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About Venhill

Venhill is an ISO 9001-2000 approved company
All brake lines are factory tested and approved by TUV.

Control cables and brake lines are much more complex - and a great deal more important - than many people realise. They are the essential link between man and his machine, directly transmitting his instructions at all speeds, in all conditions.

Yet most barely give the cables, brake lines and brake line fittings on their machines a moment’s thought.

We’re rather different...

It’s not surprising that we are pretty obsessional about controls. We have been making them for the last 35 years. We make cables, hydraulic lines and brake line fittings for bikes, quads, cars, karts and many other applications. It’s what we do.

Venhill in motorsport

We’ve tested and used our controls in the motorsport world for more than 35 years. We have a simple policy - we don’t pay people to use our products. We will provide their teams with the control cables, clutch, brake lines and the brake line fittings they need. We know that if we are chosen, it’s because we’re the best - not because they are paid to do so.

Brake lines

Brake lines are one of the most important components. They transmit braking force directly to the discs. Even a slight loss of pressure through standard, flexible rubber brake lines means less braking force and feedback.

Why braided Lines?

Rubber brake lines perish over time - they harden and crack. That means they eventually allow the absorption of water into the brake fluid.

As the rubber brake lines age, they will also allow expansion under pressure, reducing the efficiency of your brakes.

Braided steel brake lines eliminate expansion and water absorption and will last the lifetime of the bike.

We test harder than you’ll ever brake

We test all our brake lines to 1500psi - every single brake line that leaves our workshops.

Every 30 days we also test lines at random, pressurising them to 10,000psi. Your brakes are operating at around 25-30psi even under hard braking.

Try the Venhill brake test…

This is simple test can show you how much power is being lost with conventional brake lines – and can give you early warning of ageing.

1. Get a friend to apply your brake lever or pedal while you grasp the brake line

2. Any expansion in the line indicates wasted braking effort and shows the brake line is ageing. Consider replacing it.

Venhill Powerhose Plus brake lines

All manufactured, tested and approved to TUV standards.

• Smooth bore DuPont Teflon hose - better heat resistance.

• Corrosion-free stainless steel overbraid - eliminates expansion so that all the braking force is transmitted to the brake.

• Corrosion-free 303 stainless steel swivel unions - allows perfect stress free alignment of the lines during fitment to the bike. Direct swaged banjo fittings can be mis-aligned during manufacture leading to kinks and twists in the lines when fitted. In time this will stress the lines and could reduce efficiency.

• Dome-head banjo bolts - easier to work on cramped modern machines.

• PVC jacket - protects the braided hose and paintwork and you can choose from a range of colours.

• All brake line kits include installation guide.

• End fittings available in stainless steel or high quality chrome.

• Extensive range of fitments available.

If you need a non-standard fitment, we have an extensive range of brake lines and fittings available to suit your application.

Venhill Car brake lines, Bike brake lines, Quads brake lines.

We supply brake line kits and brake line fittings for hundreds of models. Choose from front and rear kits - all direct replacement for stock OEM parts, giving you a substantial upgrade in braking performance.

We make our kits from same Teflon hose they are strong, safe and durable. They also look a great deal better than standard lines.

Remember Venhill lines are manufactured to the highest standard, and all factory tested.

We guarantee brake lines against manufacturer defect, for the life of the product.

Off-road bike brake lines

Our Powerhose Plus off-road and motocross brakes lines and brake line fittings are manufactured with the same high quality materials and to the same standards as our road kits, providing a significant performance upgrade on standard equipment.

Featuring the same stainless braided Teflon hose at the heart of the product, our off-road brakelines also include:

• Rigid sections for fork leg mounting

• Protective boots at high impact areas

• Additional protection where necessary

• Swivel unions at end fittings for perfect fitment.

• Individually factory tested to 1500psi

• Available in a range of colours

• Used by top Motocross and Supermotard teams in UK and World championships

If you need it - we can supply brake lines and fittings to fit it

We’ve been making brake lines for more than 35 years, so we pride ourselves on being able to supply braided brake lines for every make and year of vehicle. If we don’t have it listed, please send us the pattern and we will make it for you.

If you need a non standard fitment for your machine please get in touch to discuss your requirements.

Powerhose Plus line builder brake line kit and clutch line kit.

If there is no model-specific kit or you need replacement brake lines to pass a Ministry test, we can help...

The Powerhose Plus dealer kit consists of a selection of hose line lengths (all pre-manufactured with our stainless swivel unions at each end), fittings, banjo bolts and copper washers for use on clutch & brake lines.

Available with stainless steel or chrome fittings.

All the brake lines included in the kit are TUV approved, manufactured and individually tested in our UK factory.

The kit is easy to use:

Select the brake line length(s) required, and fittings to suit, bolt together and fit to the bike. It couldn’t be simpler.

We have also included a fitment guide detailing all the parts required for bike-specific kits in each kit.

• Supplied in a sturdy storage box

• TUV approved system

• Full fitment guide included

• Versatile system for brake and clutch applications.

The Venhill Powerhose System

Stainless steel braided Teflon hose

• Minimum burst pressure of 12000psi

• With or without PVC coating

• PVC coated hose available in a range of colours

Fittings

• Compression type (nut & Olive)

• Wide range of fittings are manufactured to BS5750 standards in the UK

• Fittings are aeroquip compatible

• Available in Stainless steel or Chrome finish

Venhill brake lines in the workshop

Where a model-specific brake line kit does not exist or replacement brake lines are needed to pass a Ministry vehicle test, Venhill have the solution for the workshop.

The Powerhose dealer kits consist of a selection of fittings, 10m of braided hose, cutters and brake fluid all housed in a sturdy storage box which can be expanded to allow more fittings/hose to be stored.

Venhill cables

We’ve been manufacturing and supplying cables for more than 35 years. In that time we’ve made cables for just about every application going.

But it’s a mistake to think all cables are the same, or that all manufacturers work to the same standards - they do not.

Why Venhill cables are different…

Venhill Featherlight cables

- Marine-grade stainless steel inner wire for strength and durability

- Low friction Teflon liner, so our cables take far less effort to pull for greater control

- Flat wound steel conduit gives strength and durability

- PVC jacket available in a range of colours

- ‘Bird-caging’ for strength (a special process that allows solder to penetrate the weave of the cable making the bond with the nipple much stronger)

All our cables are manufactured to ISO standards in our UK factory.

Standard Replacement cables Bikes, Quads and Cars

We have developed all our cables from OEM cables, so they are a performance upgrade giving far better durability, control and feel.

We can provide replacement control cables for almost any application.

For a full list of fitments available please consult our full catalogue.

Classic motorcycle cables

We can supply a range of control cable upgrades for these classic motorcycles:

As well as replacement Featherlight control cables and speedo/tacho cables, we also offer ‘heavy duty upgrade’ clutch cables for triples such as Triumph Tridents and BSA Rocket 3s.

If your bike is not listed or you have a special requirement, please contact us as either we or one of our specialist dealers will be able to help.

Cable components - make up your own cables

If you need a non-standard cable, we can supply you with a universal cable kit. These are available for throttle and clutch applications and you can choose from kits that make a single cable to kits to make several cables.

Workshop cable kits

For the workshop, we have put together a comprehensive kit for throttle and clutch applications and tucked it into a sturdy storage case. We’ve labeled each of the component compartments too so it’s easy to re-order the right one.

• All kits supplied with PVC coated flat-wound steel conduit

• Nylon liner supplied as standard

• High quality galvenised steel inner cable

• High quality machined brass/steel/aluminium components

We can also supply lined conduit and inner cable from the roll and quantities of individual components - just give us a call for details. We can also supply nipple and ferrule/adjuster trade kits which contain large quantities of various nipples, ferrules and adjusters to cover a wide range of applications.

*All cable kits require assembly and finishing which will require a good level of competence and soldering equipment*

Motor cycle roadside repair kit

We even have an emergency cable repair kit designed to be kept under your seat or in your pannier. Should the worst happen and your cable snaps, the roadside repair kit contains enough throttle and clutch inner and solderless nipples to get you home.

All cable kits come with a wide range of components to suit most applications.

CruzTOOLS by Venhill

Your motorcycle, ATV, watercraft, or kart may have come with tools, but many are not exactly mechanic-grade. Our kits are, and offer the type of comprehensive content you'll need on the side of the road, trail or track, whether on the motorway or in the middle of nowhere.

CruzTOOLS was founded in 1996, when quality tool kits were unheard of. Now entering the second decade with tens of thousands of satisfied customers and a continually expanding range.

Hand tools are lifetime guaranteed, but we operate to a higher standard. Because when you need tools, you really need them, and that's when you decide whether you love us or hate us. We want the former, and judging from comments we've received, we're on the right track.

In addition to tool kits, check out our multi-tools, best-in-class T-handles.

Our commitment is to provide innovative, highly-functional products that give you the highest level of satisfaction. Please put us to the test, and thanks for your business!

Article by Alan Turner

British Dealer News

October 2008

Almost taken for granted, the control cable has been an essential part of motorcycling since George Larkin applied it to bicycle brakes in 1902 after Ernest Bowden patented the idea some six years earlier. It was 1971 before someone not only decided to do something about it but also created the nucleus of a business that continues to flourish some 37 years on.

Chris Ventress was an enthusiastic off-road rider who was frustrated by the cables he was buying for his bike that were easily damaged, either in competition, or when wet, muddy conditions fomented rust. He came up with an outer cable using a nylon lining that gave far superior performance. Being a successful rider obviously did Chris no harm and soon he was being asked to make cables for others. He was asked so frequently that he went into partnership with Colin Hill to manufacture cables – hence Venhill was born.

With the company established, Colin Hill went on to other ventures and left Chris Ventress to continue to build the company. Around the millennium, Chris was looking to retire and through a mutual friend Max Adams heard of the opportunity to move on. Venhill became the next step in an engineering career and Max claims the experience has certainly broadened his knowledge! Unfortunately, after a couple of successful years of retirement, Chris Ventress fell victim to MND (Motor Neurone Disease) and passed away some months ago.

The company is still working in its original location, a former laundry in archetypal commutersville - Dorking, Surrey, not far from the biking mecca of Box Hill. The premises have been expanded and just about contain an ever-widening range of stock and the 14 staff who deal with it all.

The original cables were a success as their smooth operation was easily maintained with an occasional application of WD40 to lubricate them and flush out the muck. The properties were also relevant to road bikes and soon the catalogue featured an expanding range of cables for road machines.

The next stage in evolution was the Featherlight cables. Teflon lining the outer sleeve and a stainless steel inner made for the ultimate in free running, low maintenance cables. As well as the standard range, which covers a huge number of applications, Venhill can also make cables to one-off requirements.

After so many years of manufacture, the process has become as streamlined and mechanised as it can be. Inner and outer cables are cut to length by dedicated machines. The cable is then ‘birdcaged’, neatly flared so that another machine moulds the nipple to the cable end. The cable is assembled to include any necessary sheaths or locating bushes. When everything is in place, soldering the required nipple or fitting at the other end of the inner completes the job. Although most of the cables are the familiar black, Venhill also offers them with braided outers. In matched sets for clutch and throttle these have proved popular with the cruiser market.

The use of hydraulics became more prevalent through the eighties and Venhill started to investigate the potential for aftermarket product lines. Its Powerhose series was the first such offering. Based on Aeroquip hose, the system is still available and very popular because of its versatility. The hose can be cut to length and appropriate fittings added without the use of special tools. Therefore, Powerhose is still commonly found on competition bikes and in any workshop where speedy fixes are a necessity.

Powerhose Plus is the next step, but this relies on the fitting being swaged to the hose, a factory operation. However, swivel ends make it easy for the hose to follow the optimum route. Every hose is tested before it leaves the factory as part of Venhill’s quality control systems. The company is certified under the ISO 9001 scheme as well as the rigorous German TüV standard where manufacturing procedures are recorded and the process is regularly audited. Max smiles: ‘Although our hoses are tested to 10,000psi. Even heavy braking will only increase fluid pressure to 35psi’

Recognition for the quality of its products was especially satisfying for Venhill as Powerhose Plus passes the ‘Whip Test’, which has proved the undoing of other hose manufacturers. The test flexes the hose over many hours, but in a vigorous fashion intended to replicate many years of suspension movement. This is the most challenging among the many tests required and other products have failed to go the distance. Max spent some time on development, working with the local university and also the renowned Merton College. Finally, he solved the problem and came up with a design that would enable his products to achieve the required performance. Hence, TüV certification is now standard on Powerhose Plus lines

Product development continues, and the current Venhill range offers chrome plated or stainless steel options. Max explains: ‘there are more than 10,000 active part numbers in the range. For example, there is a choice of more than 20 different banjo fittings!’ Venhill’s fittings are designed in-house and many are made in the UK.

The hose is also offered in a range of colours. However, bling’s still the thing and the clear option is the best seller, followed by black, red and blue. The carbon look is also popular. Latest additions to the range are banjo bolts with a difference. These are button headed, but the hexagonal recess is used to locate a bleed nipple.

From making and selling the conduit to stocking the controls was a logical step for the business and Venhill has been the UK importer for German-made Magura controls for 25 years and maintains a stock of all the spare parts still listed by the factory. While continuing to supply a huge range of parts for older bikes and applications, the company is still developing new ideas and recently produced a neat line in radial master cylinders. There is also the Hymec hydraulic clutch conversion for Harley-Davidson Sportster and Big Twin models.

Tools, especially slightly specialist tools from suppliers such as Buzzetti, have been available for a long time. Cruz Tools has proved to be a worthwhile addition to the Venhill portfolio since the kits were included a while ago. Max is a regular visitor to the Indianapolis Show in the States and was impressed with the Cruz product, a wide choice of comprehensive toolkits suitable for many maintenance and repair jobs. Since they have been available, a lot of customers agree.

Expertise in cables is useful for reputation. Venhill has assisted with all sorts of special requirements including the TV programme Scrapheap Challenge as well as films such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the James Bond series. Venhil cables literally scaled the heights when they were used in a paragliding project that took them to the top of Mount Everest.

For those with more earthly requirements: What sort of service can you expect? Max said: ‘If the cable is in stock, then orders received by 3pm will be dispatched the same day’. Venhill never deletes a product, so even cables made at the firm’s inception are still offered. Cable kits, for a bespoke option, are constantly in demand from classic and custom workshops as well as individuals. Venhill also offers a useful ‘get-you-home’ cable kit. On similar lines, Venhill created a ‘Dealer Kit’ for hoses and this has been well received. A range of 30 lines is supplied in lengths from 150mm up to 725mm. A whole range of fittings makes the kit suitable for just about any application. Trade price for the Powerhose Plus kit is £313 + VAT.

With the policy of never deleting a product, the Venhill range expands by natural progression. How did Max feel about current trading conditions? ‘We are optimistic and positive about the future. We cover commuters, racers and off-road bikes and we have seen no downturn in business’.

Being focused on the two wheel side of business, our conversation never got round to the Venhill products for ATVs, karts and the 500 different hoses the company offers for cars. That’s an awful lot of controls to control, I think Messrs. Bowden and Larkin would be impressed.

Get in touch...

We are always pleased to hear from and assist customers wishing to invest in high quality Venhill products.

www.venhill.co.uk
info@venhill.co.uk
Venhill Engineering Ltd
21 Ranmore Road
Dorking
Surrey
RH4 1HE
01306 885111