Good cables that DON'T fray??

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I need to replace a gear cable and housing on my galaxy because during my attempts to get the bike set up right myself the dam cables keep fraying and it's all very annoying and ..anyway...I would dearly like to know which brand of gear/brake cables you chaps use/prefer. Cheap is good and anything that minimises the risk of fraying would make my day. Got any links?

 

[spandex]

Where and how are they fraying?

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

when I cut the cables and then try to thread the cable end through the cable housing invariably one or more of the strands work loose at the end where it has been cut, then the losse strand works it way all the way up the cable making it totally useless.

 

[Landslide]

In my experience, once cut, any given brand of cable is no more or less likely to fray. The key is to prepare all aspects of the job carefully.
Do not use pliers to cut your cables - these crush the cabling, thus increasing the risk of fraying. Use good quality cable-cutters designed for the job.
Check the cable outer. If it is lined (a small plastic sleeve running along the length of the housing, inside the steel casing), this sleeve can often become closed up when the outer is cut to length. Make sure it is opened up before attempting to force the inner cable through it.
Brake outer tends to have a spiral-wound steel casing, which when cut may protrude over the central axis of the cable outer, thus making it difficult to thread the inner through it. Ensure any such offending bits of casing are trimmed away first.

 

[nickb]

Don't cut the cable until you've passed it through the outer casing(s) and preferably not until everything is all in place and adjusted. Then just snip it off and pop a crimp on.

If it's already cut then stick a bit of solder on the end (or superglue at a push)

 

[e-rider]

As already stated - don't cut until finished when everything is set-up (avoid buying cables where you need to cut one end off to suit your bike - if these even exist anymore!!!)

Once gears/brakes etc. are all set simply cut excess cable off with decent cable cutters and crimp a cable end on to keep it all tidy.

I had almost forgot about frayed cables until my mate gave me his old bike to fix and the frayed cable cut my finger open.

 

[mickle]

Also and; don't cut the cable to close to the pinch bolt, leave a good 40mm or more. The shorter the distance between the cable pinch bolt and the cut end the more likely it is to fray. Tuck the spare away somewhere, out of harms way.

On fleet bikes I zip tie the spare to the side of the V brake after fitting the end cap.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

Ok thanks for the advice. I think this cable was cut with pliers before I had my shiny new bike tool kit cutters...now it's to short and ..well..it's a bad job...ok, time to get a new cable and treat it better.

 

[summerdays]

On fleet bikes I zip tie the spare to the side of the V brake after fitting the end cap.

On V-brakes there is often a lug on the mechanism that it can be tucked behind.