Types of cable ends

wishitwasallflat

Hi,

I ordered new gear and brake inners cables - I thought this was smart as I wanted 1.1mm gear inners for SRAM. I have got what look like 1.1mm gear inner cables but the end stops are a little bigger in diameter and a little longer then the previous ones I have used. They were sold as SRAM Shimano compatible so is it ok to use them if they slot into the little holes in the shifter mechanism snugly after the cable has been threaded through even though they are a little bigger in both dimensions - or - should I return them and buy the smaller ones I had before.

Also the brake cables I got have a barrel end - the ones I had before have a pear shaped end - again are the barrel end ones ok to use in SRAM shifters? EDIT - Just found a site that says barrel ends are for MTB and pear for road - does that also explain the differences in the gear cables then? Do SRAM MTB gears use a bigger end stop than road shifters? Would make sense as the site I bought this stuff from was MTB focussed.

I have the idea that Campag use different cable ends from SRAM and Shimano but I've never seen them in the flesh and googleing for images they look the same?

Any advice gratefully recieved - can post pics of the types of cable ends if that would help?

sungod

campag cables are not interchangeable with sram/shimano

afaik mtb/road shifter cables are the same for sram/shimano, but the ends differ on brake cables

some brake cables come with an mtb fitting one end and a road fitting the other, you just chop off the end that isn't needed

if you've got mtb-only brake cables, do attempt to use them, get road ones

wishitwasallflat

Thanks sungod - the brake cables I got are single ended so will send them back - advice much appreciated as always

Monty Dog

FWIW You can use Campagnolo cables on Shimano/SRAM - gear nipple and cable diameter is slightly smaller but shouldn't be a problem. Doesn't work the other way though.

smidsy

wishitwasallflat wrote:

Thanks sungod - the brake cables I got are single ended so will send them back - advice much appreciated as always

Single ended cables is correct for a road bike (well strictly they have 2 ends but only one has any kind of ferrul/fitting).

The open/unfinished end goes into the caliper and then you crimp on an end nipple once you have cut the cable to length (stops the cable fraying/unravelling).

Or have I mis interpreted your situation?

wishitwasallflat

Thanks to all - the brake cables are defo single ended for MTB - that's my own dumb fault for not realising so they are going back.

The gear cables are intriguing though - they are both slick stainless (1.1mm) sold as SRAM Shimano compatible. They have a small cyclinder on one end as a stop exactly the same shape as every gear cable I have ever seen. The only thing is the cyclinder is a slightly bigger diameter and slightly longer than the cables I had in before. Its maybe one or two mm bigger diameter and the same length wise. I haven't checked (as if I fitted them I can't return for refund) but I now wonder (thanks MD) if I had Campag ones fitted before and these actually are correct for SRAM Shim?

Monty Dog wrote:

FWIW You can use Campagnolo cables on Shimano/SRAM - gear nipple and cable diameter is slightly smaller but shouldn't be a problem. Doesn't work the other way though.

That explanation would make sense - all websites I could find say gear cables are uniform. As Campag ones are slight smaller though - but work in SRAM and Shim - then maybe the lbs I got the ones currently fitted from sold Campag as a universal fit?

I am so intrigued by this now I am tempted to try to fit them just to see as I cannot find anywhere to suggest that gear cables are different in any way other than MDs post. It would cost me the price of the cables though if they don't fit - mmm.... but I would probably always wonder ...

This sort of thing bugs me - if I posted a photo of the two ends maybe would anyone be able to solve this conundrum for me?