings.• Not the build quality of the Park Tools system, but good enough.The good – which far outweigh the bad• Half the price of the Park Tools kit.• The 2 small parts and flexible wire can be bought as a replacement kit for $9. So even if you damage them or loose one of the small parts, you can get replacements easily and cheaply.• It’s a super compact and totally self-contained kit that is about the size of a jumbo Sharpie, unlike the mess of 4 wires and magnets that you get in the Park Tools kit.• The rare earth magnets are really strong in mine, although some complained theirs were weak.• The small fittings are smaller than those from Park Tools, allowing you to pass wires through smaller holes in the frame with the fittings attached.• Super simple to use.I bought this after having good experiences with Jagwire Kits and being hesitant to pay double the price for a Park Tools version.Pros:-Two magnets (reach and on pen)-Pen-like handle with integrated storage for cable adapterCons:-Extendable magnet is weak and constantly drops the cable-Adapters do not hold onto cable well and detach on pulling-Reach magnet is weak and does not hold on when cable encounters friction (opted to use needle nose pliers often). This makes it extremely difficult to guide the cable.-Reach magnet is too short (typically stuck a neodymium magnet on needle nose pliers). This makes it for the magnet to attach to the cable.-adapter is too wide for narrow holes in frames (only use if your frame has oval shaped openings with rubber coverings)The functionality of this tool is so slow I thoroughly regret not returning it and replacing it the park tool version even though I plan on only using this tool several times a year. The park took version appears to solve the problems stated through slimmer adapter (to fit through smaller holes), stiffer cable (for easier guiding), and stronger magnet (non reach).Mine came with the wire magnet unattached (the glue wasn’t sufficient), so a drop of superglue remedied that. Tool works as advertised but there is a technique needed to work the cable through the frame. First time took longer than it should’ve but I suspect it will be quicker the next time.Lastly, it’s a good idea to make sure that wire magnet is properly affixed before using. If not, you could lose it inside your frame.The thing works and was a time saver for internally routed cables. The magnet was pretty strong and the cable connectors were nice and secure. My complaints are that storage for the cable connectors and magnetic wire were not thought out. There is not a lot of room to shove the small cable magnet+2 connectors into its storage area. You kind have to shove them in there. When opening, the wire acts a bit like a spring (since it has to bend). I've experienced the wire+2 connectors popping out of the storage area. Also, the flexible tipped magnet that is supposed to help pull the cable out is not long enough at about 2 inches. Having something a little longer would have helped to grab the lower in the tube when you run into obstacles. I'll be hunting for a longer flexible magnet. Still, it was a huge time saving and was 1/2 the price of the Park tools one.If you work on a lot of bikes the Park Tool kit will get the job done all the time. Where the Jagwire one won’t work in a few situations. Spend the extra money for the Park one.Without question, this tool turned what could easily have taken long and frustrating hours of fishing cable into less than an hour of focused and kinda fun work. Works exactly as described, using strong magnets to draw an an easily attachable cable leader through the frame’s internal spaces. Well made and designed. Only problem was that the cable lead attachments were in a couple spots too large to fit through frame holes. So perhaps future models will have smaller diameter leads. Luckily, I was able to finesse the situation through creative use of the Di2 ports located in key spots on my bike’s frame.Despite this issue, the tool deserves 5 stars because of its quality and how much of a brilliant hack it is.Me gustó mucho la herramienta, se ve que el material es de buena calidad, estoy satisfecho con la compra.It works and gets the job done; however would be a lot easier to use with a longer magnetized cable.rubbish never worked at all on my New Bianchi carbon frame . The connector with the wire and magnet just went everywhere but where you wanted it to go .The magnets are not strong enough to pull my hydraulic cable through .I had to remove the front forks to get it through the hole in the frame .Not the best tool .It is a good tool. Worth the investment although it probably only be used once a year at a push, depend how many internal routed bike you owned! Plus it can be for many other things too not specifically on bicycles.Really impressed with this. I needed to install a stealth dropper post and was not looking forward to routing the cable (and didn't want to shell out for the Park Tool router). A combination of the main magnet and the small flexible magnet made it a 5 minute job. Well worth the price.An alternative to the Park Tool IR1.2 operates with the same magnetic approach to pull internally routes cables.Unfortunately this really is a poor tool. The "powerful magnet" was not powerful to drag my dropper cable through an ally frame. I ended up threading steel wire through it and pulling it through with that. Although more expensive the park tool looks the better option.
