Mixte Frame Straddle Cable
 

I'm so close to completing the restoration of my Moto Super Mirage Mixte, but I need the proper length straddle cable for the rear brake. The bike came with quite a few parts missing, the straddle cable being one of them. Can someone check the length of the staddle cable on their mixte and tell me what it is? Loose Screws has a cable that is 330MM long; that's roughly 13". Is this what I need?

Here's a pic of the Moto and how the brake mounts:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/...e1107140_b.jpg

My wife's Pug mixte has Weinmann centerpulls and I bought the 330mm straddle cable from Loose Screws to replace the original one that was badly corroded. I haven't gotten around to installing the brakes yet, though, so I can't say for sure it's the right length. It should work well. That'd be approximately 6 inches from the brake center bolt.

I can't offer any help here but nice mixte! They are my favorite frame type.

I put some mafac racers on my nishiki mixte, and the rear straddle wire is about 120mm long (which is rather generous--there is extra unneeded length). The racer straddle cables don't have double ends, so a derailleur cable may be cut to size to work. The length though may be specific to your frame since the brake bridge may be shorter or closer to the seat tube on your bicycle than mine. You only need enough cable to travel around your seat post and reach either side of your brake. Why not measure how much clearance you need on the bicycle itself?

This mid seventies, best guess, Jeunet Mixte is pretty much bone stock. This is how the cable was set up. Hope it helps.

http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpe...per_Rear_1.jpg

Straddle cables on my Puegeot mixte w/Mafac Racers is probably 10".
Straddle cables on my Puegeot mixte w/Weinmanns is probably 7". (It came with Mafac's, but not Racers)

afilado did a great conversion to a y-connector from a cantilever brake setup.

My guess is neither of my mixte's would be able to handle that long one from Loose screws.

I think the caliper type would determine if you can cut to length.

Some of those calipers will accept a regular brake cable, disc end, and then you adjust it on the other end.
Some don't.

You may be better off buying another caliper, used, from eBay.

Great picture randyjawa, that's what I need to do.

Robbie, my Peugeot mixte, like your's, has the cross brace too close to the seat tube to accept a long cable. My Moto mixte, on the other hand, has about 9" from the cross brace to the seat tube,
so that 330MM cable from Loose Screws would work, laving me about 3" to play with. The Moto also has Weinmann 750's in the rear, so I need to buy a straddle cable with the
ends attached. I'll give my LBS a visit and see if they have something before I order from LS; gotta try to keep the $$ local.

Thanks guys!

I see. My wife's P18-T looks to have plenty of room between the seat tube and cross brace so I assumed the 330mm cable would work. I hope to find out soon.

https://www.me.com/ro/justinhughes/G...12785383640001

Send it to me and I'll see if it will work.

You have the bike, so why don't you measure it for yourself? A piece of string and a ruler will do it.

There's really no need for it to be as long as the one on the Jeunet above. The hanger will never get closer to the seat tube, only farther away. I've found that centerpulls are not very sensitive to changes in straddle cable length, in spite of what some people have posted in this forum.

I just took a semi-crude measurement and with the straddle wire attached to the brake cable it will measure approximately 6" from the brake mount bolt. Measure your frame. If you think it'll work PM me your address and I'll put one in the mail tomorrow.

The same measurement for the shorter straddle cable they sell would be approximately 2" or just a bit longer.

you could make your own with a brake cable and this http://www.velo-orange.com/grcrucastrea.html

I haven't been able to figure out how that thing works.

I would make the straddle cable from a brake cable and one of the barrel ends I bought long ago and never used. They attach with a set screw.

Josh,

I received the 330mm straddle cable today; it's a perfect fit. Many thanks.

Gary

You're welcome! Glad it worked. It's Justin, by the way. :)

I have often thought about converting Weinmann calipers to the Mafac system, which allows tuning of the straddle cable length, and therefore the tradeoff between braking force and control lever travel. The other benefit is being able to use any brake cable for a straddle, instead of searching for the right double-barrel unit, which can be hard to find or expensive.

I knew that, just a brain fart.