I need some cables and housings

[jamesdart]

I m not into brakes or derailuers so this is new to me. I need brake and shifter cables and housings for a schwinn varsity frame im building up. I'm only running the rear derailleur and id need the small diameter housing to use the factory guides.
Are they sold by size? Or is this road bike cable? Only shop around here sucks so I have to order my stuff.

 

[Raoul Dude]

Cables and housings are pretty basic: brake cables and brake housings are usually larger in diameter because there's more force involved, shifter cables and shift housings are usually smaller.

They're usually sold by name, not size, unless someone has a much newer frame with cable guides that only work with smaller housings. (If your Varsity is pre-2000 and made of steel, this won't be a problem.)

The biggest difference with "road bike cables" is how the BRAKES use differently shaped ends to attach to the brake lever:

On the left is a "road bike cable end" and on the right is a "mountain bike cable end" (which also fits a LOT of newer cruiser brake levers.)

In the picture is a "universal brake cable" with both ends -- you just cut off the end you DON'T need and toss it in the trash.

 

[jamesdart]

So any shifter cable will fit the varsity guides?

It's an old one. I'm thinking 60s.
I only kept frame and crank.

 

[Raoul Dude]

Any shifter cable HOUSING should fit the Varsity guides, depending on how we want to define "fit."

Some newer housings may be a bit too SMALL for the guides and rattle when you hit a bump. I solved that problem on a newer beach cruiser with about two wraps of electrical tape around the housing where it goes through each guide.

(Without going into a detailed explanation of why new shift cable housing is different, it works better for indexed shifting when there are long lengths of cable & housing. With a vintage, non-indexed derailleur on a road bike, the housing won't affect shifting.)

 

[jamesdart]

Cool. I ordered some stuff. Let's see if I can make this work

 

[handyandy1100]

I recently had my first experience and "wiring" deraillures and shifters together.

Lots of help here at RRB and also at this site:
www.sheldonbrown.com/gearing/index.html