[matts73240]

what difference is there between brake and shifter cable housings?
can one be used for the other and vice versa?

or are they specific?
thanks
Matt

 

[sub6]

Yes, they are very specific. If you use shifter housing for brakes, you can split the cable out of the housing and lose all braking ability. If you use brake housing for your shifters, it can bind up and feel like sh*t, and also will compress slightly which will result in ghost shifting.

Brake housing is spiral-wound - it's a coil of wire with plastic over it. It's slightly compressible. Shifter housing uses parallel strands of wire, which reduces friction greatly and is not compressible. However, the parallel nature of the strands means that under extremely high stress (i.e. braking) they can be forced apart and the brake cable can split the housing open.

There are a few high-end housings that have spiral-wound wire over parallel strands which gives you all of the advantages of both without the weaknesses.

 

[SwisSlesS]

Jeez Sub6, you appear to know everything. And not only know everything, but are able to explain everything.

 

[fonseca]

I use 5mm brake/derailleur housing exclusively. I used to use avid flak jacket/jagwire kevlar, but I have switched over to QBP/Jagwire silver mesh now, I like it better than the kevlar as it is slightly more felxible, but still nice and firm. It also has a clear plastic coating that rub the frame and other housing as badly.

Anyway, there are a good number of housing types available that can be used for both brakes and derailleurs. www.aebike.com sells 25' rolls of several models for an awesome price.

 

[NRSracer]

shifter wire can even split with a shifter wire in it.