[FishMan473]

I am looking for both shifter and brake cables for my wife and for myself. She is going to want something that is durable and trouble free. I'm thinking we might want to get fully sealed housing for her so that when she makes a mess of her bike and she doesn't clean/fix it up afterwards it will keep on ticking.

I myself am looking for new cables would be as light as possible, I am leaning towards a sealed system, but I am also willing to do some maintenance for a super-light set up that is durable in use.

There are a LOT of options out there for high-end cables. Its hard to tell from reviews and product descriptions which are sealed, which are compressionless or which offer other features. What are the best choices for each of us?

 

[reptilezs]

i just run full length cheap derailleur housing(jagwire or sram bulk box stuff) and i like jagwire ripcord for brakes

 

[006_007]

Another vote for Jagwire bulk housing. I change my cables 1/year anyway, and I really did not notice a diff going from Avid flak jackets, or Nokon to the cheap bulk stuff (oh wait, I did have more money leftover for beer!)

I ride in all sorts of weather conditions in Vancouver BC

 

[Pisgah]

If money is not an issue. Get a Gore-Tex shifting system installed by a professional. For brakes, I would recommend a good hydraulic brake-set - take your pick.

 

[Berkeley Mike]

I keep them fresh.

Once they get dirty they are all crummy. I rinse housings with alcohol, blast them with air. Or I'll change the housings. I will run cables through 000 steel wool, wipe them clean and give them a bit of grease. I'll change them out completely 2-3 times per year. I use Jagwire and $3 cables.

 

[COLINx86]

Alligator I-links. mini i-links if you can find some.

 

[GiantMartin]

I use Shimano XTR shifting cables. No issues, great shifting. Minimal stretch. I also run a full XTR drivetrain.

 

[grandsalmon]

+1 on the Gore
Been using it since '97 on my bikes -even when Gore left the American market. I had enough because...
I use it for the rear only where the difference really comes into play. (The front derail doesn't need the accuracy; it is indexing on a larger scale, etc.)
Gore gives you equal length cables/housing so you can do the rear twice, or put the other on xtra bike.
I was going on six plus years with the same Gore on my Heckler until it finally broke at derail cinch bolt. I took a half inch out of my rear loop, and it is back in business.
The price is the same for the xtra-long sets- such for tandems, so you might as well buy that for the extra housing in case you drink and cut concurrently.

What ever happened to Drycables.com? They used a full length liner too at 29.95 a set.
(yea, I'll dip into the intertubes to find out. Infringement w Gore? The Teflon isn't completely necessary.)

 

[FishMan473]

I've been thinking about it, and I think the biggest problems are:

1) dirt/mud getting into the housing and gumming things up
2) The steel wires in the housing rusting (and non-stainless cables too)
3) Cable housing or ferrules cracking

So sealing the cables in and going with cables and housing reinforcements that are either stainless steel or non-metal (kevlar, etc). Rusting housing wires has been an issue when I tried XTR cables, even had to replace my housing on my road bike recently due to rust. Not sure what to do about the cable cracking except to hope that if you pay more you'll get better materials.

Which particular model of Jagwire housing are you guys using, there are several? Does the Jagwire bulk housing come with ferrules and those straw-like sections to seal exposed section of cable? Does anyone know if the reinforcement inside the housing is stainless (ie will not rust)? We have a lot of bulk cable, so this sounds like an appealing option. Do the kevlar reinforced shifter housing ONLY have kevlar or is it kevlar AND steel wires?

Does anyone know if the PitStop/SRAM/Avid Flack Jacket system is pretty-much the same thing as the Jagwire?

Is the cable in the Gore system some sort of "space age polymer" or is it just a coated? steel cable?

Has anyone used the Nokon cable system? Has anyone used the Power Cordz cables?

 

[LuizSalles]

i use nokon with power cables, no problem, use nokon for 2 years and power cordz about two months....

mini - links is a good idea..... more light than nokons

the new shimano xtr (white) is a good choice too

 

[FishMan473]

Luiz, do you have to use Nokon brake housing for the power cordz cables? I have heard they are pretty thick.

Can anyone answer my questions about the construction of these various cable housing brands?

 

[LuizSalles]

Luiz, do you have to use Nokon brake housing for the power cordz cables? I have heard they are pretty thick.

Can anyone answer my questions about the construction of these various cable housing brands?

I use the OEM shifter/derailleur house, didnt use the brake housing model, and use the correct power cordz for MTB, the white model 1.2mm, this is the "new" model, the other one is 1.5mm and you can´t use...