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Hot take: Soldering cable ends is actually better than crimps
I always thought soldering shift cable ends was a waste of time. Crimps are quick and easy, right? Been doing that for years. But last week I was fighting with a frayed cable on a customer's touring bike. After three crimps popped off in a row I grabbed my cheap soldering iron. Melted some flux core solder on the tip and dipped the cable end in. That thing has not budged one bit. Solid as a rock. Now I'm soldering every cable I do. Kinda mad I resisted for so long. Anyone else make the switch and never go back?
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xenarobinson1mo agoMost Upvoted
oh man, i had the exact same stubborn attitude for way too long. i was always a crimp-only person on my own bikes because it's just what everyone says to do, right? then i did a tandem build and those shift cables are stupid long and under way more tension. first crimp job lasted like two hard shifts before it started pulling through. soldered that sucker and it's been flawless for over a year now. honestly the only downside is i have to be more careful trimming the cable at the shifter now because it won't fray into a brush anymore, small price to pay for zero popped ends.
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perry.lee1mo ago
Yeah that tandem story really hit home for me. I did a touring tandem for a couple back in 2019 and those shift cables are absolutely nuts. Crimps just don't hold the same way when you're dealing with that much cable and tension. I switched over to soldering all my brake and shift ends after that build and honestly I wish I had done it sooner. The only thing I'd add is that a cheap butane torch makes the job way easier than a soldering iron, at least in my experience. Your mileage may vary on that one but it's worth trying if you're still using an iron.
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