Fitting gear cable advice please!
Fitting gear cable advice please!
Author
Discussion

Or888t

Original Poster:

1,686 posts

202 months

Friday 23rd November 2012
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Thinking of fitting the gear cable on my new build, myself, simple Alivio 8 speed step up. Single ring up front.
Not worked on this frame before, as I will be building the bike from the frame up.
What outers should I buy?
Trying to way up if it's worth buying the tools needed or getting a bike shop to do it, as I'll obviously have to cut the outer, and i don't yet have a tool to do so,Is it worth doing it myself?


Rouleur

7,416 posts

218 months

Friday 23rd November 2012
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Shimano outers are fine unless you're spending loads on a bike and want something more 'special'.

A good pair of cable trimmers are well worth buying if you're sure you'll use them plenty of time over the years, but if not them some good pliers with very sharp cutting blades should suffice. Make sure the cuts are good though with no burrs and avoid bending the outer cable as you trim it.

Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

256 months

Friday 23rd November 2012
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Jagwire make decent cables at sensible money.

Agree with the comments about cable cutters. Makes all the difference, and pliers often squeeze the end of the cables which reduces shifting performance markedly.

Jimbo.

4,220 posts

218 months

Sunday 25th November 2012
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Or888t said:
Thinking of fitting the gear cable on my new build, myself, simple Alivio 8 speed step up. Single ring up front.
Not worked on this frame before, as I will be building the bike from the frame up.
What outers should I buy?
Trying to way up if it's worth buying the tools needed or getting a bike shop to do it, as I'll obviously have to cut the outer, and i don't yet have a tool to do so,Is it worth doing it myself?

Shimano cable's fine. Use proper cable cutters: as said, pliers crush and deform the ends. if you've space and your frame can take them, use these end caps wherever possible:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

Quick tip: after cutting the cable, but before fitting the end caps, trickle some waxy/oily chain lube (nothing dry/solvent-based a la Finish Line Dry) down the inside of the outer cable. I did this to my mountain bike three years ago, as well as fitting the sealed end caps. I've not yet needed to change a gear cable, or even tweak the indexing smile

mchammer89

3,127 posts

242 months

Sunday 25th November 2012
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Cable cutters, file, ferrules. Job done.

Worth investing in the tools, about £15 will get you a decent set of cable cutters and a file.