Gear cables for Giant CRS 3.0 FS (2008)

fidero · 07-02-2012 09:03PM #1

Hi guys,
I cycle to work & am a novice when it comes to repairing my bike but still would like to repair it when I can. Would any of ye be able to advise on what gear cable I should get to replace the one that broke on the front of my bike last night? While I am at it I might as well get a replacement cable for when my back one breaks. Anyone any advise I what I would need to buy? Does it matter which manufacture?

Thanks,
Fi.

Tonyandthewhale · 07-02-2012 10:29PM

Just go into your local bike shop and ask for a gear cable, should be about 2euro each.

smacl · 08-02-2012 08:54AM

You'll also need a cable cutters, as the cable will be longer than you need, and a couple of cable tips to put on the ends when finished to stop the cable fraying.

Cable manufacture is slightly different for campagnalo and shimano gearing, where the shimano work with everything except campagnalo, including most commuter bikes. I'd guess the Giant is Shimano gearing. Sometimes the cable will come with a different terminator on either end to allow you use either. Brake cables are slightly heavier / bigger diameter than shifting cables.

fidero · 08-02-2012 12:07PM

Hi guys,
Thanks for your replies. I was hoping to avoid my LBS as haven't really found them to be satisfactory. I was going to buy online ie chain reaction cycles. I attempted a search for "campagnalo" to know what to avoid but it just showed up gear cables with campagnalo crossed out. I have found the online guys cheaper anyway. Anybody any other suggestions? Are the front & rear gear cables the same type then?

Thanks,
Fi.

seamus · 08-02-2012 12:50PM

It's the same gear cables that you'll use for front and back, there's no difference. You just cut the front one shorter. More expensive gear cables are typically just made a slightly better quality and sometimes will be laminated or otherwise sealed to improve shifting performance. But any €2 cable will work fine.

There's a cable inner and a cable outer. You only need the cable inner. When removing the old cable, do one at time (i.e. don't remove the front and rear together) so you can keep track of which piece of cable outer goes where. Take photos before you remove it if necessary so you can get the routing correct on the new cable.

If your front one has broken, then your rear one is likely due for a replacement, so you may as well do them both on the same day.

The hardest part of replacing the cables is adjusting your derailleurs so they'll work. Unfortunately it's not a matter of just installing a new cable and away you go. There'll be plenty of videos and guides online for doing this.

smacl · 08-02-2012 01:29PM

seamus wrote: »

The hardest part of replacing the cables is adjusting your derailleurs so they'll work. Unfortunately it's not a matter of just installing a new cable and away you go. There'll be plenty of videos and guides online for doing this.

+1 for this, and on taking the photo's. Spent much of Sunday before last replacing cables on my own and my daughters bikes. Fiddly enough to get right. It helps, where you have a barrel adjuster with the gear to set it midway when attaching the new cable, as this gives you the chance of doing minor adjustments without needing to detach and reattach the cable.

fidero · 08-02-2012 09:45PM

Hi guys,
Thanks once again for all the advice. I was having a look at the websites & all the information that ye have provided me with & it has started to make sense re. campagnalo, inner cable, etc.. Shimano are my gears. My rear cable broke only in November so possibly no need to replace it. Do you mind if I ask if the cable on the below website would do the trick? I guess I would just cut off the terminator on one of the ends & I will be good to go?!?!
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=47689
smacl can you clarify what you mean by

Sometimes the cable will come with a different terminator on either end to allow you use either. Brake cables are slightly heavier / bigger diameter than shifting cables.

Do you mean that I could potentially use brake cable instead of gear cable?

Thanks,
Fi.

smacl · 09-02-2012 09:07AM

fidero wrote: »

smacl can you clarify what you mean by Do you mean that I could potentially use brake cable instead of gear cable?

I don't think so. Shifting cable appears to be 1.1mm diameter, whereas braking cable is 1.6mm diameter.

For small orders chainreaction or wiggle can work out a small bit cheaper as they offer free delivery. Also possibly a bit slower to arrive. For stuff like that I'd tend to give the local bike shop another shot.

Eamonnator · 09-02-2012 09:26AM

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=47689

That should do the trick.

seamus · 09-02-2012 10:22AM

fidero wrote: »

I guess I would just cut off the terminator on one of the ends & I will be good to go?!?!
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=47689

Yeah, pretty much. The terminators you see on that one are the same on both ends. They're the cylindrical shape standard on pretty much 99% of shifters. Some gear cables will come with a cylinder shape at one end, and a disc at the other, you just cut off the disc.

Do you mean that I could potentially use brake cable instead of gear cable?

You could (I've McGuyver'd one before), but you shouldn't and you won't be able to do it by accident. Brake cables are thicker (they need to be stronger), which means that they won't fit snugly into the shifters or the gear cable housing. This means that the shifting will be very heavy and the components and cables will wear out much more quickly.

As smacl says, I also tend to go for the LBS when it comes to small items like cabling and lubricants. The few cents you save online aren't worth the hassle of waiting.

fidero · 09-02-2012 07:05PM

Hi guys,
Much appreciated for all the help. I am going to buy that cable. I think if I had a LBS like the guy from Dolphin's Barn (if memory serves me right) I would be tempted to pay a visit but I am not that fortunate. Getting a cable fit the last time cost me €10. I will give a visit to Rothar & get sorted for a €5, worst case.

Thanks again,
Fi.

Gear cables for Giant CRS 3.0 FS (2008)

Comments