Can I Buy Ready Cut Gear Cables And Covers Online?

[woodbine]

I want to replace the cables and outer covers on my 25 year old MTB. It has original Shimano SIS thumb levers and Deore derallier for the 6 speed Uniglide cassette and Deore shifter for the 3 Biopace crank cogs.

I understand that cutting the outer covers need special tools. Is there anywhere I can buy the 3 pieces of outer cable cut to length online?

Also, can anyone recommend minimum friction cables and outers that would be suitable for my setup?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JMAG]

I'm not sure you'll find anywhere that will cut cables to size and if you do, you will have to pay a premium.

For £9 you can buy a decent pair of cable cutters and do the job yourself. www.bamfordtrading.com/products/57768-draper-57768-4857-190mm-wire-rope-or-spring-wire-cutter.html

 

[woodbine]

many thanks for your help. I will look at the tool. Presumably it's for the inner cable, not the outer? It's the outers that I believe need careful cutting.

Presumably I need SIS outer. Can I cut this carefully with a junior hacksaw? Also, the outers I have now don't have ferules at the ends where they go into the frame stops. Should I use them with new cables or leave them off?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-S...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item3aadec712c

 

[Citius]

Go to a real bike shop - there's loads in Bristol. They will cut cables to any length you ask for. Step away from the hacksaw unless you want to fck it up.

 

[mcshroom]

Cable cutter do inners and outers. When cutting the outer put a spare bit of inner in where you are cutting to stop the cable crushing. Otherwise squeeze it back round with a pair of plyers.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Cable cutter do inners and outers.

Worth getting decent ones to avoid entanglement

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Should I use them with new cables or leave them off

You need to use them. You can buy new ones for a few pounds on the bay.
Or ask the LBS for a few. You also need the cable ends to cover the cut.

 

[mcshroom]

For the ferrules, they are useful as they stop the end of the cable fraying. You can pick them up cheaply either from a LBS or from places like Wilko and Halfords.

Other methods you can use to stop fraying include soldering the cable ends, fixing them with a glue gun and using electrical tape. I've used the tape one before and it worked ok.

 

[Andy_R]

For the ferrules, they are useful as they stop the end of the cable fraying. You can pick them up cheaply either from a LBS or from places like Wilko and Halfords.

Other methods you can use to stop fraying include soldering the cable ends, fixing them with a glue gun and using electrical tape. I've used the tape one before and it worked ok.

You're a little off target there. The ferrules are the "tubes" that go over the end of the cable housing, and allow the inner cable to slide through. Their purpose is to prevent muck getting into the housing and to provide a good solid stop to the end of the housing (essential in indexed gearing or cable operated disc brakes that require minimum compression in the housing). The bits you're referring to are cable end caps. HTH.

Ferrule:

Cable end cap:

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Other methods you can use to stop fraying include soldering the cable ends, fixing them with a glue gun and using electrical tape. I've used the tape one before and it worked ok.

I have used tape too, but my bike mechanic's teacher frowns upon this

 

[summerdays]

I have used tape too, but my bike mechanic's teacher frowns upon this

Surely tape is better than nothing, I tend to use micropore tape as I'll have some in the first aid kit! I've used it for all sorts of temporary fixes over time, in fact it probably gets more non medical than medical use!

 

[Citius]

Just over £3 for 100 - why would anyone want to use glue, or tape? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pack-100x...rimp-Silver-/351280434621?hash=item51c9f20dbd

 

[Dogtrousers]

Can I just say to anyone considering the use of Babybel cheese wax as an emergency cable end protector, that it doesn't work. Trust me, it falls off very quickly.

In answer to @Citius question, why not use the proper thing - because I didn't have any handy and cheese wax seemed like a brilliant idea. It wasn't.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Surely tape is better than nothing,

I think it's got something to do with the bike's "look"

 

[summerdays]

I think it's got something to do with the bike's "look"

Well let's put it this way.... A little bit of micropore tape doesn't stand out on my bike....