Where to get new cables?

I get mine from Kmart or Walmart. LBS will have just what you need also in higher quality most likely and a little more expensive.

oddcarl said:

Hello, I have a 1990 Schwinn Paramount MTB with Shimano Deore XT parts. I want to replace all the inner and outer cables. One thing I noticed is, it has two different cable sizes, the brake cables are larger in diameter than the derailleur cables.

I looked at online stores but they give no specs on the cable sizing and no complete sets for my particular setup. The Shimano site seems pretty useless.

Questions: Where can I get the proper size cables? Do I have to take the bike into the LBS and have them visually match the cables? (I do all my own mechanics so I'll be installing them)

Thanks..oddcarl

The cables are pretty universal (excepting Campagnolo, which have slightly different ends), although as you observed brake and derailleur are different. Any bicycle shop will have the cables. Online, stock brake cables and derailleur cables will work.

Thanks John_M, I took the bike to the LBS and they suggested making the whole bike 5mm cabling as it would make replacing cables a lot easier.

The bike originally had 6mm brake cables and 5mm derailleurs as it turns out. Kind of an unorthodox setup according to the LBS.

oddcarl

Those heavier brake cables were common on mountain bikes in the early ninties, but like inch and a quarter headsets and e-stay frames were a bit of a passing trend.

cruisin said:

Those heavier brake cables were common on mountain bikes in the early ninties, but like inch and a quarter headsets and e-stay frames were a bit of a passing trend.

When I went into the LBS, they said "motorcycle cables"..LOL the only problem with replacing with all smaller cables is the ferrule is really sloppy loose where it goes into the brake lever assembly.

Luckily, I do a bit of metal work on a lathe so can easily turn any kind of nice brass adapter of the correct size.

oddcarl