I've read about using stainless steel mountain bike inner cables for gear and clutch cables.Does anyone have any experience of doing this? Are they smoother or strong enough etc?
Thanks.
Stainless steel inner control cables.
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Ihateyoubutler
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i've heard of people fitting these to their small frames,and the qaulity mountain bike cables are far better made than the scooter ones
gabba gabba hey gabba we accept you one of us
ive used them alot as theres no scooter shop near me.
if you get them from halfords ask the guys nicley as the ones they use in the work shop are longer than the ones on the shelfs.
got me right out of the smelly stuff when i had a frayed control cable on a vespa on a ride out.
if you get them from halfords ask the guys nicley as the ones they use in the work shop are longer than the ones on the shelfs.
got me right out of the smelly stuff when i had a frayed control cable on a vespa on a ride out.
I use them all the time but only use shimano cables as they are the best!
try and get them as a complete cable when building your scoot the quality is excellent.
They are also nylon lined so a lot smoother than a cheap cable.
try and get them as a complete cable when building your scoot the quality is excellent.
They are also nylon lined so a lot smoother than a cheap cable.
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Knowledge
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Cor, my specialist subject...... There are limitations with some cycle cables, though most of the news is good.
Yes, many of the cycle cables are good quality. I have found that they are usually nylon lined, which is good. However, I have not identified a cycle shop or wholesaler that sells grey cable. Having said that, they do sell other interesting colours, which opens up new possibilities for customizing your scooter.
I have had problems with stainless steel inner cables, as it can’t be soldered. This is OK for some cables, such as gears where the one nipple is factory fitted, but it complicates the construction of choke and throttle cables (though I have a crimping tool that can tackle the small nipples).
Many of the cycle cables are not of a gauge to match traditional gear and clutch cables, but that doesn’t mean they will fail. However, I prefer thicker gauge inners and outers for these cables.
Outer cables for cycle gears are not the same as those used for brakes. The cycle gear cable outers have strands of stainless steel wire running along their length, where as brakes have a spiral wound structure similar to scooter cables. Even with the best cutters, the cycle gear outer cables are very difficult to cut, and are entirely inappropriate for use on scooters as the cable has the incorrect structure to resist the compression demanded by scooter use.
The end ferrules can be purchased from cycle shops for as little as 5p each. It is useful to have them in stock if you need to shorten a cable.
I can make cables on request, especially throttle cables and Lambretta choke cables (inc short ones for carbs on the TS1 side of the engine), as well as my popular Quick Assembly (QA) Lambretta back brake inner cables.
Yes, many of the cycle cables are good quality. I have found that they are usually nylon lined, which is good. However, I have not identified a cycle shop or wholesaler that sells grey cable. Having said that, they do sell other interesting colours, which opens up new possibilities for customizing your scooter.
I have had problems with stainless steel inner cables, as it can’t be soldered. This is OK for some cables, such as gears where the one nipple is factory fitted, but it complicates the construction of choke and throttle cables (though I have a crimping tool that can tackle the small nipples).
Many of the cycle cables are not of a gauge to match traditional gear and clutch cables, but that doesn’t mean they will fail. However, I prefer thicker gauge inners and outers for these cables.
Outer cables for cycle gears are not the same as those used for brakes. The cycle gear cable outers have strands of stainless steel wire running along their length, where as brakes have a spiral wound structure similar to scooter cables. Even with the best cutters, the cycle gear outer cables are very difficult to cut, and are entirely inappropriate for use on scooters as the cable has the incorrect structure to resist the compression demanded by scooter use.
The end ferrules can be purchased from cycle shops for as little as 5p each. It is useful to have them in stock if you need to shorten a cable.
I can make cables on request, especially throttle cables and Lambretta choke cables (inc short ones for carbs on the TS1 side of the engine), as well as my popular Quick Assembly (QA) Lambretta back brake inner cables.
Martin
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coaster
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Martin, you can get solder suitable for stainless steel. I bought some from a rep about 15 years ago. It was a very low melt solder and he soldered 2 pieces of stainless steel together at right angles using a disposable gas lighter. No flux was needed (cored I think) and the joint was very strong and I wasn't able to break it.Knowledge wrote:I have had problems with stainless steel inner cables, as it can’t be soldered.
Fecked if I can remember the company now though
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Ihateyoubutler
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Thanks for the replies.Went to my local cycle shop and showed them the clutch and gear cables (inner and outers).They can make them up off a roll from shimano nylon lined brake outer cables, and stainless inners.They only do black, which is fine for me (gp). The're not cheap, but look good guality.Can't say if they are better than the nylon lined cables already available though, as I have never used them.