Bicycle Mechanics - older cable housing

Hey guys,

I am trying to replace the rear derailleur cable housing (the piece which connects to the derailleur) on an early 80's steel frame. I have noticed that normal derailleur cable housing is too thick for the cable guide on the chainstay.

I happen to have some of the original cable housing and it is thinner and totally different. It kind of looks like a steel spring through which the cable goes. Does anyone know a way around this problem? Can I buy this older housing somewhere still?

Thanks in advance

Manimal,

Having just replaced cable housings on my bike, I know that (modern) Shimano brake and cable housings are different in construction and diameter. The gear cable housing is narrower and the wires from which it is constructed run along its length, rather than in a tight spiral as the brake cable housing. This means that it is far less likely to kink and ensures that it does not compress/expand, which is important for precision in indexed gears.
Anyhow, see if you can get a short length of this cable housing to compare/try. Failing that would it be possible to fit what you have by stripping a some of the plastic covering away to reduce the diameter where it fits into the cble stop on the chainstay?

Good luck,

Ed

There are also housing ends that are stepped to allow fitup to the older housing stops. Any shop should have them(They come with the 25' rolls of shift housing and rarely get used) and they would probably give you a couple.

Hello Manimal,

This is my very first post here! I replaced (well, everything, actually) the housing on my '82 LeTour frame a few months ago, and found out at the bike shop that it used 4mm housing, and that the standard is 5mm now, but they were able to order some for me. Is yours a road frame?

Good luck.

Thanks for the reponses, esp. rev chuch. My local bike store had these cable stop things.. free to boot!