Does cable housing affect shifting?
Housing lengths This one often goes by unnoticed, but how long the cable housing is can greatly affect your shift quality and consistency. Too long, and you’ll be adding unnecessary friction to your shifting and risking a snag with someone or something else.
Are all MTB shifter cables the same?
No, all shifter cables are not the same. If after inspecting your shifter cables, you discover they are frayed, bent, or rusted and need to be changed, you can’t just buy any shifter cable you see out there. Different bikes have different shifters, which determines the type of shifter cables to be used on them.
Can I reuse cable housing bike?
Yes, you can reuse bike cable housing. While changing your bike cables, whether shifter or brake, if you inspect the cable housings and discover they are still in good condition, there’s no reason why you can’t reuse them.
What is the difference between brake and shifter cable housing?
Brake housing consists of an inner liner, spirally wound stainless steel wire, and an outer plastic sheath. This design makes for good, consistent braking performance. Shift housing, similar to brake housing, uses steel surrounding an inner liner, and then coated in plastic to impede moisture infiltration.
Should I change cable housing?
Housing most commonly needs replacement when the lubrication in the liner has washed or otherwise worn away, or if contaminants have worked their way inside. Either of these is difficult to see, but will affect the movement of the cable within the housing.
Can I use brake housing for shifter cables?
It’s really not recommended. Brake cable housings have a coiled metal spiral embedded in them, while compressionless shift cables have a series of tiny round wires running parallel along the length of housing. If you were to use brake cable housings on shift cables the result can be very poor shifting.