AbsoluteBlack’s HollowCage is a bold new take on a part of the bike most do not consider – the rear derailleur cage and its jockey wheels. There’s a lot going on here, so it’s hard to know where to start.
According to AbsoluteBlack, the HollowCage shifts better than anything on the market, it’s quieter, it saves watts, it improves the drivetrain’s aerodynamics and it makes your bike look cooler (the lower lockring is available in five different colours).
AbsoluteBlack says there are many attributes housed within the HollowCage that create these improvements to your bike but, let’s face it, at the price tag, it all comes down to how it looks. (Honestly, how many times have you been beaten in a sprint or hill climb and thought: ‘my rear derailleur cage and jockey wheels let me down’? We suspect not many.)
Some will love this oversized system’s aesthetics and others will not. If you want to spend three times the price of your Dura-Ace mechanical derailleur on an upgraded jockey wheel system, that’s awesome. If you’d prefer to admire from afar, that’s also great. The jury’s out in the Cyclist office if this is a work of art or something less desirable. However, one thing we can all agree on: we all really want to try it.
But is it compatible with Shimano’s 12-speed R9200 and R8100 series Dura-Ace and Ultegra? That’s a wait-and-see question for now, with AbsoluteBlack still running tests. The good news for Sram users is an AXS road compatible version will be available before Christmas.
RRP $999.99
fesports.com.au
