gear cables for Sram

[ayceejay]

I finally bought a cable for Sram Apex but what a struggle. I can find Shimano up the wazoo but Sram specific - no go. The girl at the LBS didn't know what Sram was and it only got worse when I tried to explain it. Now I look on You Tube and the normally helpful guy at Art's informs me that replacing this cable is the most difficult job there is which is not what I wanted to here.

 

[cyberknight]

Find another LBS , if they cant fit sram they dont sound up to much .
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/workshop-how-to-set-up-sram-force-25902/

 

[Rob3rt]

WTF, bunch of planks!

 

[ayceejay]

Well, I've had a fun afternoon I tried to thread the new cable through myself but I had to stop before I damaged myself (or the cat)
Why oh why do they make it so difficult.
I have searched the web and tried everything suggested with no success.
I grease the end of the cable and if I am lucky it goes through the little (almost invisible) hole about two inches and is then blocked if I am not lucky the cable goes in maybe 1/2 an inch.
HELP!

 

[zacklaws]

I had this problem after much reading up on SRAM Apex and how to do it and spent ages trying to do it. Then I thought, sod it, lets just unwind the bar tape enough to reveal the shifter and straight away I saw that I was completely missing the tiny hole in the outer cable as it followed the grove around the outside of the shifter. Anyway by doing this, I threaded the cable in seconds and just rewound the bar tape and fastened it back down again with some insulation tape.

But it is claimed to be an easy job

 

[ayceejay]

I had this problem after much reading up on SRAM Apex and how to do it and spent ages trying to do it. Then I thought, sod it, lets just unwind the bar tape enough to reveal the shifter and straight away I saw that I was completely missing the tiny hole in the outer cable as it followed the grove around the outside of the shifter. Anyway by doing this, I threaded the cable in seconds and just rewound the bar tape and fastened it back down again with some insulation tape.

But it is claimed to be an easy job

Thanks zacklaws. That is exactly what I decided to do tomorrow but now that I have your input I shall know who to blame but for now it's time for 'a' Labatts.

 

[zacklaws]

And when you do take the bar tape off, make a note of how it was wrapped by the shop or manufacturer for when you rewrap it to make all the grubby marks etc mesh and look natural again, it took me a while to fathom out how they had done it and was far different from how I always do it.

 

[lejogger]

I've re-built two bikes with new cables for SRAM Red and Rival, and it's not particularly complicated - if I can do it anyone can!
I used Gore Ride-on cables for the SRAM Red and Jagwire for the Rival, although any shimano compatible cables will do.

Are you replacing brake or gear? Front or back? Just cable or cable and outers?

If you're struggling with threading the cable through the shifters then make sure that you don't have any outer still attached as it's easier to slide that on after. Use a torch to shine into the unit so you can see what you're aiming for in advance rather than poking around blindly; and don't force it, as if you fray the cable you're buggered.

EDIT: It's definitely much easier to do with the bar tape and the outer that goes under the tape removed for fitting.
For less than a tenner you'd be best treating yourself to a new wrap for the summer anyway.
Good luck.

 

[ayceejay]

Cigars all round I just gave birth to a brand new derailleur set up thanks to the two previous posts. Indeed the cable went through the shifter quite easily (after yesterdays hair pulling) and it was jamming on the outer cable, once I had pulled back the bar tape and pulled out the ferrule the cable went through and I fed it through the outer cable after.