Gear Cable Outers?

[fatcyclist]

Johan / dirt-rider: Anything extra I should think of doing for this little Namib desert trip? Or will the standard stuff be fine?

[Azonic]

Most bike shops have rolls and rolls of Giant branded outer in blue, round cardboard dispensers. That's what I use. If its sealed all the way to the jockey, what's the point of getting XTR, etc?

 

 

[AndreZA]

Most bike shops have rolls and rolls of Giant branded outer in blue' date=' round cardboard dispensers. That's what I use. If its sealed all the way to the jockey, what's the point of getting XTR, etc?

[/quote']

 

I've used those and it's not as smooth as the SIS ones which also comes in a box like that.

 

 

[Thug]

 

I've only used the shop stuff. But I'm getting tired of it....every 2 months I gotta change some piece somewhere....

 

Then get it done right the 1st time !

 

 

 

[MintSauce]

 

You can drill the cablestops out' date=' you just need to be careful not to damage the frame. It's certainly doable. However, it will make a mess of the frame if you're careless

 

A dremel is a better tool for the job

 

No....I don't have patience for a file[/quote']I just don't see how you can drill a nice hole parallel with the frame with either a drill or dremel. The drill will bind and will rip something up.  Even if you tape up your frame, the knurled end of the chuck will grind through tape quicker than you can say "damn, I should have listened to good advice"

 

 

Well, I did. The end of the cablestop where you're drilling is pretty thin. Therefor the drill bit does not have to line up perfectly with the tube to make a round hole.

 

Like I said, if you are careful and use a variable speed drill it is doable. If you start really slowly it will not bind as the aluminium is pretty soft.

 

The speed that you're drilling at and the fact the aliminium is thin and soft means that you don't need to have the drill spinning at max revs. Slowly and easy does it and that means you have enough control to prevent the drill from going near the frame.

 

 

I did it. Unfortunately I didn't take pics so I can't prove it.

 

I have since resprayed the frame, but will nonetheless post pics of the finished product when I have the chance. The bike is not with me at the moment.

 

 

 

[dirtrider]

Johan / dirt-rider: Anything extra I should think of doing for this little Namib desert trip? Or will the standard stuff be fine?

 

 

 

Lube your chain and pump you tyres .

[fatcyclist]

Lube your chain and pump you tyres .

[Dirtbreath]

 

I've only used the shop stuff. But I'm getting tired of it....every 2 months I gotta change some piece somewhere....

 

The quality of the inners can only mean that you are wearing the inner bends more than normal. This would mean you need to use your barrel bolts to adjust your gears a bit more. Not a chain smash.

 

As Johan has posted earlier, the type of cable will not make any difference on how much dirt can enter the system.

 

[bored girl]

I've only used the shop stuff. But I'm getting tired of it....every 2 months I gotta change some piece somewhere....

The quality of the inners can only mean that you are wearing the inner bends more than normal. This would mean you need to use your barrel bolts to adjust your gears a bit more. Not a chain smash.

As Johan has posted earlier' date=' the type of cable will not make any difference on how much dirt can enter the system.
[/quote']

 

The cables are fine. It's the housing that keeps on breaking.....gets all nasty round my shifters and now by my derailleur

 

Thug I'm gonna bring it to you to show me how  2nd last time it was done at a shop.....cable was cut waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too short as well so changing my brake pads turned into changing cable and housing as well....

[Johan Bornman]

Cut cut cut

 

Talking about cable cutters' date=' i read, and have not tried it yet, you burn a brake cable with a lighter untill that portion glows, let it cool and then you can cut it with a nornal sidecutter. The end crimp you put on covers this blackened or blue piece of wire and you do not have to buy expensive cable cutters. Will definitely try it tonite and then email Buycycling and win a pair of Shimano Shoes!!!!!!!!

[/quote']

 

I assume you're talking about the inner? In my opinion, a cable cutter is not strictly necessary. For years I just cut my cable with a side cutter. I then got fancy and bought an expensive top-of-the-range Park Tool cutter and couldn't see a difference.

 

OK, if I'm really critical I'd say the cable cutter doesn't leave you with a frayed end. But, a twist or two in the right direction and the fray is nay, anyway.

 

A cable cutter or side cutter has exactly the same effect on gear outers. It squashes it flat and you have to fix it with an awl or scribe.

 

On a brake cable outer, the two also has the same effect. I find a brake cable outer is best cut with anything and then dressed on a grinder until it is nice and perpendicular with no fish-hook lurking under the plastic foreskin. A cable cutter only creates a perfect cut once every 100 cuts - for me.

 

The trick of burning it with a match may anneal the steel and make it softer to cut. But any person with reasonable strength and a reasonable cutter easily snips a small cable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Johan Bornman]

Johan / dirt-rider: Anything extra I should think of doing for this little Namib desert trip? Or will the standard stuff be fine?

 

If you are driving dirt roads with your bicycle on the back of your car in the dust, modify the cable routing it so that your cables are one-piece from front to end and DONT lubricate them.

 

It may also help if you do the trip a clean chain, not oiled. Even better, since we now all have Missing Links on our chains, take the chain off and keep it in a plastic bag inside the boot. That way you only have to rinse your chainring and cluster before riding.

 

However, if your bike will be inside the car and you're a fast rider always out front, don't worry about your cables, they'll still be fine when you return.

 

 

Johan Bornman2009-02-03 12:58:01

[GoLefty!!]

There is no difference betweenthe Shimano SP41 outer housing you buy per metre from your LBS and the XTR housing. Oh wait.....XR is grey and the other stuff is black. they are the same but not the same colour gabish>?

 

Shimano SP41 housing has a silicon grease inside. This is there is make the cable slide better apparently but I can't notice the difference. I t does keep the moisture away from the cable so it does not rust like those expensive but poo Campakker cable sets....

 

Continuous housing is the only way to go. I learned this trick 10 yrs ago and have never used any other system where the cabel wasnot covered fromShifter to derailleur. Even my front derailleur is continuous housing right up to about 4cm from the derailleur cable clamp bolt

[Super_mil]

I did this self modification to my bike over December and I have to say that with the constant muddy tracks we're currently having in JHB, it's the best upgrade my bike has had to date. The whole upgrade set me back about R100 and a bit of time...

 

Would defnitely suggest it to anyone with open cables running along the downtube.

 

 

 

I took the labourious road of filing the housings out by hand (a bit of a ball ache, but managed).

 

 

 

Thanks all for the hints and tips.

[splat]

I am trying those BBB hydroclamp magodies. (BBB BCB-92 HydroClamp - I cant upload the picture). I dont want to file out the cable guides and I dont like zip ties all over the place.

 

I also used Alligator cables, but there isnt enough in a box to do front and rear full outers.

[Fietsryer]

I know Cycle-Fix "specialize" in that tipe of thing. I found they did a superb job on my MTB. 087 808 8039