Best bike cables according to redditors

You could keep the old cables and housings, but new ones will perform much better.

Whatever you do, don't try to crimp your own cable ends--- they're safety critical, and "homemade" will end badly.

Standard brake cables come with both types of ends pre-made; you just cut off the one you don't need. At some point in the past somebody used the wrong end on your bike

7900/6700/5700 have notoriously poor shifting, but it can be improved with some tricks. Once you follow all the other advice here (make sure your hanger is straight, etc.), then I suggest you take a look at the cables and housing.

When this series was new, Shimano specced a PTFE-coated shift cable and housing which was included only one nylon ferrule, while the rest were CNCed aluminum. This was designed to aid in the shifting by reducing the friction from the lever and stiffening the shifts at the frame, but even this didn't help too much. After 9000 came out, and Shimano introduced their polymer cables (Shimano SP41 housing didn't change), I began putting these new cables on the previous generation of Shimano shifters, and I found this and a very clean routing of the housing (often crossing them in front of the headtube, so that the cables crossed again on the downtube) made a huge difference, that often means this generation of Shimano can shift beautifully.

tl;dr - Use slick cables, and good housing with very clean bends. Shimano has trickled it all the way down the line to budget Optislik Cables, while other manufacturers like Jagwire responded with their own Teflon cables, and now their new high-polish stainless steel cable (which which I have no experience).

Fortunately, this is a cheap and easy fix. You will just need to replace the cable. You can find instructions on how to do it here. While you're at it, I also recommend checking your break pads.

Try bringing a bike lock and lock your stand to your car or something big. I do this with my cooler as well.

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https://www.amazon.com/Titanker-Resettable-Combination-Complimentary-Mounting/dp/B01E25VD72/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=bike+lock&qid=1555875603&s=gateway&sr=8-9

It's kinda a myth that rim brakes are insufficient for ebikes.

Modern hydraulic disk brakes reduce maintenance burden, are better in wet weather, do not wear out your rim, and provide a much better 'feel' then rim brakes, but they are not going to stop you any faster in a emergency or make you safer in traffic. Provided you properly maintain rim brakes and keep them adjusted. The ultimate braking capacity is limited by tire traction and bike geometry, not the type of brakes you are using.

The biggest downside, in terms of performance, for rim brakes is when the rim is wet and cold... and if you have long descents then they can overheat the tire. Regenerative braking will alleviate much of the heating and rim wear issues.

He just needs to clean up the brakes he has and it'll be fine. This bike is never going to be a rocket sled and as long as he respects the limit of the platform and stays on top of the adjustments then it won't fail him.

The brake cables are frayed and need to be replaced. Just needs to make sure what he has works well and then it'll be fine.

Some compression-less brake cables are desirable, but not strictly necessary. They tend to be a bit thicker and bit tougher to deal with, but they do improve the feel.

Then some Kool-stop Mountain pads dual compound will help a lot with the wet weather over the cheap hard black rubber pads.

I find RJ the bike guy a very good source of information and tutorials on how to do this sort of stuff.

How far do you want to take it?

Cable housing on Amazon

Shimano cable liners. They're only marginally larger than the cable. Run these over the cable, through the frame. Remove the old cable (leaving the liner in the frame!) and insert the new cable through the liner. Slide the liner out of the frame, and your cables are routed perfectly.

Shipping isn't free. I was referring to in person in a shop, if you require shipping there are certainly better value items than that one you linked though: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NKW9CKF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PxcZDbJHYDYS6

As well as cheaper: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076M6WPWW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_szcZDbQSZZV59

To OP, it sounds like you're looking for a new bike. What make and model is your old ride? Changing a cable housing and cable is pretty basic stuff and will cost you about $10, if you buy this set.. Beyond that, you may be looking at the price of brake pads and lube (assuming your chain isn't stretched, and your tires aren't dryrotted). That will come out to far less than the >$450 you'll pay for a new, multi-speed bike from a local shop. Watch a few videos to demystify bicycle tuning

>I go to Brewhops at lunchtime

I'm fairly sure you mean Cyclehops. Here's my breakdown:

•Basic mountain bike repairs: Cyclehops
•Basic cruiser bike repairs: Longmont Bicycle Co or Longmont Velo
•Specialized parts, like bearings: Cyclehops is your best bet in town.
•Mountain bike tires, helmets, gear, knowledge: The Fix in Boulder
•Suspension tuning and repair: Dirt Labs

Don't forget inline cable adjusters if your frame doesn't have a spot for the screw-in kind. If it does have stops for the screw-in kind, be sure to pick those up instead. When I built my FM015 a couple years back, that was the one part that held me up for a few more days because I had failed to buy any.

• Frame mounted (on my FM015)
  
• Inline (on my other bike)
  
  I have each of those types on my bikes (same brand, too). If you use those inline models, put a small dab of blue Loc-tite on the threads to keep them from loosening later on by themselves.

That is the head of a shifter cable.

Jeff Bezos will sell you one for just
$7.20 U.S.D.

Good luck with your repair.
Ride on.


https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-RD-R8000-Cable-Adjusting-Bolt/dp/B07LGHRC3P/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr1_2?dchild=1&keywords=r8000+Derailleur+cable+Clamp&qid=1574912762&sr=8-2-fkmr1

No, those are standard brake cables. They have road lever fittings on one end and MTB on the other. Straddle cables are normally heavier gauge wire. Most brake cable kits don't include them. Sunlite Double Barrel Straddle Cable, 330mm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00629ONO2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TfEwybBCMHSVS

Yep, this stuff. That's what I'd do if it were my bike.

Also, you can pickup cable housing for cheap. So slip the black outer cable part off then slide this over the inner cable (assuming you have internally routed cables) and tape it on both sides. So when you go to run the new cable you can just slip it through this guide and not fish it.

You need a little length of 'inner housing' or 'liner' to feed the cable through. Something like this: https://smile.amazon.com/Jagwire-Black-Housing-Liner-Cables/dp/B0029LF1XO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517855526&sr=8-1&keywords=housing+liner

The rubber bit you have is not ideal since it will 'grip' the cable and add friction to the shfiting. You don't want that.

Do NOT change the way your cable is clamped since that will change the actuation of the derailleur which is specific to the angle the cable approaches the derailleur from the frame.

I've used these: http://www.amazon.com/Reverb-Housing-Placer-Hydraulic-Rotating/dp/B00AFPHGNO/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1463751780&sr=8-1&keywords=sram+cable+hook

& honestly, sometimes I just zip tie offenders together.

Both of those are perfect for replacement shifter cables.

Don't forgot shifter end cable. Crimps and shifter housing cable ends. Here's as example both can be found on eBay for very cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/Wheels-Manufacturing-Cable-Crimps-Shifter/dp/B005GXQT06

http://www.jensonusa.com/Jagwire-Cable-Housing-End-Caps

I buy most Everything in bulk a lifetime. Supply costs as Much as one Cable from my Lbs.


Luckily nothing is special with the cable or housing its all standard stuff and works on any bike.

I buy Shimano housing as I like there product better. Jenson USA usually has it for a good price.

If you're looking for smart internal cable routing ideas, check out the frame on the Cannondale Synapse 5. As far as internal routing goes, it's perfect. In addition to great entries/exits, it passes internally underneath the BB (with internal cable guide). Also, you should use cable liner when routing internally.

Nevermind, seems I was mistaken. $28USD for a mechanical brake and shifter cable set on Amazon. It'd be about $45 retail for a hydraulic brake hose and a shift cable set.

Since a bike shop buys this stuff wholesale they can easily afford to charge exactly retail or under for a service like this and still make a fair profit, so OP is either being upcharged in parts too if it's a mechanical brakeset, or were charged a reasonable price for hydraulic.

I got this:

https://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Black-Housing-Liner-Cables/dp/B0029LF1XO

All 30 meters.. More to last a lifetime. I think most of it is going to Blackstone Bikes

> the most ive ever seen charged for a standard shift cable is $3

If the highest price you've ever seen is half of what Amazon charges, consider yourself lucky.

But I agree with your overall point: fixing the cable is no harder than coming up with a scheme to temporarily lock in a different gear.

This is what I use https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E25VD72/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dmr1BbD10REF2