nickdu

I'm new to bike mechanics. I'm building up a frameset and need to purchase derailleur cabling and housing for my deore XT derailleurs. So far in searching a couple sites I don't see any shimano XT cabling but I do see XTR. Can I use XTR for my XT components?

By the way, just in case anyone asks, the housing that came with my XT trigger shifters is not long enough for the bike I'm building so I need to buy more.

Thanks,
Nick

tellyho

Cables and housing are pretty much all the same, unless you're stepping up to Nokon or Gore. Get whatever's cheap. The key is lined housing, of the right diameter and shifting-specific (wire strands run longitudinally). Cables should be stainless, but you'd have to work hard to find anything else.

Mr. Underbridge

You don't need group-specific cables, as much as Shimano would like to convince you otherwise. No reason to get it from Shimano at all, really.

Tellyho's right. Unless you're going extra-fancy, a basic stainless cable and lined housing is fine. Couple of dollars for each cable, and about $1/foot for housing is reasonable online. Shop will charge you more.

I'd also heartily recommend getting stainless or plastic *ferrules*, which are the little caps that go over the end of the housing where you put it in the cable stop. I've had a stainless cable seize up because of corrosion at a non-stainless ferrule (dumb move on my part).

tellyho

Forgot to mention the ferrule. Usually if you buy the stuff from your LBS, they'll give you enough ferrules. I prefer the stainless ones to the plastic.

nickdu

By lined I guess that the inside of the housing is lined to provide for less friction?

In terms of diameter, what do you mean? Are there many different diameters or just two, one for derailleurs and one for brakes?

What do you mean by shifting specific?

Thanks,
Nick

Mondoman

There are two: brake housing is thicker to accommodate the thicker brake cable. Shifter/derailleur housing is thinner and "compressionless".