The cables have a natural elasticity being metal and will stretch slightly . This is minuscule and you possibly won’t notice this, but only pick up on a change in your brakes. This could mean it’s time to replace the cables and get a fine-tuning.
How tight should a brake cable be?
Do cables stretch?
Shift cables are usually 1.1-1.2mm, while brake cables are thicker at 1.5mm. The action of repeatedly shifting up and down, or braking and releasing, will tension and release these cables many times. This action is thought to cause the cables to “stretch” or in essence elongate.
How long do bike brake cables last?
jsellers said: 5000 to 6000 miles is a good time frame to replace the cables. Other wise wait till they brake and either have a good stiff pedal in or nice easy spin, depending on the broken cable. Most likely it won’t be the brake cable that will go.
How do you stretch a cable?
To calculate stretch, a formula can be applied. The formula is (E= (W x G) / D2) . The values derived from this calculator are an approximation, and it is important to remember to keep your units of measure constant. The most common measurement for cable is inches.
Can steel cables stretch?
When a steel wire rope is loaded it becomes longer . This elongation consists of two types of elongation – construction elongation (permanent) and elastic elongation. Elongation due to overloading (yielding) or due to rotation are not dealt with here.
Do longer cables stretch more?
The amount of stretch depends on the load we use and the shape of the material – a long wire will stretch more than a short one and a thin wire will stretch more than a thick one.
How much does cable stretch?
Structural stretch is the lengthening of the lay in the construction of cable and wire rope as the individual wires adjust under load. Structural stretch in Loos and Company products is less than 1% of the total cable length .
How strong is a bike brake cable?
Thickness: Steel cables for brakes and shifting are usually of between 1.1 and 1.5mm diameter, and even the thinnest of such cables has a carrying strength in excess of 250 lbs .
How do you fit bike brake cables?
How do you tighten a brake cable?
How do you tighten bike cables?
- Step 1: Shift into the smallest gear. I also like to drop my cable tension as low as possible. ...
- Step 2: Adjust the high limit screw, usually marked with an “H”. ...
- Step 3: Tension the cable properly. ...
- Step 4: Carefully shift up into the largest gear. ...
- Step 5: Fine adjustments.
How do you know when to replace brake cables?
Do my brake cables need replacing?
Brake cable inner wires wear out over time. Other than obvious fraying, rust or visual wear, you can tell your cables are worn when your braking starts to feel sluggish. If lubricating the housings or brake levers doesn’t help, they’ll likely need replacing .
When should you change bike cables?
Cables should be replaced when they are worn causing the bike functionality to react to that wear and tear. This is every 2,000 to 3,000 miles . Specific damage to the cables or housing is also cause for replacement.
How much does stainless steel wire stretch?
For example, the elastic limit of wire rope made from stainless steel is approximately 60 per cent of the breaking strength . 3. Structural stretch is affected by core size, lay lengths and rope construction.
How do you calculate wire rope?
Formula: SWL (kg) = D2(mm) x 8
For example: Rope dia (D) = 12 mm SWL (kg) = D2 (mm) x 8 = D (mm) x D (mm) x 8 = 12 x 12 x 8 = 1152 kg SWL (t) = 1.15 tonnes The above equation can be reversed to calculate the diameter (D) in millimetres of FSWR needed to lift a given load.
Does braided cable stretch?
Wire rope stretches or elongates under load . As the tension increases, the stretch in the wire rope increases as well.
How does a bicycle brake cable work?
Cables are used for braking on bikes with cable-pull brakes. They consist of two parts: an inner cable of braided stainless steel wire and an outer cable housing, and work by transmitting force using a combination of tension on the inner cable and compression to the housing .
