Hi all,

I dug into the archives and didn't turn up anything on this: from time to time I hear a sharp clicking, and I am positive it emanates from the rear brake cable ferrule - the first ferrule, closest to the bars, before the cable travels across the top tube towards the seatpost. I can easily reproduce this clicking by steering side to side while the bike is up on a stand. When I place my fingers on the ferrule, the noise vanishes.

I've tried squirting triflow into/around the ferrule, but this hasn't helped. Should I pull everything off and grease the exterior of the ferrule and the area where it meets the frame? Or is this a sign of a larger problem?

Thanks in advance!

http://toshikomi.com/ferrule.jpg

Is the clicking caused by the ferrule striking the frame? If so, I wonder if putting a cable "doughnut" or two on there might solve your problem.
http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/medium/YB-CBL.gif

I don't think he's referring to the cable 'pinging' the top tube. If that's the case those donuts definitely help.

Try securing the cable housing against the top tube just ahead of the cable stop with a zip tie and go ride and see if it helps before exploring further...

how about a donut between the ferrule end and the inside of the cable stop to snug it up a tad?

Thanks for the feedback guys. The Fixer's right, it's not an issue of the cable pinging against the top tube (I've got donuts up there anyhow). And, the ferrule is not contacting the frame in any way that I can discern.

After looking at it more closely, it appears that the cable is actually rubbing up against the housing when it is moved from side to side (i.e. during a turn). It almost feels like there is a frayed end in the housing that it catches on, then jumps off. I can feel it when I grasp the cable between my fingers and move it back and forth at the housing exit. That may be the root of it all.

While googling about this, I found a tidbit from jimlangley.net:

Cable housing sections can click as you turn the handlebars to steer.
Solution: Lubricate the point where the housing ends enter the frame stops. Often, the end of the cable housing has a metal or plastic cap (called a "ferrule"). This can move when you turn the bars and make clicking noises. The end of the housing can also move inside the ferrule and make noise. Usually, applying a few drops of medium-weight oil to the ferrule, the housing and the frame stop will stop the clicking.

(http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html)

I'm going to try this when I get home this evening. But I have a feeling the housing might need to be replaced or at least smoothed out inside, since I assume there should be no rough edges. I imagine that when the bike was assembled the housing wasn't cut smoothly (or it wore away and frayed during usage).

You'll end up with mushy brakes...:)

The easiest thing to do is just replace the housing and cable.

Before you look any further, try a rubber band.

I suspect that either the brake cable housing or a shifter housing (but most likely is the brake) rattles against the headtube. You might even have a bit of scratched paint to "prove" it. On one bike, I tied a rubber band around the brake cable housing in the vicinity of the head tube. Vibrations stopped.

Yeah, that occurred to me in the shower later that evening. :o

From that photo, it doesn't look like the ferrule is seated all the way into the cable stop. You can see the cable coming off the stop at a slight angle. Try to seat the ferrule all the way and if it wont go, try another one or work on it with some emery paper until it slides in.