JeffOYB

Has anyone ever butted together two sections of cable housing to have them function as one length of housing? If you do that do the two pieces of cable housing just slop against each other and have no efficiency or does it work? It's for a rear brake and I don't need it to be like a professional brake just to work pretty good. So is it a semi-tolerable clue or is it a non-functional Flex point? Maybe it has to do with how perfect I get the two pieces to butt... or maybe coiled steel cable has to be one piece with Integrity in order to function

maddog34

In an emergency? try it, but i'd splint and tape the junction.. and, since i have small engine Fuel Line around, i'd use it as the "splint". Or shrink tubing, double layered...

not an emergency? Get some more housing and do it right.

KCT1986

Should be doable if the location is relatively close to straight.

This is how it is done for a joint of compressionless brake cable housing to somewhat more flexible piece, for routing to road brake levers with under-bartape routing. The joint would be along the top of the handlebar under the tape. Called 'EZ bend' segment.

SpedFast

Or just put an inline cable adjuster where you need it.

dsbrantjr

I have made double-ended brass ferrules by filing the plating off of the ends of two ferrules and soldering them back to back with the holes aligned.

2_i 

Jagwire markets double-ended ferrules, including in 5mm size.

HillRider

Double ended ferrules are commercially available. Jagwire and Shimano both make them and Jenson and Velo Orange, among many other, sell them on-line. KCT1986 shows how they are used to connect two types of brake housing and I've done exactly that to fit mechanical disc brakes to my Surly Midnight Special.

veganbikes

I would just get the correct length of housing and new housing is going to improve things anyway. The only time I would put two pieces of housing together is an an absolute emergency and I cannot think of one of those as I have never seen anything on my bikes to cause that or get close and I rarely see housing that would need to be doubled like that. If I were in that situation I would use a double ended ferrule. Brakes are really never something I want to play around with on efficiency and efficacy I want something that works as well as it can by using good quality cables and housing of the proper length and lacking compression and really high quality pads and shoes.

smd4

Why? Why do you need to do this?

smd4

"This is how it is done?" Ugh. No, that's not how it is done.

Compressionelss brake housing will easily curve around the bars under the tape. No need for this silly hack. Completely defeats the purpose of compressionless brake cable housing.

smd4

Well said.

It's funny (if not sad) that you even need to put this in writing.

grumpus

If you grind the ends so they butt together flat then it shouldn't make much difference as long as it's lying straight e.g. clipped/taped to the top tube or seat stay (grind all the ends while you're at it if they're not already flat). Any tendency for the join to flex will make the brake feel spongy. But really, just get the right length of housing.

cyccommute 

Without something to brace the connection…ferrule, inline adjuster, tape (in a pinch and only for long enough to get you to a store to buy the proper cable housing), etc…the junction will just flex and make for very poor braking.

veganbikes

Yeah but common sense is unfortunately not common.

People get so in the weeds of cheapness it gets crazy. I am all for saving some money once and a while on more expensive components but on replacement items like that there is no point.

RCMoeur 

This might offend the purists, but I ran into this situation several years ago. I simply used a pair of standard ferrules back to back and a piece of shrink tube to keep them inline. I subsequently learned that unless there is a tight curvature in the area, the shrink tube isn't needed and the compression force of the housing compensating for the brake spring tension or shifter tension will maintain alignment.

I then ended up using this idea to allow for a "drain gap" on a bicycle where I was running a front shift cable on a bicycle with no provisions for such a cable (no stops or ability to bolt on a guide). I ran the housing from the shifter under the BB to the front derailleur, but interrupted the housing at the lowest point with a 2-ferrule gap but with the ferrules side-drilled for drainage. Seems to be keeping any moisture from accumulating in the low spot of the housing (which has been a problem on bikes with long housing runs or ones that form a moisture trap).

bwilli88 

I have used the Jagwire double ended one for an easy handle bar setup to swap between drop bars and riser bars on my PureFix Cleveland.
I split the housing at the bar tape on the drops and setup the riser bars with enough housing to work.

HillRider

Perhaps, but for use with Spyre disc brakes, Tektro recommends using a few inches of standard spiral wound brake housing to go from the brake lever around the first 90º bend in the bars and connecting it to the remaining run of compressionless housing using double end ferrules. I followed their recommendation and it certainly doesn't compromise the brake's performance.

tFUnK

If you must, I suggest using an inline adjuster or the double ended ferrule posted above. I've done the two individual ferrules butted together without any brace and IIRC the cable eventually broke at that point.

canalligators

Adding a bit of spiral housing could make some brakes easier to modulate. He might not have enough casing on a classic bike, where you want to use original casing. He might need to get it working after the shop has closed, and doesn’t have spare casing on hand. Someone might be inexperienced and not realize that isn’t a preferred way to do it.

Give him some slack.

RCMoeur 

Just not in the cable.

smd4

Why do we need to guess?? I asked him why back on post 9. Still waiting for a response.

Mad Honk 

I may be nuts but why not just take the top of a v brake noodle and use it for the connector? Smiles, MH

canalligators

The two ends have different inside diameters, so it won’t work.

Mad Honk 

Yeah I suspect that is the right answer, but the cable minus the brass tip will fit inside the smaller end. Our co-op here sells the housing at $.50 per foot so I think it is easier to just replace the entire housing, but it likely isn't an option for the OP. Smiles, MH

squirtdad

this is how it comes with Jagwire factory kits, just put one in so the hack if from Jagwire