Re-use cables and housing

[cribbit]

Dunno where you're getting yours but I buy cables for $2 and housing for 40 cents a foot. It's ~$10 to recable the entire bike. You have to be doing some pretty trash bikes for that to not be worth it.

[nobuseri]

I am of the mindset that if I am (re)building a bike, I usually use new cables and housing. For that reason, I usually buy the cables and housing in bulk/reels, respectively.
Along with bar tape, they're relatively the cheapest things to replace.

Also, it makes for great,worry-free shifting/braking - at least for a while.

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

What i do is to recycle the rear cables and casings and put them in the front.

Many guys here does the same thing :P

This.

Cheap SOBs are us method of renewing things: The front shifting isn't nearly as 'persnickity' as the rear so the old right cable (and sometimes housing) becomes the new left side cable (and sometimes housing)

M

edited to add: for the new new 11sp under the bar tape shifting, the green coated Shimano cables ($15!) or the Jagwire Pro ($11ish) or Elite Polished ($15) really do make a difference in the shifting. I pretty much only use SP41 housing at $2/foot. Reusing the old cable and springing for new housing is my usual go to

[tombtfslpk]

Originally Posted by eddief

cable ends while dialing in your build and doing final adjustments. prevents cable ends from fraying and gets you ready for crimps or heat shrinking the ends when satisfied with all working smoothly.

Beat me to it.
Super Glue for me too. I'm just cheap.
I'll reuse rears on the front also, unless they came out of those cable eating 10 speed Shimano shifters where somebody keeps bumping the limit screw!

[cmbicycles]

A new, uncut, cable used to be a lot easier to install on sram 10s levers. The end had a small balled up melted area that helped it maneuver through the inside of the shifter. A cut cable eventually worked but could be a bit of a pain... not sure if 11s is any better as I've not played with 11s sram.

[dddd]

Originally Posted by cribbit

Dunno where you're getting yours but I buy cables for $2 and housing for 40 cents a foot. It's ~$10 to recable the entire bike. You have to be doing some pretty trash bikes for that to not be worth it.

It's not just about convenience and cost, many folks are loathe to just put usable materials in the trash.
My generation, where I grew up, recycling things was part of the High School curriculum, and manning the public recycling shed was enough of an esteemed public service that the work got done by volunteers.

With the benefit of good advice and/or enough experience, used cables and housings can make a bike perform well better than half of the nice bikes out there.

Watch out though for rear derailer cables in STI levers, since these tend to get used much more frequently than with traditional shifters so their lifespan can be short.

And brake cable housings with age-hardened vinyl coverings can invite annoying buzzy noises on certain builds, especially running across a metal top tube.

[ultraman6970]

Can you recycle with shimano levers??? with campagnolo you can, no idea how good would be to do it with shimano brifters

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by sjbraun

Now that I'm retired, I'm trying to learn how to some of my own maintenance work. Expect a number of rookie questions in the next few months.
My current project is is changing out the handlebars and shifters on my BMC from Jones Bars with Rapidfire shifters to Salsa Cowchippers with SRAM levers. Previously I had used bar end shifters with the Salsa bars so I think I have more than enough cable and housing to accommodate the SRAM levers. The cables and housing have about 4k miles of use. Can I reuse them or should I just replace them with new cables and housing?

Thanks
Steve

Haven't read the other posts but generally, if not frayed, kinked, reuse inner wires. If you must, use the rear on the front, new one on rear. Housing..if not split or rusted(not stainless like most decent inner wires)..reuse..USE metal ferrules thruout, not the cheapo plastic crappola. Wheel Manufacturing are the best..brass...Trim cleanly.

[cribbit]

Originally Posted by dddd

It's not just about convenience and cost, many folks are loathe to just put usable materials in the trash.

My generation, where I grew up, recycling things was part of the High School curriculum, and manning the public recycling shed was enough of an esteemed public service that the work got done by volunteers

Definitely. Personally, I do work like this at my local bike co op so that my extra cabling can go into the free parts pile for someone who can't afford the $10. Nothing goes to waste and someone who needs it, gets it.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Haven't read the other posts but generally, if not frayed, kinked, reuse inner wires. If you must, use the rear on the front, new one on rear. Housing..if not split or rusted(not stainless like most decent inner wires)..reuse..USE metal ferrules thruout, not the cheapo plastic crappola. Wheel Manufacturing are the best..brass...Trim cleanly.

If low mileage, reusing inner wires is OK, but since cables fail from fatigue, even though it looks OK, it maybe only a short time before strands break. Not worth it for STI shifters, IMO.