Lovegasoline

I'm going to replace the front/rear shifter cables and brake cables on a mid 1980's Motobecane (Huret derailleur/Weinman center pull brakes). The bikes in pretty good condition but it's just a NYC beater.

I suppose it's not 100% necessary to replace the cables, but I wanted to freshen up the bike. I also have some ghost shifting on the rear derailleur I'd like to remedy, hopefully at my local bike coop here in NYC.

I've delayed doing his for quite some time as although I've got a good mechanical aptitude, I'm not well versed on bike cabling systems and what's compatible. I'm also on a dirtbag budget which is why I want to do it myself and wouldn't dream of paying to have it done ... thrift rules here. So I rode to the local bike shop and asked for compatible cable and housings. I was a little distracted and wasn't fully focused on the sale. I walked out with 4 cables and housing .... $48.00.

I gulped when it was rung up. I have no idea what the standard price is, but does this seem steep?
I also notice I was charged for 8' of housing and was only given 7'. I looked up the housing online (I was sold Jagwire CGX-SL) and I see comments not to use it for shifters, but only for brakes. This is worrisome, as I already have an issue of the chain jumping gears and I wonder if cable tension can play a role in this sort of issue.

The cable I have no clue what sort it is but the receipt says 1) Bontrager Brake Road, 2) Cable Generic 5279.

Anyway, should new cables/housings for a street beater cost almost $50?

I feel like returning it and starting over.

DrIsotope

There's a seller on eBay that sells the Jagwire as non-boxed "shop kits," the set for brakes/shifters with cables, wire, and all ferrules is like $25. Only drawback, only black or white. For other colors, the Jagwire Road Pro is about $35.

Now as you said it's a beater, you can do a whole lot cheaper. The Jagwire "Basics" brake/shift wires are like $2 each, and most bike shops will cut you lengths of basic housing for like $1 a foot. Online, $10 will get you 25ft of housing.

I know everything is supposed to be expensive in NYC, but you paid what I would reckon to be... a lot.

rms13

I've got full jagwire basics kit for about $10 on ebay with no packaging. Jagwire Pro factory boxed kit runs around $35. I just paid $39 for a Campagnolo cable kit which I find excessive but there are no other alternatives for that. $50 for shop bulk cables seems like a rip off

dabac

The parts are priced according to what THEY are, NOT according to what bike they go on to. Finding even more expensive stuff would not be a problem.
But yeah, it seems like the shop sold you some stuff poorly matched to your needs.
The shifter vs brake cable depends on whether you're using indexed shifters or not.
Non-indexed AKA friction shifters can use brake housing w/o problems.

Lovegasoline

Thanks for the replies. It seemed a pretty steep expense for parts commensurate with the quality/value of the bike.

I'm completely ignorant regarding cable compatibility with derailleurs, do I need to look for anything specific to match a cable to my Huret Duo? Usually I research extensively before making a move so I actually understand what my options are and learn something (and mostly buy online), but this time I made a rare exception and just trusted the discretion of a sight unseen salesman ... not something I ever really do in NYC and obviously a mistake (never again!). Gah.

Lovegasoline

Any one know if the pre-packaged kits are targeted to modern aero levers and may not have enough cable length to fit the arabesque doodles of 1980's vintage bike's controls?

Facanh

Yep, 50 was too much for that, but in my opinion more expensive cable housings are worth it. The Jagwire teflon stuff is good. It totally transforms the shifting of a bike.
I installed it on a few bikes and the shifting always gets faster, and easier. Much easier to pull the brake levers too.

cs1

$39 for a genuine Campy cable set is a deal.

cny-bikeman

If it's too much return it find another shop or source. Brake cable sets are available at Walmart. You are paying for the shop's overhead and what they pay for the item in the first place plus profit, and at least some of the latter the shop needs to justify its existence to the owner. As a past bike shop service manager and owner of a mobile repair business I can tell you that some online prices are comparable to wholesale prices that a shop pays. National retailers can order in the 100's or 1000's items that a small shop orders a dozen at a time.

rms13

Definitely the best price available. My point is you have to use Campy cables for Campy brifters so no options for cheaper stuff. I think Jagwire Pro is better than the equivalent Shimano and generally less expensive

Lovegasoline

Can anyone reply to cable compatibility with derailleurs: are shifter cables universal or do I need to specifically look for a cable that will work with my 1980's Huret?

Thanks for all the confirmation of the weird feeling in my gut from suspicions of paying way too much in a causal purchase.

Retro Grouch 

Mid 80's Huret equipped bike.

Don't worry about it. That's not an indexing system so you can use brake cable housing for your derailleurs. My bet is that the chain skipping problem that you indicated is probably due to a worn chain or worn cogs or both.

Lovegasoline

Thanks.

Re chain skipping: the cogs actually look (and look) OK upon casual inspection no hooked or worn teeth. Also I purchased a new chain not too long after I acquired the bike, but the chain skipping problem never went away. A friend of mine's brother bought the bike to ride cross country one-way in the 1980s and thereafter it pretty much lived in my friends garage so it was in really nice shape and even had a sprung Brooks Saddle. When I mentioned I was shopping for a bike he told the story of his brothers bike trip and then surprised me by offering to me as a gift.

RubeRad

$50 is a lot for cables/housing, especially when you're "on a dirtbag budget". I would try to return it to the shop, explaining 'I didn't realize how much it would cost, and it's way outside my budget'. They should take the cables back at least, but if the housing was cut into small lengths to match your previous housing, they may not take it back. An 8ft length (according to the receipt anyways...) maybe they will accept a return. (The fact that they shorted you a foot should inspire willingness to cooperate)

If they don't, then I guess you'll just have to chalk it up to 'live and learn' (and you will be less likely to shop at brick&mortar stores in the future, one incremental decrease in local retail overall...). I would hope that a local shop that cares about customer good will would accept a return and be able to sell you a lower-cost option from their stock. (If the cheapest cable/housing set they can sell you is $50, you need to find a shop that doesn't only cater to racing weight-weenies)

Before replacing everything, you might check how much shifting improvement you get by just dropping some thin oil (chain lube) into the housings and working it in by pulling the cable back and forth. (Pull the housing out of one cable stop to get some slack).

Or, consider replacing just the cables into the existing housing.

If the housings are original from the 80s though it is probably a good idea to change it out, but use advice above to source cheaper materials.

cny-bikeman

One can rarely tell cog wear gby inspection unless it is very badly worn.

oldbobcat

$50 for a full cable transplant is certainly reasonable. The shop doesn't care if it's a beater. They just want to be paid for the time and materials they put into it.

If this seems wrong, consider some alternatives. Do it yourself. Find a friend who can do it. Find a bicycle repair co-op in your community. Live with the problem. Buy a new bike.

RubeRad

OP was trying to do it himself, the $50 was just for the cables & housing. The shop should 'care' if it's a beater and not sell him super-deluxe housing.

mcours2006

You don't want to use brake housing for shifting cable as they will not fit into either into the derailleur slot nor the shifter slot, and also they have tendency to compress over time which affects your shifting.

You also can't use shifter housing for brake cable as they are different diameters and will not fit either.

As far as $50 for those, yeah, it's a bit steep. I normally order from the UK. A set of either brake or shifter cable+housing is abotu $4 CAD. I usually order a whole bunch.

dabac

Shifter cables are not quite universal.
First there are Campy shifters that needs Campy cables - with a slightly smaller "button" at the end.
Most shifter cable "buttons" will be like a small cylinder threaded lengthwise over the cable, but occasionally I've seen it in the opposite alignment.
Then there are the cable sheaths/covers/outers etcetc.
These are available in two primary kinds, brake housing and shifter housing.
For a friction shifting system, you can use either. Which isn't a guarantee that you can use any housing that comes your way. They are available in different diameters, and not all will fit all bikes.
But you don't need to look for something that's specifically Huret compatible.
And again, I don't think you payed too much as such.
Small shops do tend to run expensive on small items. The overcharge wasn't horrible as such. The big discrepancy is the cost of the parts vs the value of the bike and your intentions.