Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

Ah, thanks! That’s good to know - I have the wheel and tyre off at the moment so I’ll just dab a bit of glue to hold it in place and have a worry-free ride tomorrow evening. The noise is annoying but my main concern was if the rim was about to suddenly unravel spectacularly on me, but it makes sense it’s something used in assembly.

Useful from 0.25 - 6.0mm^2, I think so. £20 for a crimping tool... can’t fault your attention to detail.

Well, question is I suppose both “will this work” but also “and make the ferrule a pleasing shape”, not sure it achieves the second one upon reading the reviews

https://bikepacking.com/gear/forager-cycles-cable-cherries/

solder or super glue on the end of the cable is the most elegant way of ending a cable Imo. and you can take the cable out without having to cut anything like you would with a ferrule

£20 for a crimping tool... can’t fault your attention to detail.

£20 only gets you fairly junky unpredictable no name stuff in the electrical crimping world.

He buy one of these if he really cared:
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/crimp-tools/8034363/

Or more reasonably:
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/crimp-tools/3368078/

https://jagwire.com/products/tools/pro-cable-crimper-and-cutter

Seems a good time to ask... I'm looking for a decent cable cutter.

I have a chunky boi Park Tool CN-10 but it doesn't play nice with compressionless cables - they look fine after cutting but then inner cables will not go through. Maybe it's crushing them somehow during cutting.

I've resorted to using my old pair of Knipex diagonal side cutters which do a good job, but they are so blunt that every housing cut is a wrestling match.

Before I buy another set of those, what's the better option here?

I bought the park tool ones and also wasn’t impressed.
Ended up buying another relatively cheap set in a DIY store and they are way better.

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I don't like that jagwire thing, hard to position the crimpy bit on some short cable ends, I just squish them with the squishy bit on the park tool cutters, then give them an extra little pinch in the middle with the jaw under the squishy bit to make sure they're secure. That's bit for squishing, not bit that is squishy.

Added photos because I'm bored and waiting for someone. In reverse order apparently.

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Park are by far the best cutters I've used, and last ages when used everyday compared to others, although that's less of a concern for home use.

I have Cyclo ones that give me no problems at all, but then I've always assumed that you have to open up the inner plastic sheath with a bradawl to get the inner through (or just push from the factory-cut end to the home-cut end). Using the broadest crimping section to re-round the outer profile also helps. I can't imagine what's going on if the cutter's mangling it so badly that you simply can't get the inner through.

I've never used it but thought it looked good in the video - I'll continue using my method of squishing them with whatever pair of pliers is on hand.

squishing them with whatever pair of pliers is on hand.

Also works well. Doing it like I do means I know I've probably looked at the bike before if the cable ends are like that, if they're not I can safely blame someone else when bits fall off.

I've always assumed that you have to open up the inner plastic sheath with a bradawl to get the inner through

Cheapo cable cutters come with a pointy bit on the side for exactly this purpose. I've always found it a strange omission from more premium ones.

The smallest hex wrench in the set is included purely for the purpose of opening crushed housing liners... They certainly don't do their designed job of tightening tiny hex bolts very well!

Used to be the same as you, animalistic, till I tried these. Now I’ve reached crimping zen.

Access to even shortest cables. They’re very compact.

@Dammit get these

Pleasing dots at the end and they make good noise as well. Satisfaction guaranteed.

For cutters. Knipex 95 61 190. Crispy cuts and satisfying crunch.

I always insert a length of spare inner cable into housing before cutting, helps prevent the lot from deforming too much.

Never had a problem with compressionless with the Park Tool using this method.

slightly concerned that it has never occurred to me to do that. Pro tip right there.

This was taught to me years ago by a mechanic at Cycles Dauphin and it still amazes me how few people know about it. It’s such a good tip.

Bleeding a Shimano st-rs785 and finding the fluid blocking and building up at the reservoir (part in red in below image).

Had the same issue with the left one and it was solved with a gravity bleed but the right one just won't play ball.

The metal cover is held in place with two small flathead screws and has a rubber seal below that seems to create the blockage.

Anyone got any advice?

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I’m far from a pro, but when I first tried this it was a revelation.

The other thing I’ve found is using the same bit of spare inner to ‘floss’ the end of the plastic liner after cutting works much better than poking it with a bradawl/hex key, as the lining becomes smoother and more fluted without getting creased into the inner and concertina-ing.

Thanks for the responses everyone.

@hamrack and @ffm - yes I'm used to opening up squished liners after cutting normal housing (with the cutest hex wrench in my set) but it seems to be a different game with compressionless housing which just seems to be sealed tight shut

@ectoplasmosis - sounds like a great technique to me and I'll test it next time I use my cutters

also @snottyotter thanks for the photo montage of your crimping technique - it'll look neater than my current technique

This is the flossing technique.

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Not sure if this is exactly the right thread, soz:

Is this enough clearance between sticky-out bit for inner ring and the chain stays? It’s about 1mm or so, but surely there’s not much flex going to occur there?

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