Gyro? Detangler?
What is a gyro?
A gyro is a type of brake system that allows you to spin your handlebars around infinitely without dealing with a tangled brake cable. The heart of this system is the detangler, which is a mechanism that holds the upper cables, the lower cables, and has an internal bearing system allowing the two to rotate amongst each other.
Check out our full gyro install video at the bottom of this page.
Parts Needed
U-brake levers are available in both right and left hand options as well as multiple sizes/lengths.
Upper cables are available in multiple length options. Larger bars need a longer cable. For reference, the bike in the gif above has 9" rise bars and uses a 420mm upper cable.
The gyro plate (aka detangler plate) sits below the stem and holds the upper cables.
If the manufacturer of your stem makes a gyro plate for your stem it is best to go with that. If not, it's possible others may work. Worst case scenario, if the plate you get doesn't contour to your stem, you can flip it upside down and it should work just fine.
The detangler is the heart and soul of the gyro system. There isn't any certain size specifications (aside from a typical 1-1/8" integrated headtube), so pick whichever one you like best!
If your frame is drilled for detangler tabs, you can buy them here. Some frames have them welded on, but that is uncommon these days.
If your frame has a standard head tube and does not accept gyro tabs, check out the alternative options below.
There are several options of lower cable set ups. Check out our video below where we go over three common types of lower cables.
Any U-Brakes should work with a gyro system, the one thing to look for is making sure it works with your lower cable choice. See our video below to learn about this.
Standard Headtubes
A lot of lower-end complete bikes and older bikes use a standard headtube rather than the common integrated headtube. For frames with a standard headtube, the Odyssey Gyro3 Detangler Kit, the Rant Gravitron Detangler Kit, and the Family Detangler Kit will work as they include a lower plate to replace traditional gyro tabs. If your frame does have an integrated head tube, you can still use these kits, you will just need to get detangler tabs separately to replace the lower plate in this kit.
Which removable brake mounts work for my frame?
If your frame utilizes removable brake mounts, you need to be sure you are using the correct type. In general, there are two types of removable mounts; one-piece where the mount itself is threaded, or two-piece where a bolt goes through the mount and threads into the frame. Within these types, multiple thread pitch sizes have been used over the years, so be sure to find the right kind. We have a chart below of what is commonly used for each brand, but this is not a guarantee as brands have changed what they use over the years. Shop all here.
| Frame | Mount Style | Thread Pitch | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colony | 1-piece | 8 x 1.25mm | Colony |
| Cult | 2-piece | 6 x 1mm | Stolen |
| Fiction | 1-piece | 10 x 1.25mm | Stolen |
| Fiend | 1-piece | 8 x 1.25mm | Fiend |
| Fiend (Flush Mount) | 1-piece | 8 x 1.25mm | Fiend (Flush) |
| Kink | 2-piece | 6 x 1mm | Kink |
| S&M | 2-piece | 6 x 1mm | S&M |
| Stolen | 1-piece | 10 x 1.25mm | Stolen |
| Subrosa | 2-piece | 6 x 1mm | Subrosa |
| Sunday | 1-piece | 8 x 1.25mm | Sunday |
| WTP (2013-2018) | 1-piece | 8 x 1.25mm | We The People |
| WTP (2019+) | 2-piece | 8 x 1.25mm | We The People |