Exposed Cables? Are they necessary?

Just like the title says, is is NECESSARY to cut the shifting cable
housing, and expose it along the top/down tube? Or can I leave the
housing intact all the way back to the rear derailleur, and end the
housing for the front derailleur a few inches above the derailleur?

Will it affect shifting performance? Gunk up easier? Should I use a
certain kind of housing, or cable?

I don't have any extra cable or housing on hand right now to test, so
any info would be appreciated.

Thanks folks.

On 18 Oct, 21:51, jr-14 wrote:
Just like the title says, is is NECESSARY to cut the shifting cable
housing, and expose it along the top/down tube? *Or can I leave the
housing intact all the way back to the rear derailleur, and end the
housing for the front derailleur a few inches above the derailleur?

Will it affect shifting performance? *Gunk up easier? *Should I use a
certain kind of housing, or cable?

I don't have any extra cable or housing on hand right now to test, so
any info would be appreciated.

Cables used to be greased in their housings, this would create drag
spoiling the shift to the smaller sprockets. When using a housing
with a plastic liner, the cable and liner is lubricated with silicon
which can be in the form of an aerosol application. This will not
create any drag like grease would. For a twin ring setup any housing
on the front will do. For a rear derailler use the long lay gear
casing at least for the rear section between chainstay and mechanism
when it is a modern dual pivot type. If using handlebar shifters, use
the long lay gear casing at the handlebars as well.

If you feel better with housing all the way, then that's ok, just use
a silicon spray to lubricate the liner before installing the inner
wire. You'll likely want a neat way of securing the housings and
colour co-ordinated zip ties come to the rescue again.

On Oct 18, 3:51*pm, jr-14 wrote:
Just like the title says, is is NECESSARY to cut the shifting cable
housing, and expose it along the top/down tube? *Or can I leave the
housing intact all the way back to the rear derailleur, and end the
housing for the front derailleur a few inches above the derailleur?

Will it affect shifting performance? *Gunk up easier? *Should I use a
certain kind of housing, or cable?

I don't have any extra cable or housing on hand right now to test, so
any info would be appreciated.

With modern stainless cable, there's really no point in running full
housing to your derailleurs. Just lube the bottom bracket cable guide
from time to time and get on with life.

On 19 Oct, 01:02, landotter wrote:
On Oct 18, 3:51*pm, jr-14 wrote:

Just like the title says, is is NECESSARY to cut the shifting cable
housing, and expose it along the top/down tube? *Or can I leave the
housing intact all the way back to the rear derailleur, and end the
housing for the front derailleur a few inches above the derailleur?

Will it affect shifting performance? *Gunk up easier? *Should I use a
certain kind of housing, or cable?

I don't have any extra cable or housing on hand right now to test, so
any info would be appreciated.

With modern stainless cable, there's really no point in running full
housing to your derailleurs. Just lube the bottom bracket cable guide
from time to time and get on with life.

pfff, no sense of adventure.

On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:51:53 -0700 (PDT), jr-14
wrote:

Just like the title says, is is NECESSARY to cut the shifting cable
housing, and expose it along the top/down tube? Or can I leave the
housing intact all the way back to the rear derailleur, and end the
housing for the front derailleur a few inches above the derailleur?

Will it affect shifting performance? Gunk up easier? Should I use a
certain kind of housing, or cable?

I don't have any extra cable or housing on hand right now to test, so
any info would be appreciated.

Thanks folks.
Open cables give more "crisp" action because you have less cable
housing to deform.

On 19 Oct, 19:42, wrote:
On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:51:53 -0700 (PDT), jr-14

wrote:
Just like the title says, is is NECESSARY to cut the shifting cable
housing, and expose it along the top/down tube? *Or can I leave the
housing intact all the way back to the rear derailleur, and end the
housing for the front derailleur a few inches above the derailleur?

Will it affect shifting performance? *Gunk up easier? *Should I use a
certain kind of housing, or cable?

I don't have any extra cable or housing on hand right now to test, so
any info would be appreciated.

Thanks folks.

*Open cables give more "crisp" action because you have less cable
housing to deform.

Unless housing ends are cemented or otherwise secured they move about
creating alterations in length. Housing 'deformation' is at the
housing ends, so reducing the number of ends reduces this
deformation. More housing ends also means more places for
contaminants to get in, this will reduce the performance away from
your ideal 'crispness'. The casing barely compresses, it is not an
issue on bicycles.

jr-14 wrote:

Just like the title says, is is NECESSARY to cut the shifting cable
housing, and expose it along the top/down tube? *Or can I leave the
housing intact all the way back to the rear derailleur, and end the
housing for the front derailleur a few inches above the derailleur?

Will it affect shifting performance? *Gunk up easier? *Should I use a
certain kind of housing, or cable?

I don't have any extra cable or housing on hand right now to test, so
any info would be appreciated.

It is not necessary to use frame-mounted cables. When I don't have
frame-mounted stops, I use full-length housing and it works fine. On
some difficult. draggy installation with long cables and multiple
housing segments, I have found that full housing works better--
smoother and with less friction.

When frame stops are placed too close together or angled such that the
housing segment must be kinked to join them, then bypassing those
stops with a more smoothly curved piece of housing yields an
improvement.

Full housing is generally more resistant to ingesting mud and filth,
but sometimes can trap water. Because full housing makes a cable's
condition difficult to inspect, you should definitely use stainless
steel cable with it to minimize potential problems in the long term.

Chalo

On 20 Oct, 17:32, Chalo wrote:
jr-14 wrote:

Just like the title says, is is NECESSARY to cut the shifting cable
housing, and expose it along the top/down tube? *Or can I leave the
housing intact all the way back to the rear derailleur, and end the
housing for the front derailleur a few inches above the derailleur?

Will it affect shifting performance? *Gunk up easier? *Should I use a
certain kind of housing, or cable?

I don't have any extra cable or housing on hand right now to test, so
any info would be appreciated.

It is not necessary to use frame-mounted cables. *When I don't have
frame-mounted stops, I use full-length housing and it works fine. *On
some difficult. draggy installation with long cables and multiple
housing segments, I have found that full housing works better--
smoother and with less friction.

When frame stops are placed too close together or angled such that the
housing segment must be kinked to join them, then bypassing those
stops with a more smoothly curved piece of housing yields an
improvement.

Full housing is generally more resistant to ingesting mud and filth,
but sometimes can trap water.

I'm thinking that long lay casing could be notched to provide a drain
hole. If you have a top pull front mech, both gear cbles can go along
the top tube and down the seat tube for the front and seat stay for
the rear. This will keep cables away from mud and there would be no
low bends to hold water as the cable will be level or falling.
Sloping top tube anyone?

*Because full housing makes a cable's
condition difficult to inspect, you should definitely use stainless
steel cable with it to minimize potential problems in the long term.


pssst. wanna by a new KL 'ere wore hed. You never know when you might
need it.

On Oct 18, 2:51*pm, jr-14 wrote:
Just like the title says, is is NECESSARY to cut the shifting cable
housing, and expose it along the top/down tube? *Or can I leave the
housing intact all the way back to the rear derailleur, and end the
housing for the front derailleur a few inches above the derailleur?

Will it affect shifting performance? *Gunk up easier? *Should I use a
certain kind of housing, or cable?

I don't have any extra cable or housing on hand right now to test, so
any info would be appreciated.

Thanks folks.

Lots of drag in a section of housing that long, particularly on
shifting systems that require a lot of 'consistent precision'.

On 20 Oct, 19:53, Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
On Oct 18, 2:51*pm, jr-14 wrote:

Just like the title says, is is NECESSARY to cut the shifting cable
housing, and expose it along the top/down tube? *Or can I leave the
housing intact all the way back to the rear derailleur, and end the
housing for the front derailleur a few inches above the derailleur?

Will it affect shifting performance? *Gunk up easier? *Should I use a
certain kind of housing, or cable?

I don't have any extra cable or housing on hand right now to test, so
any info would be appreciated.

Thanks folks.

Lots of drag in a section of housing that long, particularly on
shifting systems that require a lot of 'consistent precision'.

What precisely are you using as a lubricant? Linseed?