Watts up my dear readers? Today, I want to talk to you about the Kolossos ST oversized derailleur cage. I know what you might be thinking: "Another expensive upgrade promising marginal gains?" And to be honest, I get it. The cycling world is full of fancy gear with price tags that make your eyes water. But the Kolossos ST is different. It's not about chasing the last, infinitesimally small milliwatt of power. It's about a smart, affordable, and incredibly reliable upgrade that makes your bike better for the kind of riding most of us do every single day.
When we designed the Kolossos ST, we had a very specific kind of rider in mind. It wasn't the pro time-trialist with a team mechanic on standby. It was the rider who loves a good, long day in the saddle—the kind of ride where you’re out for hours on end, maybe on some remote backroads or gravel trails, with no cell phone reception for miles. For these adventures, reliability isn’t just a nice-to-have; it's a non-negotiable.
That's why we made a deliberate choice to use aluminum for the cage instead of carbon. I know, carbon is the sexy choice. It’s light, it’s stiff, and it screams “high performance.” But let's be real for a minute. While carbon is incredibly strong, it can be brittle under impact. A rock strike on a remote gravel road, a mishap with your bike box during travel, or even an accidental drop can cause a carbon cage to fail in a way that’s difficult, if not impossible, to fix out in the wild. Aluminum, on the other hand, is much more resilient. It’s more likely to bend or deform, giving you a chance to limp home and get it fixed. When you're 50 miles from civilization, that's the kind of reliability that matters more than a few grams of weight savings. We’ve focused on building the stiffest possible cage with that aluminum to ensure that even under load, your shifting remains crisp and accurate. A stiff cage means less flex and more precise movements of the derailleur, translating to clean, reliable shifts every time you click the lever.
Now, let's talk about what oversized pulley wheels do. The physics are simple and elegant. A larger pulley wheel means the chain doesn't have to articulate, or bend, as much as it does around smaller, stock pulleys. Less bending means less friction. Less friction means more of your pedaling power is transmitted to the wheel, and your drivetrain runs smoother and quieter. You'll feel it—not as a massive wattage saving, but as a subtle, noticeable improvement in how your bike feels. It's that feeling of a perfectly lubricated chain and a drivetrain that just wants to spin.
And what about the bearings themselves? We offer the Kolossos ST with our high-quality steel bearings as a standard option. I know, we’re Kogel Bearings, the company known for our ceramics. But here’s the thing: while ceramic bearings are fantastic for those chasing every last milliwatt of speed in a race, they aren’t the be-all, end-all for every rider. For most of us, a high-quality steel bearing is an incredible choice. They are durable, reliable, and provide more than enough performance for a very fair price. You still get a buttery-smooth, low-friction feel that’s a massive upgrade from what comes stock on most bikes, but you don’t have to break the bank to get it. This is why we call it an "affordable" upgrade. Since the punchline in our logo says “High Quality Bearings”, we could not give you just any steel bearing. Our ST bearings use all the components of our top of the line CR bearings, only with the costly ceramic balls taken out and replaced with stainless steel balls.
The Kolossos ST isn't just a component; it's a philosophy. It’s for the cyclist who values reliability over a marketing gimmick, who prioritizes a great riding experience over marginal gains. It's for the person who wants to upgrade their bike in a way that makes a real, noticeable difference in how it feels and performs, without having to take out a second mortgage. It’s an investment in your cycling adventures, big and small, knowing that your bike is equipped with a component that's built to last and designed to make your rides more enjoyable.
So, if you’re looking to give your road or gravel bike a serious performance boost without the serious price tag, the Kolossos ST with our standard steel bearings is the perfect place to start. It’s a testament to our belief that high performance should be accessible, and that a great ride starts with reliable, well-engineered components.
Ride on!
Ard
