I'm finalizing all the parts for a build I'm doing for my wife. I have everything together except the brakes (Tektro R559 when I get around to it/find some on sale), headset (probably tange NJS because I need 38 mm stack, but might go with the 7400 I have on hand, which kind of seems a waste for a bike she's not going to ride a ton, but the only other bike I have in the works is a mtb drop bar conversion on which it wouldn't be any more appropriate), and cables.

The frameset is a red '85 Cannondale ST-400, which I guess is fire engine or brick red.

I'm trying to figure out what color housing would go best with it. It's going to have a honey saddle and tape (on mustache bars) with cream colored sks longboards and a rack with an almost matching blonde wood topper.

I had considered red, but I haven't seen any that was close in color, and a completely different shade would look weird to me. The other colors I'd considered were black (because the group will be black 8 speed LX), white, yellow, and blue.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

I have the same frame, NOS. It almost looks rasberry. Jagwire titanium, a soft silver, not gray, that appears woven.

Silver sounds good. Or white.

Huh, that's something I hadn't considered. You're right, it might look nice.

Black is beautiful.

What colour are the decals? Matching the decals is always nice.

Silver braided.

VO Metallic Braid Brake Cable Kits - Cables - Brakes & Parts - Components

The only decal is the very first cannondale decal and it's only on the headset. White, if memory serves, but I haven't had the frame out in a while to look. That was part of what was pushing me to white if I remember correctly.

Edit: Actually, I think it might be gold. I'll have to get it out tonight to look. I'm not sure about yellow with the cream/tan colored fenders/rack, but I'm not sure white would be the best with those either.

I like that as well. If I could edit the poll, I'd add a silver/titanium option.

One thing I'm not clear on as I've never worked with mtb shifters, is the cable end the same for trigger shifters like the LX that I'll be using as it is for shimano road shifters? Do I need a cable with a different end for them?

shifter cables are the same as road bikes.

I like the silver braided stuff, but I like the vintage style clear over steel coil a little better; it just looks more early 1980's. Reasonably priced from Porkchop BMX.

I also think the braided or clear over coiled would look best on this build.

Classic grey. Too much color coordination does not look good, IMO.

+1^^
Clear over flat spring coil works with pretty much all colors. I tried VO's clear over braided, once, looked nice, but I had to remove it soon after I installed it on one of my bikes as it was just way, way too stiff. I was sure that after some miles it would have damaged the aluminum forward top tube brake cable guide.

Wow, I've never heard of that.

The Jagwire "Carbon Silver" has a hint of gold in it that might look very good.

I have a similar colored bike, and my choice was between light brown to set off the saddle and wrap, or dark blue see-through. I chose brown.

Beware that Jagwire has about 3 different housings that are similar colors in their "Pro Racer" Kit: Gold Medal, Carbon Silver, Sterling Silver and Titanium.

If the sun is out, I could actually shoot the Jagwire Titanium against the frame. It also goes well with Cannondale Navy Blue.

I also have black, white, yellow, red, and grey available too.

I ordered the titanium Jagwire shift and brake cable set. There was nowhere near enough housing for a full brake run. If you do go with the titanium would strongly suggest buying in bulk, not the prepackaged "Road Pro" set.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...cable-kit.html

Jagwire Titanium.

On four of my bicycles. My Tommasini Super Prestige, Colnago Wordperfect, and two of my Kvales.

Works best with Campy. imho


[IMG]DSCN5832_2 by gomango1849, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]DSCN4745 by gomango1849, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]DSCN4742 by gomango1849, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]DSCN4744 by gomango1849, on Flickr[/IMG]

^ That looks good. So would this:



I used this on my Trek 500 commuter and love it, and really nice seller (not me) as well.

Like oddjob2 and lostarchitect I also like Silver braided.

Closer look and the decal on the headtube (only decal on the bike other than the original lbs sticker) is silver, so I think the braided silver look is going to be the winner. There seem to be a few jagwire titanium OEM sets on eBay right now. I wonder if that's the way to go (though the velo orange looks nice too). I have to say, I really like the looks of this frame and am kind of wishing I'd found it in my size (25") instead of my wife's (23"). Of course that could all change with the first test ride if all that I hear about the bone-jarring nature of aluminum turns out to be true.


Hmmm, goldenboy's issues with the cables are what I don't want to have. I won't be wrapping the cable under the tape (unless I decide to put interrupter levers on the curves of the mustache) and may want a bit longer than most would because of the location/orientation of the levers. Jagwire might not be the way to go, though I've had lots of success with them in the past.

I wouldn't think you would go wrong with Jagwire. My only issue when I was looking at ebay was trying to discern whether the cables were SS or not. Many of them aren't. If it isn't clear in the listing, ask the seller first.

[MENTION=129463]himespau[/MENTION], I have a bulk roll of Titanium brake housing, so PM me if you want a hunk.