Cheap cables

[robjh]

Is there much difference between cheap gear cables such as these Clarks ones for £1.99 and more expensive brands? I've just paid £4 for a Shimano something-coated cable at Evans (would have been £6.99 if I'd bought in an individual pack but they had some 'from a box' at the cheaper price).

It's for a road bike, Shimano 105 throughout and I do about 6000 miles a year but have always used cheap generic cables from the LBS in the past. Just wondering if I'd notice any difference by paying more or less for the cables?

nb same question for brake cables as for gear cables

 

[John the Monkey]

I've only ever used Shimano gear cables (a very good deal on a large box of them, some time ago).

Brake cables - I like the teflon coated Fibrax ones (specifically the tandem length version, as some careful cutting gets you a usable road bike AND MTB cable from one purchase). I've used uncoated cables once (Clarks, I think) and they were ok - I remember them not cutting quite as neatly, and feeling slightly "stiffer" in comparison to the coated cable as I was routing them through the outers.

 

[Drago]

I seem to get on well with Jagwire gear cables. The linear layout of the wind on the cable outer seems less prone to compression and gears stay on song for longer.

 

[raleighnut]

I seem to get on well with Jagwire gear cables. The linear layout of the wind on the cable outer seems less prone to compression and gears stay on song for longer.

That's just gear specific outer. they're all like that.