All I wanted was a black PTFE coated gear cable:

Shop 1: sucks air through teeth tells me they are really hard to get and advises me that the coating actually increases friction in their experience.

Shop 2: Tells me they only come in silver, then tells me only Sram make them in black. I point out the last ones I brought were Clarks cables he then rudely tells me “we don’t stock Clarks” and “there is no call for PTFE coated cables so why would they stock them”.

I get that shops cannot stock everything but don’t make me feel like I am silly for asking.

Rant over

I get that you’d want PTFE coated cables, but why black?

I think you are being over sensitive.

It is IME a rare product.

Why would you feel the need to support your local bike shop…they are not a charity. If they cannot survive they will disappear like the Dinosaurs.

Funny, last time I popped into LBS for a cable they offered me the coated cable off-the-bat.

As the OP says, you don’t expect them to stock everything but they can choose how to deal with that.

I bet they’re reeling at the loss of a cable sale!

Cynic-al +1. I’ve never heard of anyone specifying the colour of their cable inners! Coated… Fine. Black only… Bit weird.

I get it, it’s the little attention to detail things that can make you happy. I would say though that ime shop 1 is right, the coating comes off and can clog up the inners.

A lot of people reckon that ptfe cables gum up the outers over time, supposedly the coating comes off. Never had that myself but not convinced they’re any better than cheap stainless in decent outer.

Yes, I’ve never found the coated ones to be any better, and it can flake off.

That’s what you get for your philanthropy.

If they cannot survive they will disappear like the Dinosaurs.

What? & Evolve into birds, can’t see that happening myself.

tells me they are really hard to get and advises me that the coating actually increases friction in their experience.

As an LBS mechanic, I’d agree.
I use plain stainless steel in Shimano SP41 outer. There’s nothing any better.

“we don’t stock Clarks”

You should be glad of that, they obviously know a half decent cable….

and “there is no call for PTFE coated cables so why would they stock them”.

I’ve never been asked for one either, and we don’t stock them.

I know to mock is to STW, but OP’s got a point – before CRC and the like bike shops stocked all manner of odd little bits and bobs in many various flavours.

Now there’s no market for it, people buy online – if I went to my LBS for a cable, it would be pointless looking on the shelves for one, I’d have to ask at the service desk, and accept the ones they use on customer bikes – they might have a fancy set of XTR cables laying about, but mostly you’re going to be have one out of the massive box of cables on their desk.

I don’t think they stock many bigger parts either, sure if you go in with a knackered crank or snapped brake lever they’ll fix it, but they’ll order the parts in as/when they need them – there’s not point have 20 sets of XT brakes on the shelf, if someone wants to buy a set to take home to fit, they’ll buy them online cheaper than they can sell them for.

Plenty of LBSs (mine included) use decent cables, just in workshop packaging not retail packaging. As they probably use 100 times as many in the workshop that makes sense though.

You’re right they’re not on the shelf, but I’m not convinced they ever were!

In proper bike shops, they’re never on the shelf because there’s no shelf. You approach the counter where a man in an apron is wiping his hands with an oily rag, explain your requirements, and he finds the part you need* from one of the boxes behind him or under the counter.

At least that’s what it’s like in my shop 😉

*Note, the part you need might or might not be the part you asked for.

lol

In proper bike shops, they’re never on the shelf because there’s no shelf. You approach the counter where a man in an apron is wiping his hands with an oily rag, explain your requirements, and he finds the part you need* from one of the boxes behind him or under the counter.

That was me 35 yrs ago, absolutely nothing out front, the local toe rags would just nick everything. we must have had 100+ boxes with stuff in them. It probably took newbies a year or two to learn where everything was.

I do not understand how a non stick compound can become sticky and clog up cables. That means that spraying WD40 or GT85 on them is also a bad idea?

I want a black one because I like black ones I think they look better than silver I would of said this if either of them had not BSd me.
My point is handle the request better don’t make me feel silly, then I would come in again and buy more stuff.

@the-muffin-man: I to doubt they are reeling at the loss of a cable sale but why do you think they sell cheap spares like cables in the first place?

I dont think Shimano do black PTFE coated cables. XTR were the last ones I found in black. The current PTFE coated ones are clear.

Is PTFE vegan? That’s the real issue!1

In proper bike shops, they’re never on the shelf because there’s no shelf. You approach the counter where a man in an apron is wiping his hands with an oily rag, explain your requirements, and he finds the part you need* from one of the boxes behind him or under the counter.

Brings to mind Bucks in Ipswich bitd. Maybe two bikes on display in the windows and a shop wide, glass fronted counter two pace into the building. A proper bike shop.

Got told by my LBS that they no longer did gear cable off the reel and would only sell me an Dura Ace cable set for £25. Also wouldn’t lend me a spoke wrench for 5 mins so I could fit the spokes I’d just bought as my front wheel was dangerous. Ended up walking home. I don’t go in there so much now.

I’ve had a response similar to that from an electrical supplier making me feel very small. I left immediately and have never bought anything from them again.
The customer is always right (except when they’re wrong) but its not good business to ridicule people over something so trivial.

I do not understand how a non stick compound can become sticky and clog up cables. That means that spraying WD40 or GT85 on them is also a bad idea?

When the non stick stuff deteriorates, it sticks.

Still not getting why you are specifying a colour on an item you can’t see once fitted…

My local LBS didn’t stock the white outer cable I was after, but did phone another local bike shop to see if they did. The other shop did and sold it by the foot.

I’ve never heard of anyone specifying the colour of their cable inners!

I guess if you are OCD and have non-full outer cable runs?

Brings to mind Bucks in Ipswich bitd. Maybe two bikes on display in the windows and a shop wide, glass fronted counter two pace into the building. A proper bike shop.

Seconded! a trip to see Graham as a kid with my folks was like going to the sweet shop. A proper treat and proper shop.

I tried to order a new frame from my lbs. The importers, who they have an account with, said no, because they’re not a dealer.
I understand that they’d rather I used one of there local dealers, but, I have either none, or bad experiences with those shops.
So I might as well order online and save a hundred quid.
You try to help a good local shop, but some people make it hard work.

That means that spraying WD40 or GT85 on them is also a bad idea?

Yes. Because neither of those products are the correct lube to use on cables. Used as a cleaner? Maybe. Lubrication? No.

HTH?

I want a black one because I like black ones

Didn’t Shimano go from PTFE to polymer ‘cos it was betterer?

I use plain stainless steel in Shimano SP41 outer. There’s nothing any better.

How do you know there is nothing any better? Or do you just always fit this combination because you have always fitted this combination?

He works in a bike shop….it must be true.

Yes, lbs workers opinions on these matters aren’t relevant 🙄

CR still sell XTR gear cable sets but are not as good as the earlier ones, although the cables are black coated. They originals were better than anything , even with water proof boots on the cable ends. Stainless cables don’t rust, but they are quite soft compared to coated steel cables and can kink easier.

Didn’t Shimano go from PTFE to polymer ‘cos it was betterer?

PFTE is a polymer

It’s only ours that are irrelevant Al….and we work in lbs’s too.

How do you know there is nothing any better? Or do you just always fit this combination because you have always fitted this combination?

OK, I’ll expand on that.
I’ve tried lots, (but not all, granted) and lots of different cables – From cheap right through to the £42 Jagwire Pro* kit I’ve got on my current commuter bike.
Outers – I’ve used Shimano of varying qualities, Jagwire of varying qualities, SRAM, Bontrager, Clarks….
Inners – Bontrager, Jagwire (Coated, uncoated) Clarks (Stainless and Galvanised) Shimano (Coated, uncoated) and SRAM
*I bought the Jagwire kit for the compassionless brake cables on my CdF (It made no difference to the Shimano SLR it replaced) I did some faffing and swapping with bikes and needed new gear cables on it when I rebuilt it, so I fitted the gear cables too as that was all the inners I had at the time, and they look posh, so why not?
The shipping is NOT as good as the SP41 it replaced on a direct comparison with only the cables changed. I won’t waste money on Jagwire kits again.

Inners: I don’t think it makes a huge difference TBH. The better ones last longer IME but any good quality SS inner is fine. That said, you have to watch the LENGTH they come in! Bontrager for instance are a bit shorter and might not be long enough for bar end shifters or odd cable routing like, say, a TT bike.
The best inners are the ones Shimano supply with their mid range shifters IME, but the difference is negligible so I just fit any good SS inner on my own bikes.
Outers? I put my money where my mouth is! Under my workbench right now, worth £200 at RRP….

[url=https://flic.kr/p/zx2oMj]Untitled[/url] by Peter Atkin, on Flickr

Is that a good enough answer? 🙂

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/1702310/products/transfil-black-snake-gear-cable-set.aspx?origin=pla&kwd=&currency=GBP&gclid=CLGwxYiRxcgCFQ2NGwodehUKsQ

Transfil Black Snake cable sets are still available from various outlets………
Good cableset in my experience (and black)