Hardi Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 I'm in middle of replacing the brake housings on my bike. I'm replacing the old jagwire KEB-SL housing that the bike has, with new, but same KEB-SL.. but I started to think, that maybe it's actually not necessary to have compressionless housing at front. It's so much hassle to istall, it's so stiff to route. And When I bend it to the brake caliper, the previously square end of cable will get un-square. So I guess I should try to cut it square again, after getting it into shape, but since it's front brake.. I wonder, that maybe the compressionless housing won't make any difference there? Also the old one was not square.. because it was cut square prior routing. The old housing. The end was not square inside ferrule. Because the cable is routed inside of the left blade of fork and comes out close to brake caliper. It can't be routed with less sharp bend there. The new housing and it's factory cut perfectly square end.. looks even worse when trying to force it into ferrule. at brake caliper.. Also it's really difficult to get it into caliper, because the housing is stiff. Would be easier to fit the housing first into caliper and then mount the caliper, but.. makes annoying to calibrate the brakes parallel with rotor.. because stiff housing is strongly springy, will move the caliper off as soon I would open the screws.. The push the brake level and then tighten the caliper mount bolts, won't work with these cable housings.. Because they move the rotor together with caliper. So anyways, would it be worth to try to cut that end square, or maybe I would be better to buy different housing.. and use the copmressionless only for rear maybe? I did wrap a piece of white tape there around the housing to have a line to cut.. I think trying to file so much off would be difficult.. And the compressionless housing is difficult to file anyways... Maybe if I clue the straws with super clue first... It's so difficult to get it perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardi Posted January 31, 2018 Author Share Posted January 31, 2018 (edited) I still installed the compressionless housing there and I think I got it pretty good. I cut the housing about 3 cm longer first, then routed it into bike leaving both ends little longer and then while trying to hold the housing on shape, cut little off from both ends. Do get both ends perfectly level and right. After installing inner wire I left it under tension, then I was "massaging" it for a while. I mean moving all the bends, like crumpling, or so, to ensure that all those helical wires of housing would get where they want to be under pressure.. I think I got my brake very little better.. I omitted also the tektro RX2.1 aditional brake level, for front brake.Although I did use it often. It was catching with other cables.. and got the brake cable housing of front brakes.. damaged near to that lever.. But I think I keep the right one, because it won't bother.. And there for that short section from sdi lever to the additional brake lever. I will use the cheap standard coiled housing, not because I 'm skimpy, but I think the standard one works as well there, or maybe even better.. Maybe I should get rid also that right lever, but.. still. I probably use it at traffic, when need to make left turn.. the right hand would reach better to there than to sdi lever, when siting upright and looking carefully back and left and right.. and showing the turn signal with left hand. Maybe I made the front housing a bit short? Might be difficult to remove handlebar together with stem... I guess I have to slide fork downward instead of lifting stem.. I'm sorry, if my topic seems not really necessary, or stupid. But while it's my first time changing cable housings. And I could not find much specific info, about compressionless brake housings. Only about shifting housings.. and even there I found just one statement where someone said, that in his beliefs the best is to route the short cable that connect to rear derailleur first to shape and then cut.. because that cable makes almost 180 degree turn.. and it will otherwise when cut straight the ends get non right... I cut it first little longer as straight, because I thought that it will be under tension when try to cut long cable after bending it to shape, and then each strain might get with different length, when relieved from tension while cutting... Edited January 31, 2018 by Hardi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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