I am not the most mechanically savvy person and usually get the LBS to tune up my bike…had some cables replaced and have a race coming up. I would like to get the cable stretch out of the new cables and have them do a tune up before the race. Any ways to speed up the process?
Go for a ride and shift a bunch, sweep the cassette often. One good ride like this should take care of the stretch and bedding in of cable in housing.
rich
Put gears in small ring crank and small ring of cassette. Shift up without pedaling until you feel tension, leave there for a few minutes.
For brakes, just squeeze me hard for a few minutes.
Park Tool makes a cable stretching tool.
http://www.parktool.com/product/cable-stretcher-bt-2
Great tool. A “must have” for the intermediate+ mechanic.
Tie a brass lock ring to it.
Why do you think they didn’t stretch them already?
I’ve never installed a cable and didn’t stretch it on the stand, 700 miles on the cables since i built my tri bike this summer and haven’t touched them.
I wouldn’t use that park tool to stretch a cable in the way this thread is asking about. Its meant for pulling tight and holding, using it to put the kind of tension on the cable to pre stretch it could damage the derailleur.
I am not the most mechanically savvy person and usually get the LBS to tune up my bike…had some cables replaced and have a race coming up. I would like to get the cable stretch out of the new cables and have them do a tune up before the race. Any ways to speed up the process?
Cable stretch has far more to do with housing compression than the actual wire itself elongating. I would make sure each cable housing section had the ends squarely cut and capped with the ferrules flush. Shift without the wheel installed so the cable bottoms against the limit screw to seat each contact point for the housings cable stops.
-Dave
I am not the most mechanically savvy person and usually get the LBS to tune up my bike…had some cables replaced and have a race coming up. I would like to get the cable stretch out of the new cables and have them do a tune up before the race. Any ways to speed up the process?
Cable stretch has far more to do with housing compression than the actual wire itself elongating. I would make sure each cable housing section had the ends squarely cut and capped with the ferrules flush. Shift without the wheel installed so the cable bottoms against the limit screw to seat each contact point for the housings cable stops.
-Dave
This is my experience too.
To help with that issue I use an in-line cable adjuster like this:
http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_175228_-1___202419
It also helps with that little bit of trim needed when changing wheels too.
jaretj
Put gears in small ring crank and small ring of cassette. Shift up without pedaling until you feel tension, leave there for a few minutes.
For brakes, just squeeze me hard for a few minutes.
This could damage or break your upper derailleur pulley.
-SD
like others said, one decent ride should settle them in. If you don’t already know, take 5 minutes and learn to adjust your barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur so you can make final adjustments to your bike. If your shifters allow you to change to “friction” mode, make sure you know how to do this during the race
x2 on the “3rd hand” cable stretcher tool. It makes installing any cable much easier since it can hold the cable and set its position while you tighten things done so you should have one for that reason alone. Just give an extra hard stretch before you set the cable and it will seat the cable housing and ferrels which is where any initial stretch comes from. (Over time, cable “stretch” can be caused by the cable wearing the inside of the housing which shortens its path thus making the cable seem longer).
like others said, one decent ride should settle them in. If you don’t already know, take 5 minutes and learn to adjust your barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur so you can make final adjustments to your bike. If your shifters allow you to change to “friction” mode, make sure you know how to do this during the race
5 minutes… try 10 seconds including dismount and remount. Even better if you have barrel adjsuters near hte bars, then you can adjust on the fly. Mine unfortunately is corroded and seized up… but I’ll put a new one on when I recable it this winter.
If your rear derailleur is top normal or high normal (I think it is), then shift to the largest cog and let the bike sit for a few days because it takes cable tension to hold the chain on the largest cog. For your front derailleur, shift to the largest chainring and let it sit.
I am not the most mechanically savvy person and usually get the LBS to tune up my bike…had some cables replaced and have a race coming up. I would like to get the cable stretch out of the new cables and have them do a tune up before the race. Any ways to speed up the process?
Cable stretch has far more to do with housing compression than the actual wire itself elongating. I would make sure each cable housing section had the ends squarely cut and capped with the ferrules flush. Shift without the wheel installed so the cable bottoms against the limit screw to seat each contact point for the housings cable stops.
-Dave
^^^This.
Modern cables are pre-stretched at the factory. The slackening during early use is typically due to other parts of the system settling in.
Another note: The park “cable stretcher” tool is to keep the cable tensioned while you tighten bolts on the brakes/derailleurs. It’s not to actually stretch the cables.
If you properly install your cables and housing, there will be no need for further adjustments. I’ve installed cables on my bikes and have never needed to touch or turn the barrel adjusters until after a year. What SuperDave said is important - you just have to be sure your cable housing is sitting properly on each end, and that your cable wires themselves are properly taut.
.
Another note: The park “cable stretcher” tool is to keep the cable tensioned while you tighten bolts on the brakes/derailleurs. It’s not to actually stretch the cables.
Cables don’t “stretch” in the sense that they get longer. But, as pointed out here the housing can move if the ends are not seated properly. And, the cable can eventually wear the inside of the housing which changes its path and makes it seem shorter.
Like chain stretch, cable stretch is real, its just that is a poor choice of words to describe it. Your cable and your chain do not “stretch” but they do behave like they are stretching.
Another note: The park “cable stretcher” tool is to keep the cable tensioned while you tighten bolts on the brakes/derailleurs. It’s not to actually stretch the cables.
Cables don’t “stretch” in the sense that they get longer. But, as pointed out here the housing can move if the ends are not seated properly. And, the cable can eventually wear the inside of the housing which changes its path and makes it seem shorter.
Like chain stretch, cable stretch is real, its just that is a poor choice of words to describe it. Your cable and your chain do not “stretch” but they do behave like they are stretching.
That is why I always use metal ferrules when cabling my bikes. The plastic ones deform and do some weird stuff.
jaretj