Brass cable ends on vintage bikes
08-29-21 | 01:16 PM
#1
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 425
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From: Portland
Brass cable ends on vintage bikes
I bought a 1983/4 Trek 850 sometime last year and I noticed that it had brass cable end on it. I thought they were a nice touch.
I am dialing in my 1991 Trek 990 and decided to go with the brass cable ends. When I replaced my chrome cable ends that I installed less than a year ago with the brass ones, I noticed some of the chrome ones deformed under the pressure of the cables when at angles. The brass ones are not only slightly longer, but feel more substantial and fit the cable stops on the bike better.
I needed only a few more to finish the bike and ended up buying a bottle of them as no place has them in stock.
Were the brass ends ever stock on bikes and if so is there a reason for them or are they just an aesthetically pleasing small touch?
I am dialing in my 1991 Trek 990 and decided to go with the brass cable ends. When I replaced my chrome cable ends that I installed less than a year ago with the brass ones, I noticed some of the chrome ones deformed under the pressure of the cables when at angles. The brass ones are not only slightly longer, but feel more substantial and fit the cable stops on the bike better.
I needed only a few more to finish the bike and ended up buying a bottle of them as no place has them in stock.
Were the brass ends ever stock on bikes and if so is there a reason for them or are they just an aesthetically pleasing small touch?
08-29-21 | 01:38 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 874
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From: Concord, NC
Bikes: 1984 Bianchi Tipo Corsa, 1985 Cannondale SM600 (24/26)
When I worked in a bike shop years ago I'd see them on bikes that came in for repair from time to time. I always thought they were repurposed from some other application. I seem to remember the ones I saw having a a very thin flare at the open end.
08-29-21 | 01:40 PM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 874
Likes: 604
From: Concord, NC
Bikes: 1984 Bianchi Tipo Corsa, 1985 Cannondale SM600 (24/26)
When I worked in a bike shop years ago I'd see them on bikes that came in for repair from time to time. I always thought they were repurposed from some other application. I seem to remember the ones I saw having a a very thin flare at the open end.
08-30-21 | 03:37 PM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 2,977
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From: Long Island, NY
Bikes: Trek 800 x 2, Schwinn Heavy Duti, Schwinn Traveler, Schwinn Le Tour Luxe, Schwinn Continental, Cannondale M400 and Lambert, Schwinn Super Sport
I suspect that all ferrules are brass because they need to be deep drawn and brass is an ideal material for this process. I further suspect that most of these get plated with nickel (bright and shinny) or painted (usually black). It may be possible to remove the paint from the painted ones to get down to brass. Brass looks great when it is shinny. When exposed to the elements it turns a dull brown and therefore why they are painted or plated.
When someone tries this please report back here on the results.
When someone tries this please report back here on the results.
08-31-21 | 02:32 AM
#7
(rhymes with spook)
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,786
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From: Winslow, AR
Bikes: '83 univega gran turismo x2, '85 schwinn super le tour,'89 miyata triple cross, '91 GT tequesta, '90 yokota grizzly peak, '94 GT backwoods, '95'ish scott tampico, '98 bonty privateer, '93 mongoose crossway 625, '98 parkpre ariel, 2k'ish giant fcr3
i've picked up plenty of second hand bikes with rusty ferrules. perhaps they're "old" and are not made of steel anymore? i certainly don't see any brass with new ones, though. i've had some fail recently (cheap ferrules) under pressure and it seems like if they were brass that would get exposed the way these failed
