i went to a LBS to get a gear inner cable, an outer and some ferrels, (i asked for 3 metres of outer, as its always handy)

price £15 please, i put the card in and thought; hold on……. asked for clarification at which point i took the card and gave the stuff back.

so, there you go another LBS ripping people off. this was bog standard stuff.

browising in Wilkinsons later, same gear cables and brake cables; between 97 p and £1.24. buy now!

Sounds about right, stainless gear inner £3, SP41 outer £4 a metre.

Was just about to suggest you go to wilkinsons !

I got a shock when I got some brake and gear cables from the LBS a few weeks back and they were about £6 each.

I’d be interested to see how you get on with the Wilko’s ones though. I imagine they would stretch lots and rust probably.

I bought a box of 50 Jagwire inners on ebay for about £25 about a year ago and a pack of 100 ferrules for about £5 and 15m of outer cable for about £10. That’s me sorted for the next decade.

I’ve been to several LBS in South Manchester and been told “That’ll be expensive!” when I’ve asked for 3m of outer cable. Well it is if you charge £5 a metre for it! From the various reactions they don’t sell very much of it, it just gets added to the bill when asked to “Sort my gears please”. Ken Fosters in Chorlton I even had to explain that I wanted it to run full length cable, then explain why I wanted to do it as whoever was completely baffled by the concept.

(It’s to keep the Peak District out and to stop the cables getting water in and freezing in the winter. Yes, I know there’s a tiny bit more friction, but there’s a lot less after a couple of months when the various bits are full of grit and rust and my full length is still nicely sealed at both ends!)

Yes, I know there’s a tiny bit more friction…

There’s less friction in a single outer. Friction in a separated system comes from the cable ferrules/cable stops, and that’s even before they get a build-up of crud in them.

I’m putting off a build because of the price of cables…

Cool, good point Three Fish, I knew I was doing the right thing.

So why do bikes not come with a single length of cable? I’m struggling to see a disadvantage that isn’t the extra few grams?

It’s because it’s so expensive!

“So why do bikes not come with a single length of cable? I’m struggling to see a disadvantage that isn’t the extra few grams?”

Would look ugly, need more brazings or zip ties all over the bike to hold them in place.

To be honest I found the best solution to be normal lengths of outer with grease nipples half way along the run so you can squirt GT85 etc in and clean them out.

Online prices – £2 for decent gear inner and 3 metres of outer about £2 / metre – so £6 + £4 + maybe 25p each for ferrules = £12-£14

Wilkinsons – did you see if they were stainless decent pre-stretched cables and stainless or decent plastic ferrules and good outer were they – SP41/42?

Not much of a grumble I think 😉

reason 161 why singlespeed is better.

It doesn’t need anymore fixing, you just have outer cable in the bits where normally you’d just have inner. 4 cable ties to the back of my Bullit. Converting doesn’t require cable ties at all though, you just drill out the cable guides and use them as they are. I’ve never had to replace a full-length cable because of water or crud getting in.

Aesthetics could be a down side, but it’s not significant, and i speak as a chap that rates aesthetics.

To be honest I found the best solution to be normal lengths of outer with grease nipples half way along the run so you can squirt GT85 etc in and clean them out.

Is that meant to be ironic?

sorry, i asked for 3 feet…..

i am sure the wilkinsons stuff will be fine, looks like any other!

i could have brought a whole gear changer for £15 and got the wire for free!

Sorry to disagree but outer and cable and ferrules are not made the same – buy cheap buy twice IME 🙂

I bought 30 jagwire cables and ferrules from a guy off here for £20. He’ll no doubt be along shortly.

Sorry to disagree but outer and cable and ferrules are not made the same – buy cheap buy twice IME

If that’s the price compared to what I paid I can pay 4x before I need to worry.

MY LBS just quoted me £27 quid for 3 meters without inners. Yeah but it’s Shimano he said. Looks like I’ll be resuing the ones off the last frame if I can.
However if I can’t these look like good value.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=46053

I buy them when cheap from online places, but buy decent stuff. Fibrax cable inners from CRC were £1.50 I think & get shimano outer from JE James in Sheff (pretty much the only thing I get from there) and it’s about £3 a metre last time I went in.

There’s defo a difference in durability of cheap stuff against say shimano outer & end caps.

“Is that meant to be ironic?”

No its not enlighten me.

Shimano SP41’s £2.25/m at Parker

Yes, I know there’s a tiny bit more friction…

There’s less friction in a single outer. Friction in a separated system comes from the cable ferrules/cable stops, and that’s even before they get a build-up of crud in them.

I disagree but am in no position to prove it. From experience full outer never works as well and when it does start to get dirt in which it will from the rear mech end it’s worse and you don’t want to do anything about it as it cost more and should be better. YVMV

Shimano cable and sealed ferrules and a no brand outer although I’m going to try and source shimano outer in a big roll next time also. All bought in bulk.

Typically getting 400 miles of all weather riding out of them but that’s been due to a few damaged mechs and hangers, shifter changes in the last couple of years. I’d probably get double that with no issues. I tend to put new on every spring once winter has buggered off.

I disagree but am in no position to prove it. From experience full outer never works as well and when it does start to get dirt in which it will from the rear mech end it’s worse and you don’t want to do anything about it as it cost more and should be better.

One word

Blackburncableoilers

Sorted!
😉

Typically getting 400 miles of all weather riding out of them

Christ! Is that all? I’m getting 2-3 years out of my outers, with usually one change of inner cable in that time, so 2-3000 miles

That’s Shimano SP41 bought in bulk (circa £25/10m) and 99p inners from CRC

I use decent stainless inners, SP41/42 and XTR ferrules and rubber covers and replace them about every year – £20 / year is not a lot 🙂

Just buy a set of Gore Ride-On cables. Expensive at £30-ish a pop online. But you’ll never ever worry about cables ever again. They’re still as silky smooth as the day they were fitted, after 18 months of muddy abuse. Its that simple

I use decent stainless inners, SP41/42 and XTR ferrules and rubber covers and replace them about every year – £20 / year is not a lot

I use cheap of chips cables and outers and they last for about 2 years, £5 per year is not a lot.

branded cable kits are hella expensive but my lbs has a huge roll of jagwire outer thats no more than a couple of quid a metre 😕

Typically getting 400 miles of all weather riding out of them

Christ! Is that all? I’m getting 2-3 years out of my outers, with usually one change of inner cable in that time, so 2-3000 miles

That’s Shimano SP41 bought in bulk (circa £25/10m) and 99p inners from CRC

Sigh! You didn’t read the qualifications then regarding broken mechs and shifter changes obviously.

I’d tend to do 12 months on a set of cables and bin them in the spring which is anything from 500-800 miles for me on the geared bike.

Cable oilers – No thanks.

PP don’t you mean MIDDLEburn cable oilers?

Oh and cable oilers are bloody excellent, spray can of your chosen lube and most of the crud gets pushed out by fresh lube. Works a treat.

I just stick XTR cables on, never had a set that didn’t last as long as the bike. Which OK isn’t always very long

binners – Member

Just buy a set of Gore Ride-On cables. Expensive at £30-ish a pop online. But you’ll never ever worry about cables ever again. They’re still as silky smooth as the day they were fitted, after 18 months of muddy abuse. Its that simple

Well said that man. Bit of a faff to do, but with the price of cables you’re talking about, not THAT much more expensive, and keep the crap out for years!

I just picked up 10m of SP41 on eBay for £17:00. Which was nice 🙂
I run full outers on all the bikes in the family nowadays. Cheaper in the long run I think.

foxyrider – Member

I use decent stainless inners, SP41/42 and XTR ferrules and rubber covers and replace them about every year – £20 / year is not a lot

I do the same, always xtr inners as well. Never have a single problem with shifting. Preventative maintenance init!

Yep I did a bulk buy before and as mcmoonter said, it was around 7.50 for ten inners and crimps posted.

Its a pain packaging 200 cables though!

May be able to do it again if there was intrest- i’ve got enough for personal use I reckon!

PP don’t you mean MIDDLEburn cable oilers?

Yeah probably. I thought it sounded odd when I typed it! 🙂

Cable oilers – No thanks.

Why ever not? Give me one good reason why they are a bad idea!
Go on!!
It sounds like you’re being deliberately obtuse about this to me! 😉
One packet of them does 3 bIkes (rear mech only) and if you tuck the oiler out of the way you can’t even see it! I probably squirt mine 3-4 times a year
🙂

got a full set of clarks front and rear cables, outers, ferrules for £8 from evans

I’ve been to several LBS in South Manchester and been told “That’ll be expensive!” when I’ve asked for 3m of outer cable. Well it is if you charge £5 a metre for it! From the various reactions they don’t sell very much of it, it just gets added to the bill when asked to “Sort my gears please”. Ken Fosters in Chorlton I even had to explain that I wanted it to run full length cable, then explain why I wanted to do it as whoever was completely baffled by the concept.

It would have cost you £5.97 down the road in Altrincham at Bikeshak.

I am fed up with cable outers splitting from cheap to XTR so I will only buy the braided stuff from now on..

At my traditional, no bike over £500, “what’s disc brakes?”, non of that fancy nonsense LBS they have gear inner a £2.49 (Clarks I think) and outer by the metre @£2 pm.