Cable outers (a thread title of excitement!)

[KneesUp]

It seems you can get outers for gear cables and outers for brake cables now. I'm sure this wasn't the case when I were a lad. I understand that the gear ones don't compress as much so indexing works, or something like that?

The thing is, numpty here has bought a load of brake ones and lost the receipt.

So, quick question - if I'm using friction shifting, does it matter if I use brake outer for gears?

Cheers

 

[HLaB]

A while back I replaced the rear gear cable outer on a bike with a break cable outer as I was a little bit short of gear cable outer; over that short distance it never caused a problem.

 

[boydj]

You may have a problem getting the cable to fit in the cable stops. If I remember correctly, brake cable is 5mm and gear cable is 4mm.

 

[Leaway2]

Yep 4mm and 5mm.

 

[jack smith]

Ive always bought it as the same cable and never had an issue from a viking road bike to an s works venge

 

[PK99]

What have cables done to deserver being outed? And who is outing them!

Is that more exciting?

 

[Leaway2]

What have cables done to deserver being outed? And who is outing them!

Is that more exciting?

Mine are kinky.

 

[andrew_s]

There is no problem using brake outer for friction gears other than the fatter housing not fitting in the stops correctly. You may find that brake outer with no ferrule is the same size as gear outer with a ferrule, in which case there's no problem.

You should never use gear outer for your brakes, as it is possible for the inner to force its way between the longitudinal strands of the gear outer and split the plastic cover, in which case your brake stops working. A lesser problem is that brake inners are fatter than gear inners, and may not fit, or be a tight fit that leads to dragging brakes.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

You should never use gear outer for your brakes, as it is possible for the inner to force its way between the longitudinal strands of the gear outer and split the plastic cover, in which case your brake stops working.

... or it would just work, all the time, which would be a bit of a drag.

 

[John the Canuck]

Christ on a bike - as if i don't have enough to worry about.!

i buy 5mm outer in a 3m roll
gear cable are ordered with the wee end to suit shifters
brake cables are ordered with 'pear' nipple for drop bar levers
brake cables are ordered with 'barrel' nipple for flat bar type levers

what's not to like.............

 

[KneesUp]

Thanks all. They do make things complicated!

As it turns out all the old outers for the gear cables are useable - or perhaps they weren't off this bike, but I found some in the big box of bits, anyway.

So actually I only need to use the packs of outers for brakes anyway. Sorry for all the un-called for excitement!

 

[Leaway2]

I'll put the Valium away then.