Extra Long Brake cable
 

Hey Guys. I am in the middle of a project and am in need of a brake cable longer than anything I've been able to find thus far. I need something on the order of 10 feet long, cable and cover. I asked a friend more knowledgeable than I regarding this and he replied "The longest brake cable that I can think of would be one used for a tandem bike which is 2540mm or 8 feet and 4 inches". Does anyone know of a source or custom mfr. where I could turn to for help and purchase? Thanks......Mark.

use some s&s brake splitters to join two brake cables together.

Check with custom tandem builders, some make quads or larger, comotion uses cable splitters.

Tie two cables together and solder. Get some BMX narps and raw cable (from Small Parts Inc) and make your own. Andy.

Jagwire (aka QBP) sells brake cables suitable for triples which is 3500mm (11 ½ feet) long. Available through any bike shop that deals with QBP and various online places:
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...&category=3974

If you're looking for a custom cable manufacturer, search the motorcycle world. Long ago, I had a one-into-two cable made by Flanders Company: http://www.flandersco.com/Products.html . That's when I was in Pasadena, working not far from their location.

Thanks for the help thus far guys. Jeff, I had already found the cables you mentioned, my question on those is since they are the inner wire only where do I find the cover /sleeves to put them inside? Thanks again........Mark.

The housing is available in bulk lengths at any bike shop.

You can easily buy either brake or shift housing in 25' or even longer bulk packages. Here is one source for a 25' pack: http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ucts_id=402748

They also offer the same jagwire housing in 50M (164') lengths and in several colors.

Lawnmower shop? Some of those use real long cables. Also some motorcycle shops can make custom length cables.
We had someone in last week looking for a super long cable for a truck lift gate. Wasn't you was it? :)

I want to see this project. :)

Well Crud......Got the 3500mm (1.5mm) cable in, it's not long enough.

What I Have; cable is 141 1/2" Long or 3594mm
housing is 130" Long or 3302mm

What I Need: cable to be 165" Long or 4191mm
housing to be 154" long or 3911mm

Going to hit the local trek Store next week, in case I end up with no luck any other ideas?

For those wondering what this is for, it is a safety release cable for a car lift I recessed into the floor, the cables / hydraulic lines are ran under the garage floor in PVC lines:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=304847

Cables used with garage doors are much longer than even what I use on my recumbent tandem. Could you use something a bit thicker than bike cables?

Have you tried Home Depot, Lowe's, etc? They sell thin cable in bulk. Not sure if any would be thin enough for you uses but worth a look and cable ends can be fabricated and soldered on. Also try this motorcycle supply http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/...FYx_QgodDRkA_g

My local "Performance Bicycle" store recommended a local motorcycle specialty shop and to custom order the cable. Gonna try them this week.

Gonna try to stick with something as close to original cable size (similar to mountain bike cables) as possible.

That was a total bust, gonna try the Trek store tomorrow. The shop mechanic sounded very optimistic over the phone.

It would be good to know where you are. On the other hand, Universal Cycles (link above) is a very good online shop.

Thanks Jeff. I am in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.

I did indeed check out the unversal cable site you posted above, the longest cable I could find there was 3500mm which I had already ordered and found to be too short. The cable itself has been the hard part to find (at least 165" or 4191mm long), the housing and tips seem readily available.

I would never trust that on my brakes. It wouldn't hold up.

Hit ebay or amazon and get a couple of Jagwire tandem cables and a few of those joiners/splitters. Easy and not even spendee to pull off.

Speaking of which, if you are running a really long brake cable (such as for a quad) consider using a stick of stainless steel rod (about 1.0 to 1.5mm diameter) from the area just behind the headtube to the area just before the rear-most seat tube. That would have far less stretch than a classic cable even if its good top brand. The cable joiners can lock onto the rod at each end to attach the small bit of regular cable you would need there. Put some of those rubber donut silencer on it which ever method you choose. If you need to run housing all the way back... you may be facing friction issues high enough to warrant not doing that. You could also confer with one of the main companies who sell quads and see what they use...and probably sell spares for theirs bikes.

Talked to the guy at the Trek store, he suggested something I had not thought of...Home Depot. Went to the store just down the street and wala...1/16" cable was there, best part was 26 cents a foot.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-...3#.UUoq7Fcl_W8

Going to stop back at the Trek store tomorrow for the cover and ends which they sell. Any suggestions for a light covering of lube to use on the cable when I put it inside the cover?

I'll go ahead and respond so this could be used as a reference in case someone else wants to fabricate their own longer cable. I will list the steps I took:

-Buy 1/16 cable from Lowes or Home Depot, both sell it.

-Cut an existing cable end (Road or Mountain Style) that's in good useable condition off of cable.

-Drill out the center of the cable end to create the hole needed for new cable and eliminate the existing cable / wire from it.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=306284

-Push the new cable through the hole (you need a clean cut, easily achieved with a dremel), splay / fray the end of of the cable after through and clean it off with MEK or another type of solvent cleaner. Thoroughly dry the end of the cable with a clean towel, you don't want any solvent left on it.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=306285

-Take measurements of the cable end to refer to when you "reshape" it after soldering. Push frayed end of cable into flux working it into the cable and down into the hole. Be liberal with it.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=306286

-Use a soldering pot or make your own (I used a 1/2" copper cap) heat it up with a torch, put 60-40 (solid, you cannot use acid or rosin core) solder into pot, wait for it to melt and flow. Carefully dip cable end on molten solder and hold it there for 20 to 30 seconds>

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=306287

-A video I watched to use as a guide to making the solder pot:


-Remove cable from solder pot and let everything cool down for 10 to 15 minutes.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=306288

-use a grinding wheel / file / dremel to reshape the end referring to prior measurements taken. I pulled on this as hard as I could, I'm convinced it's every bit as if not stronger than a factory applied end.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=306289

-Go to you local bike shop and purchase the cable covering (by the foot) and end caps / ferrules.

Thanks again for the help guys......Mark.