the gear cable outer on one of my bikes split recently so therefore needs replacing…which has left me facing a dilema…
do i stick with the “big S” or should i try an alternative. i have always liked using shimano but i am considering going for a Jagwire set as i have used them in the past, but that was more than 6 years ago, and i wasn’t that impressed with the performance.
my question is how good are they now in terms of performance and price compared to shimano?
one of my other bikes uses Nokon gear cables and outers, but although they perform well, i dont think they perform as well as shimano especially when you take the cost into consideration, as well as the time it takes faffing about trying to set them up…
meybe i’ve just answered my own question…or am looking for some way of justifying more pimping of my bike but i would like the opinion of others on their experiences of using non shimano gear cables…

gonzy,

Just get a 10m roll of SP41 outer (£25ish, Parker?), a pack of 4x sealed ferrules with the rubber boots (£5 CRC/Wiggle) and Shimano stainless XT or XTR inner cables.
Fit, set up correctly and ride.
Job good for a couple of years.
10m coil ready for the next bike, and the one after.

I like sealed cable runs to keep things clean and smooth. I’ve used Flak Jackets – bit of a faff to set up – and Gore Ride-On which were straightforward to set up and slick – but expensive.

This time round I’m going to try the Transfil Flying Snake cables since they’re cheaper £22 from CRC. But I hear they don’t seal the ends well so maybe I’ll put on some of those Shimano tongue and shield kits to seal the ends.

see this thread

thanks for the advice everyone.
i suppose i wont by pimping the bike with pancy pants gear cables then!!