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Full Housing yes or no?

2K views 14 replies 14 participants last post by  DirtGash 
#1 ·
Hey guys. Since I got new shifters and derailleurs today, should I go full housing or not? Someone told me not to because he said less housing = less friction. That makes sense to me. But I'm looking for your input on this.


Is this recommended for brakes at all?


Thanks.
 
#2 ·
The consensus here seems to be go full length. I must say I don't have first hand experience with this, I'm passing what I've read here. There is a small weight penalty, but there is actually less friction, since the cable at the end points does never points straight and the cable rubs in the ferrules. This causes more friction than the additional housing which would prevent this. I can notice it on my cables which are teflon coated. The coating near the ferrules has disappeared because of this. The other advantage of going full length is that there is much less points of entry of dirt in the system, which means that the cables will run smoother for longer. You may have to drill your frame cable stops to fit a full length housing through there. Another option is to run a continuous liner and discountinuous housing. That's a mid term which I plan to use on my bike.
 
#3 ·
Go full-length! I call BS on that age-old friction argument. Full-length housing = less places to get gunk/dirt in the system (at the various ferrules), and that alone hugely negates any miniscule additional friction induced by full-length housing or liner. Full-length rocks - you will not regret it.

Cheers, Chris
 
#5 · (Edited)
until they make a direct cable for a front derailluer i think we will all have to live with it.

i have 2 bikes:

one a HT which uses cable stops, shifting is very very smooth and always perfectly in gear ... housing used XT.

the other FS, full housing, shifting is now smooth after and only after i had to spray some some lub into the housing ... housing used transfil (cheapest i could find) ... maybe the transfil housing that i got is meant for cable stops, but it was sticky, even new, it is now fine but still not as perfect as my XTs with cable stops ... i will try XTs/Gore/Flak Jacs full housing at the next change.

and with the FS, as I am using a low normal rear derailleur, meaning it is not direct cable into the rear derailleur, on compression of the rear triangle, the cable is pulled such that the loop just before the derailleur gets tighter, and I have to keep an eye on it. I had to custom make some tie downs to prevent that. if you use sram/shadow you will not have this additional conumdrum.

bottom line: your choice
 
#6 ·
There are those new Shimano front derailleurs that do have an integral cable stop for a full length cable... just have to wait until the summer. And of course you'd have to have the braze on adapter on your frame. :rolleyes:

Certainly if you ride in wet and gritty or sloppy conditions the full length housing or the housing kits that have the continuous sealed tubing between the frame cable stops will keep the cables running smoothly a lot longer and that will trump a bit of extra friction. SRAM had a nice inexpensive sealed cable kit that came and went without much fanfare but they worked very well and had basic black tubing instead of yellow or red like the Gore Ride-On or Avid Flak jacket system. XTR cable kits come with the plastic ferrules with the extended tubes that would fit a sealed tube, but they never came with the tubing.
 

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#7 ·
bobsaget said:
Hey guys. Since I got new shifters and derailleurs today, should I go full housing or not? Someone told me not to because he said less housing = less friction. That makes sense to me. But I'm looking for your input on this.

Is this recommended for brakes at all?

Thanks.
Too many variables here (cableset, routing, frame, weather, shifters, derailleurs) so you will get many different answers. If you ride in mucky and rainy conditions full length is the only way to go. My favorite cableset of all time are the Goretex ones, they used a full length inner housing and a conventional outer so you get the best of both worlds and they run ultra smooth. But they are $65 now and out of my price range.

The quality of the housing and cables you use will affect your results but in general you will get some additional friction with full length housing, nothing you can't live with unless you are ultra picky. Shimano XTR are my 2nd favorite cableset but for full length setups I try to avoid teflon coated cables because they seem to flake off and gum up the works, non-coated stainless cables work best for me.
 
#9 ·
rainy/muddy and not so fond of keeping your sh!t clean??? = full housings (but you have to get creative w/ the routing...)

dry/sunny and meticulous about keeping your bling shiny???= traditional routing

I ran full length on my current setup and plan on running full on my next (hopefully next week!!!!). I picked up some Avid Flak Jackets to try out (mixed reviews on the board), but hey they were on sale... Otherwise dremel out those cable stops and maybe use the zip-tie/vinyl tube method and ride through the slop!!
 
#13 ·
I went full housing after my RD jammed in a race from sand getting in the cable housing on my first lap. Shift has been perfect ever since. I'm glad I went with the full housing too. A month later I rode where the was a lot of mud. I had 1/4 in thick of this clay mud stuck to my down tube.
 
#14 ·
I switched to full housing runs a few years ago on the bikes that have the guides for it, still use interrupted runs on the other bikes as I don't want to bother. Like others said, wet and mucky conditions it's just going to be smoother longer. I've not noticed any friction issues. You will likely need to be more vigilant about housing rubbing your frame (not just for aesthetics, it can wear right thru the frame given the right conditions long enough).
 
#15 ·
If you're basing your decision on easier to maintain, stick with traditional, but if it is based on your riding conditions then: if it's muddy and full of goo run full housing, if you are in a desert, or dry scape, no need for it. Either way regular maintaince of your cables is the true and only way to keep them shifiting butter smooth. Full housing is more of a task to get them properly lube. With traditional it takes minutes to wipe and give the cables a quick lube, plus easier to keep an eye on their condition. Only takes a slight kink or fray in your cable to kill your shifting.
 
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