Bicycle Tutor

So i went to go get a cable for gear shifting and the bike shop repair person said they are the same standard size and you cut to fit. Well the cable i got is too short for the back derailer. Are there longer gear shifting cables? Did he give me brake cables instead? Or do i have to stretch the cable or figure out how to use the shorter one?

Your bike shop person is correct. Cables are usually long enough and are cut to length when fitted (or the end coiled up).
If the cable doesn't reach then it could be, as you say a brake cable. Normally though the "nipples" on the end are a different design/size so they don't fit if wrong type.?
I do think though that you can get cables with a nipple on each end. One to suit brakes and the other end to suit derailleurs???

In the USA; brake cables (made in China) have cast on lugs at both ends; one end for levers used on drop bars, the other for levers used on flatter bars.

see pictures in the following links:

http://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-Gear-Cable-W-Housing/dp/B000AO9QB0/
http://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-Brake-Cable-Universal/dp/B000AO7IV0/

Shifter cables are thinner than brake cables, generally around 1.2mm vs 1.5 to 1.8 for brake cables.

For most of my bikes, I purchase the pack of Bell brand cables at wal-mart. It consists of a front derailleur shifter cable (shorter), a rear derailleur shifter cable (longer), a front brake cable (shorter) and a longer rear brake cable. The cable length is more than adequate for most bikes.

I purchase special tandem length shifter and rear brake cables for our tandem at Wheel Away.

I just went through similar trouble for my SRAM Rival shifter/brakes on my road bike. The shifter cable installation was the pits. My candidate replacement cables were as Nigel described - different lugs on both ends. However, due to the small fitting into the side of the lever, which then goes up through the middle and out the top left, the cut cable (used the Park tool) always kept fraying. I tried supergluing upon a clean cut, and even tonight, attempted soldering. Nothing worked.

Bike store had some Jagwire cables with the right lug and a sealed end (maybe electronic cut, or heat cut). They went into my shifters like butter. Amen! Never again with the dual lugs on shifter cables.

Tomorrow night I get to tweak the high/low settings of my derailleurs, and then tape, and then redoing my computer lead/sensor. My living room looks like a bike repair store blew up.

Rama, is a new cable about a foot and a half longer than your old cable? Don't cut it until you have it tightened up and aligned properly. Cut it last, before placing a cap on. My Jagwire cable has about 2 feet coming out the end of the rear derailleur.

Andrew

Rama, is a new cable about a foot and a half longer than your old cable? Don't cut it until you have it tightened up and aligned properly. Cut it last, before placing a cap on. My Jagwire cable has about 2 feet coming out the end of the rear derailleur.

Andrew
[/quote]

It turns out that while measuring wire to wire, the Jagwire cables i got were shorter, but when rewiring the bike, they were more than enough. However, when i bought the Jags they didnt come with wire clamps for the ends. Will electrical tape work instead?

(Jun 9, 2011 06:39 AM)Rama Owhl Wrote:  It turns out that while measuring wire to wire, the Jagwire cables i got were shorter, but when rewiring the bike, they were more than enough. However, when i bought the Jags they didnt come with wire clamps for the ends. Will electrical tape work instead?

Are you referring to crimps?
http://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Cable-End-Crimps-SIlver/dp/B001M9IJ4M/ref=sr_1_1?s=cycling&ie=UTF8&qid=1307631149&sr=1-1

Thier sole purpose is to prevent the cable from fraying. Tape should be okay, a piece of crushed tubing would be better.

Sounds to me like he gave you a front derailleur cable. If you change the cable you may as well change the cable housing at the same time.

Rama, you might have to ask for the wire crimps. While getting my new cables the other night at the LBS, they offered me crimps, although I got a small bag of them online with another order for a couple dollars.