Brake cable replacement: Nipple types?
 

Hello, hello. Recently purchased a bike and am making some adjustments, including raising the handlebars a good amount. Unfortunately, the brake (and derailleur) cables aren't long enough to accomodate where I'd like to have the bars.

I'm looking for help determining what type of brake cable ends will work with my brake levers. Current cable ends have a barrel shaped nipple. Does this mean that I should be looking for cables specifically referred to as "mountain" or "universal" or not "road?"

I'm hoping to purchase a single kit for the job, but most of what I've seen online does not specifically state or show the type of brake cable end.

The shifter is a Shimano Nexus 3 IGH, and I'm assuming that standard derailleur cable and housing will work fine, but please let me know if you think otherwise.

Might something like this work:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categori...-diy-kit-black

Other suggestions?

Thanks very much!

It's best to disregard names like mtn or road, though universal is OK and look for confirmation that you're buying a barrel ended wire. As a rule, mtn levers take barrel ends, road levers take the stepped road end some referred as egg, but you never know.

When buying kits with housing and hardware you generally need to buy mtb or road, but inner wires are often double ended, aka universal.

BTW- if your bars are very high compares to typical, you might consider buying 2 inner wires and a roll of housing vs. a kit. That's because kits can sometimes come up short for tall frames.

You need cables with the same end fittings you have now and if they are barrels (MTB type), that's what you have to buy.

Here is one kit example:
http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Stainl...B+Brake+cables

And here is an enlarged view of the brake cable itself:
http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Stainl...B+Brake+cables

The cable kit you linked to is for road brake levers and won't work.

here:http://www.bikeman.com/images/storie...able_heads.jpg

A: regular brake
B:Campy brake
C:Mountain brake
D:regular shifter
E:Campy shifter

This explains it better than I can.There is Campy.....and everybody else.Derailler cables are the same for road and mountain.....Brake cables are different for road and mountain.

Thanks!

just so you know, there are some brake cables sold that have both types of ends, one at each end of the cable, so you just cut off the end you dont need.

Just don't look at the cable and say "I need that type end"... and cut it off. Done that too many times.

Tks, I.could see myself doing that.
Handy cables though, if like at our house, there are diff types of bikes.

IME all levers for drop bars take road cables, and all the rest take MTB cables. There may be exceptions, but since I've never seen any, I'd say it's a pretty solid rule of thumb.

Yes, drop bar vs upright bar makes a clearer way to differentiate cable ends. There are a few rare exceptions, but it's unlikely folks will encounter them.

OTOH, I still prefer to refer to the ends themselves,ie. barrel or egg (we used to call them Weinmann and Phillips, then both companies started making levers with the other head muddying the waters).

Unfortunately those who sell kits usually label them road or mtn, rather than bar or specific head type.