Piano Forum

Topic: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?  (Read 7035 times)

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
on: October 22, 2013, 01:45:44 AM
I know someone here will know. 

I want to repair it myself the next time it breaks.

How do I know which cables to buy?  Or is it just... "You want brake cable?  Ok, here's a brake cable.  You can choose between a brake cable and... a brake cable."

I'm thinking it's that simple.

Match the end/cap part, right?

Teflon coated sounds good. 


I'm in the $5-20 range here.  I saw some that were $50 but that sounds nuts for me.  If they brake each year or two, that's ok.  Unless there's some never-breaking cable that costs $50.  Pay that and never have to replace the cable ever...  That might be worth it. 
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline faulty_damper

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3929
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #1 on: October 22, 2013, 02:20:45 AM
Brake and derailleur cables are different; brake cables are thicker.

There are different brands and not all are the same.  Some are Teflon coated, pre-stretched, higher quality steel, etc.  You can feel the difference between a name brand (Shimano et al) cable and a generic cable.  The name brand will almost certainly feel better, but it costs that much more.

A generic brake cable should cost less than $3 (but retailers usually mark it way up.)  A name brand can be 5 times that price.

Also, don't forget the cable sheath which also has a direct impact of feel.  As usual, name brands feel better though they cost that much more.

Offline indianajo

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1105
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #2 on: October 22, 2013, 04:17:11 AM
I buy the cheap kind of brake cable at K-mart or whatever, but if you need a weird length a real bike shop can cut the cheap kind to length and supply the crimp on end that keeps you from cutting your hand when you touch that area to adjust the caliper.  A crimp tool for electrical terminals works okay for putting the end on.  If you need to cut the wound sheath yourself, a circular hose cutter from Channl-lock seems to work. If you need to cut the cable core, use a high quality diagonal cutter at least 6" long and preferably 8" like my Channl-lock diagonal cutter.  Cooper tools also makes a good cutter, and Diamond tools used to, but I don't know if they are still in business.   
The cheap deraileur cable on my Schwinn lasted 1987?-2013 and about 25 inner tubes and 6 tires, that is a lot of miles.  Finally the end wore a groove in the cap at the deraileur end.  I also wore a groove in the plastic thing on the bottom of the frame and had to grind a new one out of plastic scrap to stop the cable from binding which prevented downshift. I bought the deraileur cable at the clarksville bike shop, cost $10 and took a 3 hour bus ride plus a 2 mile walk to avoid waiting another hour for the bus.  That is ignoring the 1 1/2 hour it took to go to the downtown Louisville bike shop at 9AM that opened at noon on alternate Mondays (it was Monday, I didn't wait to see if it was an on or off week).  
I you don't live near a bike shop, Amazon.com lists some bike parts and they don't require a huge modern computer like E-bay does to view or purchase.  I bought a new derailler tensioner through Amazon because the plastic wheels were worn off mine, and the local bike shop wanted $50.  I think the Amazon vendor one was used.  Works fine.

Offline thalbergmad

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16730
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #3 on: October 22, 2013, 07:20:38 AM
Upgrade to the Dura Ace Di2 and you don't need the derailleur cable.

Thal
Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline hfmadopter

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2272
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #4 on: October 25, 2013, 09:07:41 PM
You can buy a whole cable kit made by Shimano for $24-$45 and refit the whole bike. That includes cable housing and core. But that's an online purchase. The Shimano cables should last for years, many years not just one or two..

Incidentally, sometimes the difference in a bike bought from Walmart and a bike shop, same brand bike, is things like higher grade cables and detrailers, double wall rims etc. And cheap ones on the Walmart bike but the same framework. Cheap cables rust in high rain and humidity climates. That's the highest enemy of them, then they seize and ultimately break.. The second enemy is low grade steel inside the housing, so the cable wears into the housing, same result as the rust situation but poor performance early on as well.

Buy good at least mid grade cables, do yourself that favor and don't go for the cheapo ones unless in a real and temporary pinch. I also suggest replacing the housings, as I believe someone else mentioned too.

Some things on bikes are worth paying a little extra for. For instance, Kevlar core tires if you ride by the local canal here on Cape Cod. Seagulls crush crab shells on the roadway that are razor sharp and cut a tire in an instant. The roadway is dotted with them, it's impossible to avoid them all at certain times of the year. Those tires also have the added benefit of lasting for about 4000 miles. So no flats and no replacement for quite some time but they cost $50 each. It's just nice to get on a bike and go ride it, not worry about things failing. You will make the trip trouble free for months and months, year after year with just a touch of lube and a 1/4 turn twist of the re-railer adjustment once or twice in a climate change each year..

Frames never break, good components cost a little extra.

Just a thought.
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #5 on: October 25, 2013, 10:42:03 PM
True.  I just need to figure out how to buy the cables though in the first place.

I'm guessing I've gotten cheap cables in the past.  Cheap cables, plus the bike shop markup, and then paying them $30/hour to install them.

My derailleur cable will probably break next.  Even if it's a cheap cable, I just want to know how to replace it myself.  Do you typically just replace the cable only or the whole sleeve part too?   Or, I could just replace the cable only and let them do the whole sleeve part when it really needs it....  I think I just want to start with the cable only.

Sticking within one price range, are cables fairly standard?  Same length?  Just cut off what you don't need?   And I would just have to head sure the metal head part is the right shape for whatever I've got now?

Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline faulty_damper

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3929
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #6 on: October 26, 2013, 02:31:34 AM
Just go to your local bike shop.  The mechanics use a large spool of Shimano or Campy brake and derailleur cables and sheaths they use to retrofit the bikes.  The will sell that to you for a lot cheaper than the packaged Shimano or Campy cables.  I'm not too sure about the brake cables, though.

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #7 on: October 26, 2013, 05:04:11 AM
Oi... I really want to avoid them.  They're kind of stuck up.  I know I can do the repair cheaper myself.  I wouldn't mind paying a little more just to avoid dealing with them.
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline hfmadopter

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2272
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #8 on: October 26, 2013, 05:36:47 PM
Oi... I really want to avoid them.  They're kind of stuck up.  I know I can do the repair cheaper myself.  I wouldn't mind paying a little more just to avoid dealing with them.

There is going to be wear inside the casing/sheath/housing or what ever other term they use around the world for it, I would buy both that and the core cable.
Buying bulk is fine, just find another bike shop if you don't like the one you were using. Most good bike shops use at least decent grade cables.

There are at least ( and I use the term "at least" loosely, there could be more than that) a couple of different end styles that fit the different brand handles for the brakes, so you need to match that.

I have a bike I've owned now for four years and I can feel the front cable isn't moving as smoothly as it used to, so I'll be replacing that cable completely over the winter, FWIW ( not just the core).
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.

Offline faulty_damper

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3929
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #9 on: October 26, 2013, 07:58:51 PM
Oi... I really want to avoid them.  They're kind of stuck up.  I know I can do the repair cheaper myself.  I wouldn't mind paying a little more just to avoid dealing with them.

I completely understand.  Some shops just have that arrogance and snobbery, like the only kind of cycling they do is competitive racing.  They're extremely judgmental about equipment and the like.  They also try to rip off customers.  Not all, but some.  I live in a city with a lot of bike shops so I have choices.  It doesn't seem like you do, though. Sorry.

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #10 on: October 27, 2013, 04:03:25 PM
And I'd just like to learn how to do the repair on my own.  I can replace an inner tube or tire. After I know which cable to buy the hard part is probably adjusting it.  That still can't be rocket science either. 

Which cable to buy
how to install just the cable
how to adjust that
later, how to buy and install the cable and cover
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline hfmadopter

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2272
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #11 on: October 27, 2013, 04:08:58 PM


Which cable to buy
how to install just the cable
how to adjust that
later, how to buy and install the cable and cover

Beyond the buying, you can locate YouTube videos on the rest.
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #12 on: October 27, 2013, 04:37:32 PM
Yep.  That's the plan. 
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline oxy60

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1479
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #13 on: October 27, 2013, 04:42:34 PM
And I'd just like to learn how to do the repair on my own.  I can replace an inner tube or tire. After I know which cable to buy the hard part is probably adjusting it.  That still can't be rocket science either. 

Which cable to buy
how to install just the cable
how to adjust that
later, how to buy and install the cable and cover

I learned how do all that when I was 10 or 11. Maybe your best route is to check with a local kid.
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."  John Muir  (We all need to get out more.)

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #14 on: October 27, 2013, 05:55:08 PM
"Pst... Hey.  Hey 10 or 11-year-old kid.  Step over here, into my garage.  I need you to show me something...."

Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline hfmadopter

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2272
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #15 on: October 27, 2013, 07:10:45 PM
"Pst... Hey.  Hey 10 or 11-year-old kid.  Step over here, into my garage.  I need you to show me something...."


Great. Ya that might not go over so well with the neighbors these days. Things were different years ago for the most part. I remember my GoCart conked out at the big parking lot down the street and I was pushing it home on the sidewalk when this guy called me over to see something in his garage. I was maybe 13 at the time but even back then was a bit leery. A friend was with me so we went in. Turns out that under a tarp was an old Indianapolis race car the guy wanted us to see. He had to have been in his 80's, showed no signs of malice.
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #16 on: October 27, 2013, 07:25:34 PM
So for the derailleur, do I just look at the end cap piece inside the handlebar part?  Match that with whatever I purchase?  Is that the only catch to watch out for?  Other than that, it sounds like there are cheap vs. expensive cables.  And I think some of them have a different shape end cap on both ends.  More idiot proof that way.

Pretty much, match the end cap, and you can buy any cable?
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline hfmadopter

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2272
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #17 on: October 27, 2013, 08:06:21 PM
So for the derailleur, do I just look at the end cap piece inside the handlebar part?  Match that with whatever I purchase?  Is that the only catch to watch out for?  Other than that, it sounds like there are cheap vs. expensive cables.  And I think some of them have a different shape end cap on both ends.  More idiot proof that way.

Pretty much, match the end cap, and you can buy any cable?

You could get a Jagwire Cable kit ( middle of the road teflon coated). These come with two different ends already attached, you cut off the end you don't need. The two most common ends for the shifter is Shimano and Sram and there is one of each of these on each cable, so one should fit the shifter you have. You then need the protective sleeve that was mentioned in another post above, to cap the rerailer end of the cable. You just crimp it on over the bare strands that you cut.

If you go to the bike shop with the old cable , they should match it up for you though.

You need a good set of cutters or a carbide cut off wheel in a dremel to cut the casing and really the core cable as well if you go the Jagwire route or other universal cable route( I shouldn't say universal really, my Specialized Crosstrail Bike came with jagwire cables from the factory and Shimano components). The casing has very hard wire wound inside it. They make cutting tools just for this, they are maybe $30 or $40 or so these days.

Edit: Also there are two cable thicknesses.
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.

Offline oxy60

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1479
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #18 on: October 28, 2013, 02:13:23 PM
"Pst... Hey.  Hey 10 or 11-year-old kid.  Step over here, into my garage.  I need you to show me something...."

I was thinking more of you working on your bicycle in your front yard. Someone is bound to stop by and offer advice.
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."  John Muir  (We all need to get out more.)

Offline thalbergmad

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16730
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #19 on: October 28, 2013, 07:27:56 PM
I admire people that can work on their own bikes. Putting air in the tyres is about my limit.

Changing bar tape is perhaps my biggest ever failure.

Thal
Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #20 on: October 28, 2013, 11:23:40 PM
Anger
+ cheapness
+ enough time before the next cable breaks
+ time to experiment and figure it out when the cable does finally breaks

= Bob makes the repair himself and gives the finger to that bike shop.
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #21 on: October 29, 2013, 12:59:12 AM
Knowing how to tighten up spokes would be interesting too.
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline thalbergmad

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16730
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #22 on: October 29, 2013, 07:43:19 AM
Well, I can tighten spokes, but not keeping the wheel true.

Thal
Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline hfmadopter

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2272
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #23 on: October 29, 2013, 08:25:17 AM
I admire people that can work on their own bikes. Putting air in the tyres is about my limit.

Changing bar tape is perhaps my biggest ever failure.

Thal

My Stepson is great with bar tape !! Doesn't help you any, just saying. It's not all that difficult though, you should be able to find a video on youtube for that.
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.

Offline thalbergmad

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16730
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #24 on: October 29, 2013, 07:17:29 PM
No doubt there is some clever arse on you tube that makes it look easy ;D

I usually start to suffer when i get to the brake hoods. Anyway, I am never trying it again.

Thankfully, now that I have a Garmin Sat Nav, I don't have to sod around with stupid speedos that used to drive me insane.

I did once fit a bottle cage. That is my greatest ever achievement.

Thal

Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline timothy42b

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3414
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #25 on: October 29, 2013, 08:29:22 PM
stranded cable is notoriously hard to cut cleanly.

We used a sharp chisel with the cable resting on top of a soft aluminum block. 
Tim

Offline thalbergmad

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16730
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #26 on: October 29, 2013, 08:45:00 PM
I think we should start a kickstarter campaign to get Bob a chisel.

Thal
Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline faulty_damper

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3929
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #27 on: October 29, 2013, 09:39:27 PM
Use a cable cutter for cables.  I have one and it's really easy to cut cables with.  It cost me $15 or so, maybe less.  But when I rode my bike, I always did my own maintenance because I was too poor to pay someone else to do it, and I learned how to fix and maintain bikes in the process.  Being poor has many advantages. ;)

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #28 on: October 29, 2013, 11:55:56 PM
I have a file set which could work like a chisel.  If I have too I could use a had saw on the bike cable.  Not quite a joke there.

How difficult is it to tighten up loose spokes?
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline faulty_damper

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3929
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #29 on: October 30, 2013, 01:35:13 AM
Adjusting spokes is best left to the experienced.  You need to pluck the spokes to hear the pitch.  The pitch needs to be the same for all spokes.  I broke one not knowing that the pitch indicates the tension of the spokes and the pitch was all over the place.

Offline hfmadopter

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2272
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #30 on: October 31, 2013, 09:07:17 AM
I have a file set which could work like a chisel.  If I have too I could use a had saw on the bike cable.  Not quite a joke there.

How difficult is it to tighten up loose spokes?

Watch this video, while there you will see other videos on wheel truing , loose spokes etc.                 :  

You can buy the tool at Amazon.                                                            
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #31 on: October 31, 2013, 11:51:55 AM
Interesting.  So it's not just tightening spokes?  You're actually truing the wheel when you start messing with the spokes?

The video makes it look easy.  I suppose the worst case is that I mess them up and end up taking it to the bike shop anyway for something like that.

How difficult is it to completely replace a spoke if the spoke is broken?
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline timothy42b

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3414
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #33 on: October 31, 2013, 12:11:26 PM
Interesting.  So it's not just tightening spokes?  You're actually truing the wheel when you start messing with the spokes?



Yes.  The spoke tension pulls the rim to one side or the other.  Just tightening them all to the same pitch is easy but that doesn't make the wheel true. 
Tim

Offline hfmadopter

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2272
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #34 on: October 31, 2013, 07:30:08 PM
Is this the tool?
https://www.amazon.com/Avenir-94-27-001-Round-Spoke-Wrench/dp/B00165U0T4/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1383220340&sr=1-3&keywords=wheel+truing+tool


(Nipple wrench?  Haha...)


Or maybe it's this one...
https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Triple-Wrench-Nipple/dp/B000WY8LSM/ref=cm_cr_dp_asin_lnk

The first one would cover more applications I believe. I own a little Proto brand high quality 4" crescent wrench, works great for me but I'm not advocating anyone else does it that way !
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.

Offline faulty_damper

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3929
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #35 on: October 31, 2013, 08:50:36 PM
Yes.  The spoke tension pulls the rim to one side or the other.  Just tightening them all to the same pitch is easy but that doesn't make the wheel true. 

Yeah, once you get them all to the same tension, your wheel can be seriously out of true.  That's what happened to me, so I just loosened and tightened spokes to get the wheel true... then PING! a spoke broke.  Best left to the professionals.

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #36 on: October 31, 2013, 10:49:05 PM
Hm.  Interesting.   If I tightened up the spokes just a little would that put off going to the bike shop a little longer?  Or would that allow the wheels to get a little more messed up and cost more in the long run for more serious repairs? 
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."

Offline leahcim

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1372
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #37 on: October 31, 2013, 11:05:32 PM
Hm.  Interesting.   If I tightened up the spokes just a little would that put off going to the bike shop a little longer?  Or would that allow the wheels to get a little more messed up and cost more in the long run for more serious repairs?  

Probably not a good idea. Absolute worse case I imagine, without wishing to be melodramatic, is that your spokes break and the wheel collapses when you're doing 30mph downhill or something like that.

More likely you'll just find that your wheel wobbles which makes your brakes, if they are rim brakes, bind at some points (or you have to adjust them to leave a big gap to avoid that, meaning your brakes are not as good)

So you've got a wobbly wheel and worse braking.

Truing the wheel is a skilled task. So, at least learn how to do it from someone who knows, don't just mess around with a spoke tool.

Replacing your brake/gear cables fair enough. You'll probably find the ends are pretty much the same on them all. Presumably your bike has shimano yeah? Most of them are.

The only thing you really need is a tool to cut the cable to length and to put the end caps on (i.e the thing that stops the other end of the cable from fraying)

Sheldon Brown is the place to start to adjust the cable (and for everything else) https://sheldonbrown.com/

Similar with the outer cable, its a case of cutting it to the right length.

Although cables don't go wrong that often do they?
They can get dirty or need regreasing rather than replacing if the inner
cable is not moving smoothly inside the outer. i'd probably do that myself.

I adjust / replace my brakes (can be anything from a month, if the weather is poor, to 6 months)
Tighten the chain (every few months)
Clean the chain (after every ride)
Oil the chain (after most rides)

Replace the chain (when the wear tool says to - 6 months to a year, depends how far you cycle and how well you treat it)

Fix punctures (can be every day or you can go for months)

Replace the innertubes and tyres (again depends how much you ride - and how many punctures you got, but generally once a year)

These are the things that tend to be worth doing yourself either because they are easy to do, they happen when you're 30 miles from home, so you need to repair that puncture to get back, , or because they are relatively frequent - more often than yearly.

For everything else I'd probably get the LBS to do it. If I had a nice bike I'd probably throw it in for a service once a year or two. But I generally buy a relatively cheap bike and replace it when the list of faults grows long enough (bar stuff above that's crucial to safety or affects the performance of the bike)

Google / youtube are your friend though. There are quite a few cycling forums with friendly mechanics who will tell you everything. They're always telling me to post here when I ask them how to play the piano on their forum :)

Offline thalbergmad

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16730
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #38 on: October 31, 2013, 11:28:10 PM
Gawd, there is a voice from the distant past.

Nice to hear from you old chap.

Thal
Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline leahcim

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1372
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #39 on: November 01, 2013, 12:19:00 AM
Nice to hear from you old chap.

Thanks and likewise.

Offline hfmadopter

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2272
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #40 on: November 01, 2013, 08:33:00 AM
Thanks and likewise.

Name from the past as is the Sheldon Brown ( great cycling site incidentally) site I might add !!
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.

Offline thalbergmad

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16730
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #41 on: November 01, 2013, 11:45:15 AM


The Thalmobile No.1.

2,000 miles with 19 stone on it and the chap at the bike shop said the wheels were not even a millimetre out.

Thal
Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline hfmadopter

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2272
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #42 on: November 02, 2013, 08:26:37 AM


The Thalmobile No.1.

2,000 miles with 19 stone on it and the chap at the bike shop said the wheels were not even a millimetre out.

Thal

Cool bike !

 I have a three year old Specialized Secteur ( relaxed fit road bike) with 1500 miles that hasn't been touched as well. It's my main ride and everything is true. My Cross trail has less miles on it, it's a year older but it's all true as well ( this is the one I have in the stationary stand presently, trying to get back in shape after my illness back in Aug and Sept).

That's why I don't get this cable situation every year !
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.

Offline leahcim

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1372
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #43 on: November 06, 2013, 10:51:45 AM
The Thalmobile No.1.

That's what I'm after.

Well, what I actually want is a bike that has a decent fit so I'm not crippled after 2+ hours in the saddle. The closest bike shop to me that supposedly does a decent fitting when you buy from them sells Trek. So a Trek it is :)

Got a hybrid at the moment, with nexus 8 hub. I measure how far I've ridden and how fast I'm going in km so it looks bigger :)

Offline thalbergmad

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16730
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #44 on: November 06, 2013, 11:53:28 AM
Almost certainly I will not buy another Trek. They have simply priced themselves out of the market and I only bought mine as they knocked £3500 off the price, as it was the previous years model.

After careful consideration and reading lots of reviews, I reckon I am going to buy a Cube Litening.

Thal
Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline leahcim

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1372
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #45 on: November 06, 2013, 12:23:18 PM
Almost certainly I will not buy another Trek. They have simply priced themselves out of the market and I only bought mine as they knocked £3500 off the price, as it was the previous years model.

After careful consideration and reading lots of reviews, I reckon I am going to buy a Cube Litening.

Thal

I won't be spending thousands of pounds. I'm 71kg so I don't really need to fret about the weight of the bike.

They don't really seem to market or develop technology on bikes using anything other than "weighs less" as an idea. They seem like cars in 1970s to me, nice at first but soon turn into junk. Cars over several decades got better electrics, rust protection, they started on cold mornings and you didn't need to spend time in the garage tinkering every weekend to keep them running. Bikes haven't really progressed. The brakes don't work in the wet, the gears are a constant source of amusement and adjustment.

Alan Sugar had a piece in the Daily Mail about his £7000 bike (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1165492/Sir-Alan-Sugar-reveals-fitness-secrets-helped-lose-stone-.html) and he mentions the gears being clunky and I thought that's about what you'd expect on a £7k bike, just as bad as a £400 one :)

If I knew the size to get and all the saddle height etc to set I'd just get a b'twin 3 for £300 or maybe a 5, but having a bike the wrong size hurts, so I'll pay a bit more to get one that fits well but it'll be trek 1.x.

The only tempting thing is the ratios on the Tiagra 10-speed are better than the lower specced bikes.

Offline thalbergmad

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16730
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #46 on: November 06, 2013, 04:09:07 PM
They don't really seem to market or develop technology on bikes using anything other than "weighs less" as an idea.

Perhaps the only innovation is the electronic gear shifters. I have heard they are excellent, but have not tried it myself yet.

The Tiagra is an excellent group set and works just as well as the absurdly priced Dura Ace and going for the "compact" on the front as opposed to the rather harsh 53x36, is a dream for fatties like me that struggle with the hills.

Thal 
Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline timothy42b

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3414
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #47 on: November 06, 2013, 04:20:08 PM


They don't really seem to market or develop technology on bikes using anything other than "weighs less" as an idea.

For thousands of dollars you can buy a bike that weighs ten pounds less.

Or, perhaps you could lose ten pounds.

Just saying.
Tim

Offline faulty_damper

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3929
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #48 on: November 07, 2013, 02:47:41 AM
You know that there are serious snot cyclists out there who ride $10,000 bikes just so show off how much money they have.  And then they look down at you for riding something that costs $500. ::)

Offline Bob

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16364
Re: How do you buy bike brake and derailleur cable?
Reply #49 on: December 05, 2013, 11:49:41 PM
Haha.  How to buy?  Just go back to the bike shop and ask what they recommend.

My bike sells the cheap stuff.  They just charge more.

I can never find their exact brand though.  I recognized the other brand names the guy mentioned.  I'm looking on Amazon though.   :o  If I can find a place online that has free shipping....

I just need to learn how to replace the cable now.  $5 to replace a cable every year or two sounds better than paying them $30+ to do it. 
Favorite new teacher quote -- "You found the only possible wrong answer."
For more information about this topic, click search below!
 

Logo light pianostreet.com - the website for classical pianists, piano teachers, students and piano music enthusiasts.

Subscribe for unlimited access

Sign up

Follow us

Piano Street Digicert