We've fitted brakes and we're just about to fit gears, but if you don't add
the cables that join controls to the actual mechanisms they aren't a fat lot
of good.
What?
Control cables use multi strand steel wire inners - often impreganted
with some kind of lubricant - running inside cable outer.
Brake cable inners have a barrel (for MTB levers) on one end and a pear
shaped nipple (for road levers) on the other. Makes sure you leave the right
one on.
Gear cable inners just have a very small barrel end that fits MTB or road
shifters.
The outers can be recognised by looking at the end section where they've
been cut. To stop them compressing and spoiling shifting, gear cable outers
use a gradual spiral so you can see the end of all the strands in section.
Brake cable outers normally use a more flexible coil wound outer where you
can just see the end of one coil in section.
Which?
Avid Flak Jacket cables £19.99, 031 4402010
Why?
Not just because they match the handlebars, mainly because they are
fairly well weather sealed, which means you don't have to strip and rebuild
them after every winter ride. Gore Tex cables are better sealed but are
harder to fit and less tolerant of tight cable guides and the like, so we'll
see how we get on with these. Shame about those gaudy red liners though,
what with the copper brakes as well, the Scoopmobile is starting to look
like a right dogs dinner.
How?
The cleaner the cable cut the better the cable will sit in position. Always
use the best quality cable cutters you can rather than an old pair of
pliers. Park and Shimano are great, and a good investment in the long run.
Supporting the cable on both sides of the cut also stops it twanging
sideways.
Make sure you cut the right end off the brake cable too. That's leave the
barrel end on and junk the pear end for mountain bikers.
For the cables to run smoothly the outers have got to be the right length.
Big loops can catch branches and stuff, while if the cables are too short to
cope with bars turning right round in a crash etc. they just rip out or
kink. Cables with really sharp turns in them won't run smoothly either.
Always double check outer cable length before you cut and if in doubt err on
the long side.
Once you've cut the cable outers, make sure you open the plastic liner back
up inside, with something pointy like an awl or ball point pen nib. Then you
can slip the cable ends on.
On the top tube stops and other sections where the inner would normally be
exposed, the Flak jackets use end caps with extended liner sleeves that the
extra sheaths (the red bits) slip over to stop dirt getting in. Normal end
caps are used at the shifter ends, while outer that inserts into V brake
noodles never uses cable ends. That's probably not as clear as it should be
but there's instructions on the Avid packet if you get lost.
Now you have to cut the sheaths that fit in between the outers. Again, the
sharper the cut, the better. A dab of grease on either end of the sheath
holds them in place and helps stop water seeping in too.
You are now ready to thread the inner through. To make it easy slide it
through each section at a time rather than trying to push it through the
lot. If it sticks don't force it or you'll fray the innner, just pull it out
and work out what the obstruction is (normally a flattened liner at the end
of the outer).
Different mechs. / brakes have different routing patterns so refer to them
for fitting instructions. Make sure you capture the cable firmly, and use
any tabs or grooves that are there to help you. If you get two guide noodles
(as you do with Avid) choose the one that gives you the smoothest line. Make
sure all the outer is securely seated into the cable guides along it's
length before you tighten things up.
If you're fitting to brakes we find winding the lever adjuster halfway out
and then tightening the cable with the brake blocks pushed against the rim.
Then when you unscrew the lever adjuster your brakes will have enough
clearance to let the wheel spin freely.
Once it's right snip off the inner, leaving about 5cm or so that can be
tucked behind the brake arm out of the way. Don't forget the end nipple to
stop it fraying either.
We'll do gear cable and attatchment when we get to gears next.....
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Discuss this article, 1 of 19 messages, read more:
conrad wing
Posted: 03/12/01 11:18:58 58
Why do people still get fooled by crap over complicated cable systems. I went through a stage several years ago using sealed units (flak jackets, goretex, venhill) fooled by their implied logic, and had nothing but bother. Not exactly great when new, and once the inner sleeve got snagged, usually on the top tube, the shifting was goosed. Out of desperation I went back to standard cables. After fitting XTR cables 2 years ago, the only time I touched them was when I had to change them when I switched from my hardtail to a XTC Team frame, never done anything to them since, not even wiped the cables, and they still work as good as the day I fitted them. For those of you who are thinking this guy obviously doesn't ride in the winter or in my type ...
How?
Make sure you cut the right end off the brake cable too. That's leave the
barrel end on and junk the pear end for mountain bikers.
For the cables to run smoothly the outers have got to be the right length.
Big loops can catch branches and stuff, while if the cables are too short to
cope with bars turning right round in a crash etc. they just rip out or
kink. Cables with really sharp turns in them won't run smoothly either.
Always double check outer cable length before you cut and if in doubt err on
the long side.
On the top tube stops and other sections where the inner would normally be
exposed, the Flak jackets use end caps with extended liner sleeves that the
extra sheaths (the red bits) slip over to stop dirt getting in. Normal end
caps are used at the shifter ends, while outer that inserts into V brake
noodles never uses cable ends. That's probably not as clear as it should be
but there's instructions on the Avid packet if you get lost.
Now you have to cut the sheaths that fit in between the outers. Again, the
sharper the cut, the better. A dab of grease on either end of the sheath
holds them in place and helps stop water seeping in too.
You are now ready to thread the inner through. To make it easy slide it
through each section at a time rather than trying to push it through the
lot. If it sticks don't force it or you'll fray the innner, just pull it out
and work out what the obstruction is (normally a flattened liner at the end
of the outer).
If you're fitting to brakes we find winding the lever adjuster halfway out
and then tightening the cable with the brake blocks pushed against the rim.
Then when you unscrew the lever adjuster your brakes will have enough
clearance to let the wheel spin freely.
Once it's right snip off the inner, leaving about 5cm or so that can be
tucked behind the brake arm out of the way. Don't forget the end nipple to
stop it fraying either.
