What do LBS's use?

Monkeyman01

I was just wondering what gear cables bike shops use.

It never occurred to me that people might state what kind of cables they want when having a service, and I can't say that I've ever heard anyone specifically ask for stainless steel cables etc.

Do LBS's just put galvanised cables on unless otherwise stated? Or do they decide which cable depending on the bike, and then charge appropriately?

Just something that had me thinking, that's all.

The Northern Monkey

If you cant change a gear cable yourself, I dont think its something you should worry about tbh.

cooldad

Never thought about it as I do it myself, but I guess it depends on the shop. Cheapest possible for most I would think.

Monkeyman01

I do change my own cables, so it really doesn't apply to me either. It's just that I ordered some cables the other day and the price between galvanised and stainless is so different that I wondered what bike shops use that's all.
That sequence of uninteresting events led me to asking on here.

Monkeyman01

The Northern Monkey wrote:

If you cant change a gear cable yourself, I dont think its something you should worry about tbh.

I would have thought that this would be more of a worry to someone who didn't change their own cables anyway, cos (if the lbs used the cheaper cables) it would mean that they'd have to pay to have it done more often, and would be paying out for cables that give them less superior shifting.

Northern_Monkey13

I Work part time now in a bike shop and we only use stainless as the boss says we're giving the customer a better product plus means less issues with braking and shifting later on meaning happier customer

njee20

We use Shimano or Bontrager.

paul.skibum

Both places I have wokred we just had a big ass bow of generic cables - never actually noticed whether they were stainless or not and wouldnt know if mine were either. Never noticed having a rusted cable end though. Is this actually, you know, like, a thing?

nicklouse

Shimano. Jagwire, or whatever the supplier has.

Note not all systems use the same width cables so there is some requirements to be considered.

The Rookie

Galvanised cables don't go rusty, they go white as the zinc oxidises.....keep galvanised lubricated and they last a fair time, I had some cheap Wilko ones on my commuter and the cables looked better after two years of salt than the brake callipers!