With vertebrae, you get the following direct benefits:

• Stronger brakes with a more linear feel. Because there is very little energy lost in compressing the ceramic pieces, the harder you squeeze the brake levers, the stronger the brake calipers actually work. Once vertebrae is installed on a bike, the mushy feeling at the brake levers completely disappears. Heavier riders in particular will benefit with the vertebrae system, as will people who ride in mountainous terrain. There is also no risk of running out of brakes on a road bike (for example: when your brake levers hit your handlebars during an emergency braking situation).
• Easier gear shifting and smoother braking. Due to the teflon liner, less hand force is required to actuate both gears and brakes, therefore Vertebrae is ideal for riders with small hands, people suffering from wrist & finger injuries, hand fatigue or people with reduced mobility.
• Ideal for long cable runs. Unlike conventional bowden cable housing, the performance of vertebrae does not degrade even for continuous and very long cable runs; vertebrae is therefore perfect for use with tandems, time trial and full-suspension bikes.
• No cable tension adjustments over time. Normal bowden-style housing actually compresses with time (even if you don’t use the bike); this phenomenon is known as ‘creep’ and means you need to re-tighten the cable tension periodically. On the contrary, after the initial setup period, vertebrae does not experience creep, so your bike(s) will always be ready to go when you are, even after repetitive daily use or long periods of inactivity.
• Better cable routing on all types of bikes. The shorter segments in vertebrae allow tighter bend radii than the competition. You can expect fluid, natural-looking bends without any kinking, sagging or drooping, even over unsupported sections.
• No need to lubricate. Vertebrae eliminates the need for continual maintenance. No more oil!
• Easier to clean than competing segmented housing. Our FEP spinal wrap utilises a special fluoropolymer and is therefore totally stain free. Oil and grease wipes straight off leaving no trace. It will still look (and perform) like new even after years of operation.
• No interference with other components. Because of its ultra-flexibility, vertebrae housing won’t hinder other parts of your bike. For example, there is minimal interference with brake centering mechanisms and suspension components as well as handlebar movement itself.
• Totally silent operation. No creaks groans and moans. Pretty simple really.
• Less cable rub. The soft exterior spinal wrap leaves your frame and components like new.
• Totally corrosion-free. The advanced ceramics used in vertebrae segemented housing are less prone to degradation and wear, hence more time between service/change intervals (the ceramic vertebrae can technically last decades).
• A reuseable modular construction. Each part is replaceable and available separately. Less wastage in the long run.

The Vertebrae business approach:

The key to vertebrae is quality… it’s a no-expense spared product with a definitive performance edge. Our core belief is the relentless pursuit of perfection. We’re not just about improving our own product (or that of our competitors’) but rather all aspects of our corporate image. As such, we pride ourselves on our informative, up-to-date website, our rapid customer response time, and of course our extremely fast worldwide shipping. Concepts lacking in any of these areas are rarely successful; that’s why we think focusing on the entire (before and after) sales experience is the evolution of business.

Sustainability, the new wave of the future:

Lately, the bicycle industry has mistaken what should be an endemic trait and traded it in for a “lighter and cheaper is better” mentality. We opt for the “designed to last ages” philosophy instead.

Just how long does vertebrae last? Well, when titanium and other “inert” metals have long gone (dissolved, corroded, oxidised) alumina [aluminium oxide] will still be there since it is an inherently stable compound. Bauxite is actually fairly commonly found in the Earth’s crust, only the processing involved makes it relatively costly. Regardless, the ceramics used in vertebrae cable housing are among the hardest, wear resistant materials known to man. Hence, they’re significantly more durable than traditional metal-core cable housing & thus less waste is actually generated over the long term.

We also endeavour to use environmentally friendly packaging, processing and transport methods wherever possible, so we believe we’re among the most environmentally friendly options available.

The vertebrae Philosophy:

Our greatest reward is not one of profit - it is seeing vertebrae cable housing displayed with such pride on numerous bikes from all around the world. Because when you install vertebrae you are essentially sending us the message: “I like your ideas and I’m willing to support you”. Hopefully this will strike a chord with you, the rider, and you’ll want to be a part of the vertebrae identity too.