Preventing cable fray

Sanyi

I'm fairly new to bike building and wondered if there was a technique or tip on how to prevent cable fray when re threading a cable through the housing. It appears as though new cables are sealed at the ends to prevent this but a school boy error meant I had to change my cable around after discovering my brakes were set the wrong way.

How on earth do you stop fray from back tracking the cable or do I need a new cable each time I make a change? Thanks for your help.

john ponting

If you have access to a small soldering iron, you could tin the end of the cable.

buddha

Though soldering can be difficult, especially if you have lubed your cables, or they are pre-lubed/ teflon coated.

In which case a blob of superglue, smeared for about 1cm along the cable end, should do the trick.

alfablue

you can sometimes get away with rotating the cut cable in the direction it is wound when inserting it in the outer

Monty Dog

It sometimes help to wrap the cable with tape before cutting - it helps to prevent splaying and the inclination for it to unravel. You can sometimes twists the strands of cable back into place provided they haven't got bent. Dipping the end of the cable into flux helps with 'tinning' with a soldering iron.

Steve Austin

superglue works fine for me.
rub the excess off on paper before it sets or you won't be able to thread it through as you'll have a big blob of glue to push through

john ponting

superglue - what a good tip, I hadn't considered that. I still use it to "fix" small slits in tyres just as I did with tubs many years ago.

aphex2k

It would have been easier to release the calipers, and undo the brakes at the lever, no?

whyamihere

aphex2k wrote:

It would have been easier to release the calipers, and undo the brakes at the lever, no?

You're obviously not familiar with road bike brakes. You can't do that on STI/Ergo levers.

buddha

I have also just been informed (by a girlie) that a 'strong' nail varnish also works, if you don't have any superglue. Which means colour coordination is a possibility
Just for the record, I have never done this and do not possess any. I also do not shave my legs LOL

Sanyi

I think I will try the superglue option as I don't have a soldering iron or perhaps the wrap in tape before cutting one. I've tried twisting the cable in the direction of the cable wrap but doesn't alway work. Thank for the replies.. Onwards.

ghostynlr

No harm to you, but the cable cutters you're using must not be very good if they fray your cable. Buy a decent set of Park cable cutters, they sell for about 35/40notes i believe, that stop you having to use daft ideas like nail varnish and tape. :roll: