Jagwire has a great housing/cable kit
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I did read most of the other posts and there was some good advise.
I do this for a living and that is about the price I would charge for that service.
The way I do a swap and build.
Measure the old bike record on to fit sheet
Wash the bike,I bet it is dirty I dont work on dirty bikes and I dont put dirty componants on a new frame.
Build up the new frame to the fit sheet.
I offer a follow up adjustment to check cables,aero bar,BB etc.
And yes I use a Torque Wrench
Jagwire has a great housing/cable kit
I agree. Very reasonably priced and works well
As The Dude would say “that’s, like, your opinionâ€
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That’s actually not true in my personal experience. None of my Cervelo, Santa Cruze, Specialized have that, only the Colnago rear brake has it. YMMV
I’ve read the posts in this thread and there’s a lot of good advice here. Here’s my 0.02:
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I think your shop has quoted you a fair price. This is a time consuming job.
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I really think you should think about doing the work yourself. Even if you don’t save any money (not sure of your tool collection) you will learn a ton about your bike and be in a better position to take care of it down the road instead of depending on a mechanic. Bicycles are simple machines and easy to care for once you figure it out. I would suggest buying a copy of “Zinn and The Art of Road Bike Maintenance” and using this book as a guide for your efforts. To complete this job on your own you will need the following tools:
- work stand
- set of metric hex keys
- chain breaker
- cable/housing cutter (wire cutters tend to crush housing)
- an awl or metal pick to clean up housing cuts
- maybe a few torx keys depending on your equipment
- Phillips screwdriver to adjust derailleur limit screws (JIS if you’re feeling fancy)
- needle nose pliers
I’d probably get the shop to press in the bottom bracket as the press required is pricey (if you buy park). Conversely you can build your own press from some threaded rod and nuts, but for the cost I’d just have the shop do it. I presume you are installing a 24mm crank in the new 30mm bottom bracket, hence the need for adapter cups. You might look for a pf30 bb that is natively compatible with a 24mm spindle to eliminate the cups from the equation. You might also insider replacing the chain as part of this swap over - if it’s worn it should certainly be replaced. That said, it’s possible your old chain is not long enough for your new frame. Honestly given the price of chains on Amazon I’d just replace it unless it’s pretty new and not too short.
At any rate, I would encourage you to give this a go on your own. Buy the book, read it, watch some YouTube videos (park tool has a ton) and go slow and you’ll be just fine. Bikes are easy once you get the hang of it.
One other thing - buy quality tools or you will regret it. Do not get your hex keys and screwdrivers at harbor freight - they fit poorly and will round out your fasteners. Good tools last a lifetime, cheap tools ruin equipment and your day.
If we’re left to quotes, let me add; As the proverb would asy “a fool and his money are soon parted”.
I’m simply relaying experience and the relevance that proper installation of cables/housing far outweighs any functional difference in special treatments/coating of cables. …In all honesty though; If it’s worth it to you to buy the expensive stuff, have at it.
As The Dude would say “that’s, like, your opinionâ€
some Hall of Fame bad advice being given out. . .
Jagwire
Jagwire Better
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Pay the shop to do the swap, and let them use their own cables. Be done with it. For starters, if you buy a couple cable kits, they do not come with enough housing to do the long internal runs. They only have enough housing to handle the external sections. So, the shop would have to use its own housing anyway. You are gyrating around trying to save around 10% net on what is a reasonable price for the work.
I have built many bikes from parts. I can probably do it blindfolded. It is fun to learn. But, if you are not interested and do not have the tools, then paying a shop $335 is a no-brainer.
I think that’s a very fair price to be fair based on it taking 2.5 hours. I always build up by bikes myself, but couldn’t do it in 2.5 hours. I recon it nearly took me 2.5 hours per cable on my internally routed caad 12.
Good installation and good cable don’t have to be mutually exclusive. And either can also ruin the performance Of the bike. So using good cables and having them installed well by someone who knows what they are doing should be the minimal.
There is no reason to trashed someone else’s experience as fool’s money simply because your experience is different and/or don’t care or feel the whatever incremental improvement. That’s the reason I am saying that’s your opinion, and we are all entitled. There is no reason to be so cynical.
Good installation and good cable don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
They don’t. correct.
And either can also ruin the performance Of the bike.
???This is where we disagree. A reasonably priced cable, installed correctly, won’t RUIN the performance of the bike. Your ‘opinion’ on this is the crux of our disagreement. You use words like ‘head and shoulders above’ and ‘ruin’ to contrast the difference between to two different price points of cables.
There is no reason to trashed someone else’s experience as fool’s money simply because your experience is different and/or don’t care or feel the whatever incremental improvement. That’s the reason I am saying that’s your opinion, and we are all entitled. There is no reason to be so cynical.
I simply responded to your opposing annecdotal quote with another opposing annecdotal quote. Disagreeing is ok. What I think is valuable might be irrelevant to you (and vice versa).
Anyway, I’ve spent too much time on this forum today. Let’s get back to the real world and just agree to disagree on this one:). I’m pretty sure our minds are set on this one (and that is ok!).
Yes, it’s fair, to answer your actual question.
Now, You could save a $20 or so by bringing your own cables, but it’s okay if people make a little profit. Maybe ask if they would match the price competitive cyclist sells them for. They’ll likely be glad to make a little rather than nothing, but don’t expect them to match the lowest price you can get them from England for.
Could you learn to do it yourself without screwing up your frame? Yes.
If you are fortunate enough to be able to afford to have a professional put your bike together, have them do so, you won’t regret it. A good mechanic can make a decent bike ride beautifully and a shit mechanic can make a great bike ride like, well, shit. You’ll be a shit mechanic for a while practicing on your love bike.
You are probably busy enough to enjoy the saved time. Go for swim or a run.
Now, that’s enough for me…I have to give myself a haircut
How much do you get paid for half a days work? Should they get paid any less because they work in a bike shop? Believe me, from start to finish, your shop will spend more than 4 hours to do the job right. If you don’t like the cost, buy the tools and learn to do it yourself.
This. Why do people always assume they are being ripped off???
it will work first time when you get it back. It will not need any fettling to make the shifts crisp. It will make you LBS like you and pay dividends in the future if you need an emergency repair a weekend before a race.
There’s loads of crappy LBS out there. If you’ve found a good one. Give them your business. It keeps them going and there when you need them
(No I don’t work in a shop and I do my own work anyway)
Thanks for the advice everyone.
I am still leaning towards having the shop do the work, but bringing in my own inner cables and let the shop use their housing.
If I were to just get the inner cables, how would these work out?
Shifting cables:
https://www.cyclebrother.com/...arwire-teflon-coated
Braking cables:
https://www.cyclebrother.com/...cable-black-20002100
I have never heard of those cables. They might be fine and just meet the minimums. But I think you are moving in the wrong direction. Trust the bike shop to choose good cables that they will stand behind. Tri bikes have long internal cable runs, so good cables are important. I do not skimp on cables. I am about to do upgrades to my 2 bikes that will include new cable runs. I am buying known good cables. I am using Shimano BC-9000 cables on my tri bike and Jagwire on the road bike. I have had great experiences with both in the past.
I have never heard of those cables. They might be fine and just meet the minimums. But I think you are moving in the wrong direction. Trust the bike shop to choose good cables that they will stand behind. Tri bikes have long internal cable runs, so good cables are important. I do not skimp on cables. I am about to do upgrades to my 2 bikes that will include new cable runs. I am buying known good cables. I am using Shimano BC-9000 cables on my tri bike and Jagwire on the road bike. I have had great experiences with both in the past.
You are right.
I ended up taking the shop’s recommendations. They use Jagwire cables and they charged me 85 dollars for them.
Thanks everyone for the advice. I will let you know how it turns out.
That is absolutely fair. No offense to anyone who disagrees but they are either completely out of touch with what the job entails, or with what labor costs a bike shop.
After paying the mechanic the bike shop will make around $75 on that job. If they do it poorly and have to go back and adjust stuff they will make nothing.
It’s reasonable for you to ask that their best mechanic does the work, and for you to expect it to be perfect. But don’t try to negotiate on the price, it’s fair.
$85 for cables. Sweet Jesus!