prs1

Got most of my bike complete just having a bit of trouble with cables. I've been trying to find a good video but haven't had much luck. Most of them are replacing old cables so a lot of guys are just like oh copy like it was before. I'm building from scratch though. I figured which is the brake cable and where to thread it through my tiagra shifter. I have 6 things of housing, the brake cables were already wrapped in the housing that has a metal end cap so I'm assuming the third small piece with a metal end cap is the last piece of housing for the brake lines. The other three housing pieces have plastic end caps on both sides. Should the metal ends go into the frame/shifters or into the brakes? does it even matter? For my shifter cables I haven't found the metal things that connect to the frame in any of my bags (sry don't know road bike parts names well). Should I make sure to go buy them?

Also looking through videos I'm confused as to which brake I should put to each lever. I've learned that apparently its better to brake with the front brake so I guess on road bikes they usually have the front brake on the right lever?

Biggest trouble I'm trying to figure out is which side to which derailer and how I should have the chain set before I connect the cables / what gear the shifters should be in. How do I even set it into gear without the shifters connected? It came with the crank and back wheel all setup with the chain already on.

Anyways rest has gone pretty good so far. Surprisingly I had to cut my fork, I might go back to later and make sure the end is nice and even. Also might try to make the star nut a little straight, its straight but not perfect. Hoping those 2 things are going to cause problems.

Andrew R Stewart 

Wow! So let's start in the beginning. Brake housing has a single strand of tightly spiraled material (steel usually). Modern indexed gear housing has a number of strands spiraling "slowly" around. Brake cable will have metal housing caps or none ONLY (as in no plastic). Gear housing end caps (ferules actually) might be metal (brass, Al, steel) or plastic. Gear cable ferules might have a snout, brake won't.

Brake housing doesn't require a ferule but often does use one. Common exceptions are Shimano STI levers and caliper adjusting barrels, other exceptions do exist and are figured out on a case by case basis. If a ferule fits I would use one.

Gear housing always has a ferule.

Set up your brake lever and caliper choice (right rear or right front) as you see fit. HOWEVER strongly suggest that you remain consistent with all your bikes. Also if you use front on right lever (as I do) make sure that you say this to any one who rides your bike as well to any shop you have work on the bike.

Friction shifters don't care or know which der they control. Indexed levers do and are designed with the indexed "clicks" for only the front or the rear. If you don't know which lever is which and can't count the "clicks" or otherwise figure it out then pay some one who can.

One can move the ders with fingers while pedaling (in the correct direction) and cause the chain to shift across the cogs/rings. Usually one lets the der's return springs shift the chain onto the cogs/rings which are the default combo for when the cables are strung. The vast majority of ders these days has the smallest diameter cog/ring as this starting point.

I hope the fork's steering tube cut was done with regard to it's material and the precautions of carbon fiber steerers if needed. Not sure what you mean by "wingnut". Andy.

prs1

Woops meant star nut, fixed. Thanks for the tips. The steering tube is aluminum, if it was carbon I probably wouldn't have tried. The cut is pretty even, I could prolly file the cut down a little bit better to make it near perfect. The blades are carbon so should I be careful with how tight I tighten the fork? I haven't gone beyond safely holding things together tight on anything yet. The blades are the only carbon parts I have though.

Seems I have the cables correct then. The brake ones have metal ferules, the shifter ones have plastic ones. My groupset is tiagra, I'm assuming the front derailer shifter will have less clicks than the one meant for the rear if they are different? Edit: ya one of them has a lot fewer clicks.

This is the piece I can't find. Should I have them? This is the bike I bought online. That models a year older but the pics of 13' year also has them.

Andrew R Stewart 

Don't worry about the fork blades WRT how tight the headset is. It's only the bearings that will suffer, unless the fork was really poorly designed and built... As to the down tube cable stops/adjusters- they are usually the same threading as rear der cable adjusters. So that is a possible source for you. Also many shops have handfuls of the conversion DT stops (which fit over lever bosses), another possible source.

Given your questions you might want a shop to give your bike a look over after you are done assembling it. Even though you bought it from an online dealer they should still be able to help you with it's fine tuning and future needs. Andy.

dsbrantjr

I think that you need to be really clear on which housing is for the brake and which for the shifters. Using shifter housing on a brake cable is inviting a sudden, complete brake failure.

This article may help clarify the differences and also guide you in correct preparation and installation. Poor cable housing prep and installation is a common cause of nagging shifting problems.

Cables

Retro Grouch 

Is that a picture of your actual bike? If so, I'd have to dig through my small parts bins to see if I have what you need. My bet is you could probably salvage some from a couple of scrap rear derailleurs. If you're replacing down tube shifters, I have the cable stops that you probably need. PM me and I'll mail you a pair.

rmfnla

Excellent suggestion!

prs1

The picture is of the 2012 model, mine is the 2013. It still uses the same piece though but its either black aluminum or plastic. I have no idea if the piece is important or what it's called. Called the LBS that I like earlier today to try and describe it to him to see if they had it. I also asked them how much it would be to just do the cables for me. He kind of confused me cause they said if I ordered that piece from them they'd install it free. Was trying to tell him that my cables aren't even done yet I need them done. He said its $15 for derailer adjustments and I guess was implying it would be that much to set them up. Anyways will find out when I get there. If it's not too much I'll just have them do it and hopefully my grip tape too. Just didn't want to spend the $150 other shops wanted to put the bike together, on top of waiting a week so I went at it myself. Plus I wanted to learn anyways (I have plenty of experience with BMX bikes, so its mostly just this last part thats hard for me) so I wouldn't have to rely on an LBS when something goes wrong.

So ya bringing it there and hopefully getting them to do it. Maybe they'll let me watch and hoping that I can also use their star nut tool to see if mine is placed well / straight. At the very least they should be able to make sure I'm using the right housing if I decide to go and do it myself.

Also going to go to my parents garage this weekend to use some electric saws/grinders to make sure the fork cut is clean and straight. They have a friend whos a long time biker that has built plenty of bikes that's going to check out my bike for me.

Thanks for the help. Should've put that this is my first road bike and build. Not too worried about making mistakes that hurt my wallet. Just mostly worried about mistakes that will put my face on the pavement.

prs1

Finished, first road bike and built all of it except BB. Had lbs check out my fork cut and star nut and they said it was good. I used the store bench to do the cables and they helped me out a bit. Should've went on a weekday and I probably would have been able to get it done sooner. Good to see an LBS busy though.

All in all I only ended up spending $5 on a new shifter cable putting the whole bike together. Cut the front derailer cable a bit too early and I was unable to pull it tight after it stretched. Ended up fraying it trying to use pliers to pull it tight.