SoreFeet

So I had some cabling done at my local bike co-op...I didn't really feel like wrenching. They used brake cable housing for my shifting, it's friction....

I guess I am wondering...shouldn't they have used SIS housing with those 9 speed barcons? I think the cable housing basically all needs to be re-done and I'm kind of mad. I would have done it myself had I known they were going to use brake housing.

They also had to use in-line adjusters for the brake levers. This is a drop bar mtb conversion. I feel like I should have just dealt with the hassle myself considering, they also managed to knacker my headset bolt on top...granted it's a 20 year old bike.

I feel like the cable housing is not making my shifts as smooth as they should be. I paid darn near top dollar for labor...but I did get the barcons for only 15$...and Mavic bars for an additional 5...

Seems like I should quit my whining and get wrenching...but damn, buying all new cables again...and housing...

I guess I could theoretically go back...and try to get them to re-cable it...It just doesn't shift as smooth as it should...like the friction action seems rather slow....and I suspect it's all the darn cable housing lengths.

The barcons have proper shift housing, but where it is tied into the frame with the vintage braze ons...the cables to my eyes seem goofy...

I ain't the best wrench around, but I'll be darned, I know how great good cabling is.

So do ya'll think my shifting action would improve if I just bit the bullet...I know the answer...I know...not even a sixer of fizzy beer can numb these sorrows.

Try to do good supporting the non profit bike center for teens...and the guy just did a cheezy job.

On a positive note...Drop Bar MTB is the most comfortable riding bike and I am very happy with that.

nesteel 

I run 5mm housing for both brake and shift housing, even on my commuter with 9speed bar ends. Never a problem.
Before you blame the housing/cable, how smooth is the RD movement?
Before you start dogging the co-op guys, post up some pics.

bargainguy

Two things to ask the co-op: Did they use any shift cable lube, and did they run galvanized or stainless steel shift cables?

I also wonder if the job was given a final check by whoever's in charge. I know at a co-op, sometimes this step gets omitted. I'd ask the two questions above and give them a chance to make it right.

mstateglfr 

Indexed shifting should use compressionless housing. Every time. Just no reason not to. Itll flex less and be lined to allow for accuratr shifting over long periods of time compared to coiled brake housing.


At my local co-op, stainless cables are $1.5 each and i think its $1.5/foot of shift housing.
At a local bike shop, the largest in my area, Shimano brand bulk shift housing is $2/foot...i know because i bought some white housing just today.

Basically, if you dont have bulk housing at home, slick lined housing can be bought for pretty cheap.


Lame that they used coiled housing when they should have a box(or many) of lined compressionless shift housing right on the shelf.

wrk101

Co-ops, in my area at least, rely on volunteer mechanics. I'm one of them. Each volunteer is going to have strengths and weaknesses. I beg off on some of modern stuff like hydraulic disc brakes for example. Meanwhile, I'm kind of the vintage go to person.

On the other hand, we don't do service work for a fee like you described. We will guide the owner in doing service work themselves. We fix the bikes we sell. The sale of parts (cheap) and bikes we have fixed (also cheap) pay for our mission getting kids on bikes.

Since you paid for the work, I would go back.

artclone

Are you certain it's brake housing? Shimano actually sells a cheaper SIS housing that's coiled. I didn't send it back when it came in because I wasn't using it in an indexed capacity.

This is the stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bianchigirll 

The Co Op did the drop bar conversion? So if you weren't riding with bar cons before how do you know your shifting isn't as smooth as it should be?

An inline barrel adjuster on a drop bar MTB sounds reasonable to me, where else would you put it unless you use an old set of DiaCompe levers with the adjuster at the top where the cable comes out.

With friction shifting good quality brake housing should be fine. Put the chain on the smallest cog and try shifting the bike standing still. Do you see alot of cable/housing movement? Does it look like it is compressing? The fancy SIS compressionless housing is used because indexing has very little tolerance. Since you friction shifting it isn't as exacting as indexing so you don't need the housing. I don't think I ever had friction bar ends shift as crisp as DT shifters.

dedhed

That link shows SP41 housing which is Shimano's lined compressionless housing

SoreFeet

The head haunco did the work and I went to school with the guy...so I don't want to complain too much. I think the action of the rear derailleur could be better, but then again it's 19 years old and saw some bumps and dings.

The thing is I think he left the housing too long, his claim was he couldn't get the shift housing to sit right because of the awkward bend...fair enough but the original SIS housing worked for 20 years with the grip shifts.

Like it works, but I think there ought to be a tighter housing in order to facilitate tighter shifts...My downtube shifters in friction are amazing, maybe it is the way the 9 speed shifters are made. They were used...and dinged up.

I'm like 80$ into it...a tube, cables housing, labor, but that also included a set of barcons and a handlebar.

bargainguy

If you don't want to go back to the co-op and you think the housing is cut too long, fairly simple job to shorten it yourself - just need a cable/housing cutter and maybe a new cable end if you can't reuse the one on there.

That will also give you a chance to see if the cables are moving freely within the housing. If they are - and shortening the housing doesn't help - then the problem is most likely with your RD and not the cables/housing. We are assuming that there are no issues with the barcons themselves.

artclone

Yep, and it's coiled. Just making sure OP isn't thinking they used brake cable just because it's coiled. Happened to me . . .

Bianchigirll 

You know.... they had cheap spiral wound shifter cable housing for decades before they had this fancy ultra stiff compression less SIS housing and I don't think people complained about shifting not being 'crisp' enough. Friction shifting is an art like double shifting a tractor trailer and it does take a bit of time to get used to. Do you have friction shifting on any of your bikes?

nesteel 

Post a pic of the cable/housing routing.

fleslider 

I dont see the problem with using the brake housing, Since its not SIS that is what was used for friction before the mid 80's.

I setup my 1981 Trek 614 with Brake housing for the shifters and it works great, just like friction should..albeit different from crisp shifting of SIS.

If the bike was using indexed shifting then, yes they screwed up. but friction they are good in my book.

artclone

I just realized what other posters already caught - - OP seems be be using friction mode to shift 9-speeds. If this is so, brake housings would be fine.

I note that these barcons were installed at the same time as the housings. I know that when I first used barcons it took a few rides to get the feel of shifting. It might just take a while to learn to shift smoothly. Shifting 9-speeds via friction can be tricky too.