Bike brake cable Black Friday: discount kits

Which brake cables and housings to buy during Black Friday?

A lever that sticks, spongy braking, or a cable fraying under tension indicate it's time to rewire. This is a good opportunity to replace both the cable and housing all at once, whether on one bike or multiple: rim brakes, road calipers, mechanical discs, and drum brakes all work with cables. Changing only the cable in worn housing never achieves the smoothness of a new setup.

Kit, workshop box, or individual cable: compare discounts

• The kit includes cables, housing, and ends for one bike, sometimes for both front and rear: it’s the simplest solution for an individual.
• The workshop box, containing 10, 25, 50, or 100 cables, is for workshops, clubs, and families that maintain several bikes.
• The individual cable is handy after a breakage, provided the housing is still relatively new.

To assess a discount, compare the old price and the promotional price against the actual content: number of cables, length of each, presence or absence of the housing and ends. A workshop box and a kit for one bike can only be compared once related to the price of a single cable.

The mentions to read before confirming

The head first: pear-shaped for road levers, barrel-shaped for flat bar levers, with versions specific to Campagnolo; some cables come with both heads, and you cut off the one you don't use. Next is the diameter: 1.5 or 1.6 mm for a brake cable, versus about 1.1 mm for a derailleur cable, which the page also offers in some 4 mm kits. Finally, the material: galvanized for general use, stainless steel against corrosion, polished known as slick or coated with PTFE or polymer for a smoother lever feel. The number of strands, 1x19 or 7x7, affects the flexibility of the cable.

Levers, calipers and other useful pages

The page for bike brake cables explains all year round how to assemble and cut the housing. A new setup can be assessed with its brake levers during Black Friday and, on rims, with pads in good condition. The selections road, MTB and BMX categorize the cables by use. The clearance and new items complete the offer outside of special promotions.

Which brands of brake cables during Black Friday?

Shimano sells its stainless steel and PTFE SUS cables in boxes of 50 or 100, along with complete sets that include stainless steel cable ends and housing ends.

Velox indicates on each box the cable lengths, from 0.80 to 3 m, and the type of brake targeted: road, city, MTB or cantilever.

Elvedes, a Dutch manufacturer, specifies for each cable its construction, 1x19 or 7x7 strands, its Slick finish, and the format of its head, and also sells brass housing stops in packs of 150.

Sram offers its Slickwire kits for road and MTB, available in black or white, with matching cable, housing and ends.

Transfil, a French cable manufacturer, provides Slick stainless steel cables in packs of 20, compatible with Shimano and Sram levers, as well as galvanized cables in boxes of 25 or 100.

Frequently asked questions

Is a workshop box suitable for an individual?

Yes, if you maintain several bikes or ride a lot: cables store well in a dry place. Just check that the head and length are suitable for your levers and that you have housing and ends, which are often missing from boxes.

How to distinguish a brake housing from a derailleur housing?

The brake housing, usually 5 mm thick, is made of a steel wire wound in a spiral. The derailleur housing, thinner, aligns strands along its length and must never be used for a brake: it may burst under strain.

What cable length to consider?

A cable that's too long can be cut down, while a cable that's too short cannot be lengthened. Allow for extra length for the rear, especially on a large frame, an electric bike, or a tandem, which sometimes require cables of 2.5 to 3 m.

When are Black Friday promotions on brake cables?

Originating in the United States on the day after Thanksgiving, a Friday, Black Friday at Vélo-Store marks discounts on cables and housings valid throughout November. It’s an opportunity to change both front and rear together: both wear out at the same rate, both levers will feel the same and the housings only need to be replaced once.

Is a PTFE-coated cable worth the difference?

Its coating reduces friction in the housing: the effort at the lever decreases and braking can be modulated more finely, especially on a long or highly curved setup. For a city bike with a short setup, a regular stainless steel cable is usually sufficient.