How long does your cable's last

[Blue Hills]

Pretty sure that they're not stainless

I thought galvanized were best avoided?

 

[johnnyb47]

I think Wilkos cable's are galvanized.
Just looking at the colour of the new one suggests it.
I ran some thin oil down the outer sheath that the cable's run through before refitting hopefully to give them a fighting chance.Trimmed all the gears up and ready now for this afternoons ride.
I just need to trim off the excess wire but I can't find my wire cutters (probably in the car boot with the rest of the junk)

 

[classic33]

Agree totally - don't ever remember a brake cable breaking or fraying beyond use though one maybe has - in fact once had two brake cables that had been in so long that they burst through the outer with certain signs of rust - wonder if they may have been galvanised. Have mainly replaced now and again when I thought it good idea to replace outers.

Yep - gear cables a pig because of flexing at the end/fraying - I try to avoid ever having to slacken gear cables - tend to find that if I do I've near buggered them - that's why I bought a great big workshop box of the things. Still, better than electric jiggery pokery.

By the if anyone has tips for sorting the ends of gear cables - feel free to advise - the slightest bit of unwinding at the ends, even with chopping off if can be done (often next to nowt to chop of course as they have to be cut short to avoid the ends catching on stuff) and it can be near impossible to get one of those crush-on caps on the end.

Have you ever soldered the cable ends, or where you cut the cables if too long?
If cutting a cable, solder the area you intend to cut, then cut.

 

[ColinJ]

I’ve had one cable break at the shifter which was replaced.

Ah, I do remember having to do that once. It was a bit fiddly trying to extract the broken bit from the shifter. I can't remember which bike that was on though... Probably my former best bike.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I have also used quite a few Wilko cables without any issues

are they stainless?
Had the idea that a fair few of their cables are galvanised.

Went to look at the Wilko cables - doesn't say whether SS or not (so suspect not at <£2).
Brake: https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-universal-brake-inner-wire-12m/p/0106136
Note only 1200mm long: too short for my road bikes: OK for MTBs.
Gear (helpfully they say: "Material: Wire") https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-universal-gear-inner-wire/p/0257873

 

[Tom B]

Cables are a bit like tools. Nothing poorer value than cheap tools.
Anything less than quality cables are poor value and a false economy.

Shimano stainless inners and at sh41 outer. They're not particularly dear. Merlin have the inners at £2-50. I buy a bunch on offer and keep them as they're not hard to store either.

They last 2-3yrs on my everyday 5k a year bike

 

[biggs682]

Went to look at the Wilko cables - doesn't say whether SS or not (so suspect not at <£2).
Brake: https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-universal-brake-inner-wire-12m/p/0106136
Note only 1200mm long: too short for my road bikes: OK for MTBs.
Gear (helpfully they say: "Material: Wire") https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-universal-gear-inner-wire/p/0257873

I have never had a problem using them on road bikes

 

[Elybazza61]

Went to look at the Wilko cables - doesn't say whether SS or not (so suspect not at <£2).
Brake: https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-universal-brake-inner-wire-12m/p/0106136
Note only 1200mm long: too short for my road bikes: OK for MTBs.
Gear (helpfully they say: "Material: Wire") https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-universal-gear-inner-wire/p/0257873

We sell Fibrax stainless inner cables for £1.99

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Went to look at the Wilko cables - doesn't say whether SS or not (so suspect not at <£2).
Brake: https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-universal-brake-inner-wire-12m/p/0106136
Note only 1200mm long: too short for my road bikes: OK for MTBs.
Gear (helpfully they say: "Material: Wire") https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-universal-gear-inner-wire/p/0257873

Decathlon did stainless steel for £1.99 pre pandemic but now £2.99. Still excellent value and 2.27m long.

 

[Blue Hills]

Have you ever soldered the cable ends, or where you cut the cables if too long?
If cutting a cable, solder the area you intend to cut, then cut.

no - have heard of folk soldering though - have you done it ?- does it work?
By the by Lidl have a small soldering station/kit on sale at the moment.

https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/diy-projects/parkside-soldering-station/p50335

 

[Ming the Merciless]

They last 2-3yrs on my everyday 5k a year bike

That’s a lot of money to be spending on a bike every year.

 

[Tom B]

That’s a lot of money to be spending on a bike every year.

If only... I don't think I could!

 

[classic33]

no - have heard of folk soldering though - have you done it ?- does it work?
By the by Lidl have a small soldering station/kit on sale at the moment.

https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/diy-projects/parkside-soldering-station/p50335

I use it over any other method of keeping the cable from unraveling. No messing with pliers crimping anything into place.

 

[andrew_s]

no - have heard of folk soldering though - have you done it ?- does it work?
By the by Lidl have a small soldering station/kit on sale at the moment.

https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/diy-projects/parkside-soldering-station/p50335

Stainless doesn't solder readily using basic electrical/plumbing solder.
Apparently you've got to get the correct flux, and maybe a different solder too.

 

[Blue Hills]

Stainless doesn't solder readily using basic electrical/plumbing solder.
Apparently you've got to get the correct flux, and maybe a different solder too.

agh - i did fear complications - any comment on this @classic33 ?

i have sometimes cut a bit off a length of hard plastic tubing I have (sort of like brake outer but with no metal sheathing) and heated it to shrink/burn it on. That actually has worked pretty well the odd time I have done it.