Better to run full length outers or sealed like clarks? Also what do people do to stop crap getting in at the mech which seems to be the area that is the least protected? I’ve tried all sorts over the years but there’s always room to learn.

SS

My favourite cables are the Gore ones, rear round pretty much maintenance free. Never got on with full length outers, always felt like it introduced too much friction into the system. No doubt the friction issue would be dependent upon the cable routing so it may well work well for others.

XTR are the best in my experience.

I use XTR cables in Shimano SP41 outers full length. Seems fine.

Have tried loads, IME, XTR are the best ‘normal’ ones but the Gore sealed ones are head and shoulders above anything else – closest thing to maintenance free and very nice long term crisp shifting. Steep initial outlay and little bit more fiddly to fit, but once on, last for donkeys. Got one set that are still going strong after 3 years of regular Peak District use.

gore ones here.

As already said: Gore Ride-on sealed. They’re not cheap, but they literally fit’em and forget’em’.

You’ll go through a few sets of Shimano’s before a set of these give up. Mine have done a year through all kinds of crap and haven’t been touched once. They still shift as slickly as when they’d just been fitted

shimano sp41 outers, but not full length. xtr inners, middleburn cable oilers in every section. a squirt of gt85 into the oilers after every ride keeps them smooth for a long long time

middleburn cable oilers in every section. a squirt of gt85 into the oilers after every ride keeps them smooth for a long long time

My bike would feel as pampered as a Hollywood starlet if it gets that kind of wanton indulgence once a year. I much prefer the ‘spend a lot on cables, then I never have to do any maintenance’ approach 🙂

XTRs doing the job very well for me.

when ppl say maintainance free, what do you mean? I dont perform any on my xtr/sp41 and never really had any problems……….got told years ago not to spray anything (gt85) into the outers as it forces out the grease already in there

Another vote for Gore sealed.
Two years and counting, still shifts as quick as day one.
Noticed they do white ones as well now, are they a bit wrong?

Another with full length SP41 outers and XTR inners here.

Smooth and pretty much maintenance free.

A split decision. Couldn’t have been anything else really!

How do the gore ones stop crap getting in at the mech I assume they have some kind of boot?

I’ve been running Transfil ‘Flying Snakes’ on both my bikes for a couple of years and haven’t had any problems at all.

http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/16/kg24/transfil-flying-snake-gear-cable-set.html

+1 for Gore

Has anyone used Gore and then decided against using them on the next bike (I’ve never had any need replacing!)

Out of interest, how many XTR users have tried Gore and gone back to XTR?