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Old 06-05-17 | 05:51 AM
  #15  
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jonwvara
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Washington County, Vermont, USA

Bikes: 1966 Dawes Double Blue, 1976 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1975 Raleigh Sprite 27, 1980 Univega Viva Sport, 1971 Gitane Tour de France, 1984 Lotus Classique, 1976 Motobecane Grand Record

Originally Posted by francophile
Good time to share a secret Frenchie tip, one of the best I can about retrofriction and the simple "sun" Simplex levers:

Here's the best $10 you ever spend: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L8NDVD6/

I know it's "Schwinn" branded but the shift cables fit perfectly and the cable kit overall is good quality. I bought a bunch of these kits when they were on sale a few years back for $6.99/ea just to use on cheap flips, never thinking to try it anywhere else. I'd been filing heads on a pile of NOS Huret cables for my bikes because I had them and... French on French, man...

Well, I was on a budget-build for a co-worker short on cash a while back('82 P10S I got for $40) and I wasn't about to put $20 in Huret shift cables on his bike, I was already doing him a huge favor with a charity rebuild. Cracked open that Schwinn kit and was absolutely shocked when they slipped right into the sun-branded levers that are too damn tight for most other cables, just like the retrofrictions are.

Kid has since put thousands of miles on the bike I rebuilt for him and they're still shifting as clean the day I put them on and tuned it out. Bonus, you get a full brake housing+cable set with both end types that fit Weinmann/CLB/etc. like a champ.

Useful to know, thanks!
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