Originally Posted by canklecat

Reminds me, I've been intending to do that next time I replace the cables. I do use those cable liners on my Univega, which has a convoluted brazed on metal guides to direct the brake cables around the seat cluster toward the rear cantilever brake. But I want to put 'em in the guides for the Ironman and Trekenstein too. Trek's original stamped sheet metal cable guides don't reliably hold the cables and I've frayed cables a couple of times before noticing when shifting became balky.

I remember trying to find those cable liners a couplafew years ago online and had no idea what they were called. So I went to the LBS, and within 10 seconds of trying to describe them the shop manager fished one out of a drawer and gave it to me. They've done a lot of stuff like that -- just giving away doodads, or charging little or nothing for quick minor adjustments or repairs.

Which is one of many reasons I try to buy replaceable stuff like tubes, lubes, etc., from that LBS whenever possible. I visited a couple of times during the pandemic shutdown (semi-shutdown for some "essential" businesses, which limited customers to only 2 or 3 at a time, and I always wore a mask) just to buy a few doodads that I didn't really need.