Shifter Cables are tight
#1
Broom Wagon Fodder
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,384
Bikes: Fuji Supreme; Kona Wo; Nashbar road frame custom build; Schwinn Varsity; Nishiki International; Schwinn Premis, Falcon Merckx, American Flyer muscle bike, Motobecane Mulekick
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 52 Post(s)
Liked 64 Times
in
30 Posts
Shifter Cables are tight
I'm finally installing the shifter cables for my Varsity but I find that the cables I picked up at the LBS are a little tight when trying to get them into the brazed-on cable router thingies. Clearly the original cables were of smaller diameter than the standard ones sold today. Is there a source for a narrower shifter cable or do I need to enlarge the holes?
Bob
Bob
#2
Full Member
are you using brake cable housing for the shift housing? maybe try SIS shifter cable housing for the shift cables, i found that if you are using brake cable for shift cable sometimes the brake housing is thicker diameter than SIS housing. just a suggestion hope it helps
#3
Senior Member
I have recently done a Continental. The top routers by the head tube might fit, if you use shifter housing. The ones by the BB? FORGET IT! Nothing will fit but the housing Schwinn put there. I have not found a shifter cable housing yet that will fit. You also can't drill them, unless you have a really small right angle
drill.,,,,BD
Maybe they have some really thin shifter housing at your LBS. I can't find it without
ordering, and didn't want to go through the hassle.
drill.,,,,BD
Maybe they have some really thin shifter housing at your LBS. I can't find it without
ordering, and didn't want to go through the hassle.
__________________
So many bikes, so little dime.
So many bikes, so little dime.
#4
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,496
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2401 Post(s)
Liked 4,350 Times
in
2,075 Posts
#5
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,765
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1384 Post(s)
Liked 1,294 Times
in
819 Posts
What is the specific problem? Are the holes too small for the center wires, or will the end of the cable housing not seat properly into the stop? The solution to the latter problem is simple -- just strip back a bit of the rubber/vinyl outer casing. Assuming you are using indeed using shifter center wires instead of the thicker brake center wires, you may be able to open up the hole a bit with an awl.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#6
Broom Wagon Fodder
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,384
Bikes: Fuji Supreme; Kona Wo; Nashbar road frame custom build; Schwinn Varsity; Nishiki International; Schwinn Premis, Falcon Merckx, American Flyer muscle bike, Motobecane Mulekick
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 52 Post(s)
Liked 64 Times
in
30 Posts
I am using brake housing. I had some left over and decided to use that for practice before I hacked apart the shifter cable. I will mic them and see if the shifter cable is smaller. It doesn't have to be much smaller to get through the holes but I can't use cable ends - they'll never get through. If I stripped off the outer plastic it will fit just fine. I think a couple minutes with a small file would enlarge them enough to let the whole cable through and maybe I could even get metal cable ends through as well. I will tonight (and should have last night) posted some pictures.
#8
Senior Member
Even standard shifter cable housing is too small to fit in the guides at the BB on old Schwinn ten speeds from the 60's-70's. Maybe even 50's. The factory stuff is VERY thin OD. That is the problem. The 4mm might fit, no one I tried in Houston had it in stock. I tried compressionless standard, no good,,,,BD
__________________
So many bikes, so little dime.
So many bikes, so little dime.
#9
Broom Wagon Fodder
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,384
Bikes: Fuji Supreme; Kona Wo; Nashbar road frame custom build; Schwinn Varsity; Nishiki International; Schwinn Premis, Falcon Merckx, American Flyer muscle bike, Motobecane Mulekick
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 52 Post(s)
Liked 64 Times
in
30 Posts
Thanks for the idea intron! I found some SIS housing at an LBS that caters to old bikes. It fit perfectly. Actually I used a combination of standard shifter housing and the SIS I'd never have gotten the stuff to work at the BB without something as thin as that SIS. Here's a picture of the final result (in which you can just see the crank adapter that put the Shimano 600 in there) -- more pictures when I finish!
#10
Senior Member
Wow, it does work! Good info for the future. I think I'm done with older Schwinn heavy road bikes, though.,,,,BD
__________________
So many bikes, so little dime.
So many bikes, so little dime.