Gear and Brake Cables - replacement/upgrade

[DaveP]

I am looking to replace/upgrade both my gear and brake cables (currently a 105 cable set on road bike), have seen done the rounds on review pages, but any additional hints or tips?

Thanks....

 

[Globalti]

Yes.... treat yourself to a good quality (Park Tools) cable cutter before you start. You'll never regret it.

 

[DaveP]

Yes.... treat yourself to a good quality (Park Tools) cable cutter before you start. You'll never regret it.

RR,

Good one to add to my pressie list!

 

[Bollo]

Allow about 4 times as long as you think its going to take.

If you're fitting Gore sealed cables (v good if you ride around cow-crap filled lanes), check that the seal tube fits through your cable guides, and be prepared to do a little drilling if they don't.

Suck eggs, but don't attempt it without a workstand.

 

[DaveP]

Bollo,

How well do you rate the Gore cables?

 

[Bollo]

I've had them about two months now, so its still early days. I got them 25% off from Evans during their Autumn clearout and I changed both the gear and the brake cables. As I hinted, most of my road riding takes me around the sh1te-stewn back roads of Hampshire. I'd been finding that, once the cable outers had become contaminated on non-sealed cables, no end of cleaning would get them working just so.

Impressions so far....

Swines to fit. I ended up having to open out the holes through the cable adjusters (not the guides on the frame - Ti anyway, so its unlikely my drill would have coped). The instructions warn you about this and its less than 0.5mm or so, but it might colour whether you want to buy or not.

Once fitted, they are noticeably smoother than bog-standard road cables - the extra sealing layer between the outers and the cable doesn't seem to add extra friction. This layer covers the cable along its length, including the bits of the cable run where the cable would normally be exposed.

They certainly cope with road crap better. My only concern would be if this layer were to cut up where its exposed over time. I could see this might start to snag the cable inner.

If you're riding over dirty terrain and have a bonj-like disdain for mudguards, they'll definitely save you some dodgy gear changes, cleaning and readjusting, but they might be overkill otherwise.

I'm sure they'll be others on here that have had more experience with them and can fill you in on loner term performance.

 

[swee'pea99]

Sorry, but why? I'm not being arsy - just genuinely interested. Cables is cables isn't they? They either work or they don't, if they do, what's an 'upgrade' about?

 

[DaveP]

[quote name='swee'pea99']Sorry, but why? I'm not being arsy - just genuinely interested. Cables is cables isn't they? They either work or they don't, if they do, what's an 'upgrade' about?[/quote]

SP,

Looking at various "reviews" some cable sets offer, or claim that they do, reduction in friction and other benifits such as better protection from dirt ingress etc...

The "upgrade" was in tandem with "replace", I was interested in canvassing comments regarding what (cables) people use and why?

Being an engineer I seem to be pre-disposed to tweaking and looking at “improving” the bits and pieces attached to my bike!

To date the 105 cables have been fine, but out of interest more than anything else, if there are “better” cables out there, well why are they better, and would it make a difference to me….

 

[Bollo]

[quote name='swee'pea99']Sorry, but why? I'm not being arsy - just genuinely interested. Cables is cables isn't they? They either work or they don't, if they do, what's an 'upgrade' about?[/quote]

Gore cables have three layers, standard looking outers and inners, but also an extra 'cable condom' middle later that covers the inner. In theory (and in practice so far) this stops any crap getting between the bits that have to slide against each other to change gears or pull brakes.

They're especially good for 10-speed cassettes (and fancy 11-speeds) because there's so little tolerance between gear shifts. For brakes they're not so essential, but they do have a nice 'feel'.

They're really for pedal tractors mountain bikes. For city or summer riding they're overkill, but most of my so-called road routes can render standard cables unusable after a few winter months at most, so I thought I'd give them a try.

Even if you're not a fusspot like me, its surprising how a new set of cables of any decent type can improve brake and shifting performance.

 

[jimboalee]

Quite honestly, the only reason to change cables is because the nipple has pulled off.

If the bike was properly maintained with plenty of grease in the cable outers and on the bare cable, there should be no need to fit new cables for life.

 

[cheadle hulme]

Slightly OT - do nipples pull off? Are they attached to the cable or made from the cable?

Not knowing much about cable manufacture, I worry that a sharp tug could pull the nipple off - never heard of it happening though.

 

[DaveP]

Quite honestly, the only reason to change cables is because the nipple has pulled off.

If the bike was properly maintained with plenty of grease in the cable outers and on the bare cable, there should be no need to fit new cables for life.

Beg to differ on one point, grease on cables has a nasty habit of attracting all types of crud.

I used to work at a power station where we “experimented” with all types of different grease concoctions’ in all types of exposed conditions, and eventually came up with a jet lube graphite combo….

In general though, I have never put any grease on my cables, and tend instead to lightly apply car engine oil via a rag and oil gun, once a month.

 

[Globalti]

Don't need changing? Wot bollox. The cable outer needs changing where it curves round to the derailleur every 6-12 months. The rest every couple of years. And you don't grease the cables; the grease stiffens up and collects dust. At worst you lube them lightly with a synthetic lube, at best you leave them dry.

 

[Bollo]

Quite honestly, the only reason to change cables is because the nipple has pulled off.

If the bike was properly maintained with plenty of grease in the cable outers and on the bare cable, there should be no need to fit new cables for life.

Grease on the cables!

Believe me, my bikes get treated better than my wife and child (trying to suck up to bonj again ) but a set of cables will typically last me less than a year on the vanity bike, usually due to schmutz getting in the cable outers. I should point out that I am like the princess-and-the-pea of gear setups.

 

[spandex]

On a bike a Nipple is the thing that keeps your spokes tight to the rim.
As for the things on the end of your cables they are called Cable end caps or some know them as wire crimps.