Cheap Cable Splitters please

[LEE]

Rohloffs (and bikes that 'break' via couplings) use cable splitters/joiners.

They look like £2 items but it seems they are usually much more than this (12 quid +P&P !)

Does anyone know of a cheap supplier?

[Chris N]

They look like £12 parts to me.  Specialist, low volume, nicely machined, stainless steel components.

[clarion]

I'm sure there are more basic units available.  they look quite complex.

[LEE]

I'm sure there are more basic units available.  they look quite complex.

They push together and twist apart.  Quick operation.

Actually I suppose it's the grub-screws I need as the allan key is so tiny that it's difficult not to round the female allen key 'shoulders'.

A flat head screwdriver head would be better.  Source of tiny grub-screws anyone?

[rr]

Stagonset

[PhilO]

Stagonset

You'll chew up a slotted screw much more easily than an Allen fitting IME. Just use a good quality Allen key of the right size...

ETA: Drat! Beaten to it!     

[Ian H]

I'm sure there are more basic units available.  they look quite complex.

They push together and twist apart.  Quick operation.

Actually I suppose it's the grub-screws I need as the allan key is so tiny that it's difficult not to round the female allen key 'shoulders'.

A flat head screwdriver head would be better.  Source of tiny grub-screws anyone?

Allen keys can be ground down to make a new hexagonal face. This can be done several times. A bodge, if no grinding wheel is available, is to hammer the end of the allen key to peen the corners out. Similarly, tapping the face of an allen screw will rescue it enough to be removed.

[LEE]

Stagonset

Perfect.

Thanks all.  I'll treat myself to 10

[Biggsy]

You'll chew up a slotted screw much more easily than an Allen fitting IME.

Not always with the tiniest Allen key fittings, IME.  Allen-head grub screws on cartridge brake blocks round extremely easily, for example.  Slotted screw heads can take more torque than these.

[PH]

If you replace the grub screws with socket head cap screws you can use a larger allan key.  And even if you do then round it there'll be something to get purchase on with a pair of mole grips or vice.  With cold hands it also makes them easier to grip when joining.

On a similar subject, a useful addition to a Rohloff toolkit is a couple of electrical connectors (Terminal block?) I used one to join the cables after breaking the spring part of the fitting, was fine for a few hundred miles.  The spring broke because it hadn’t been used in months and was full of hardened crud, lesson learned.

[LEE]

Thanks all.

I used a mix of your advice.  Stagonset was a great call, I have bags of bolts in various sizes now.

PH. I found that one socket head screw (6mm M4) is perfect for adding a bit of purchase (the bayonets are a bugger with cold/wet/oily hands, which are the typical conditions when I have to fix a flat)

Finished result (this will be of interest to about 4 people world-wide)

[Nick H.]

Have SJS stopped selling these things? I need some because I'm building a bike with S&S couplers, but all I can find on the SJS site is these:

Thorn Cable Connector for Bare Inner Wire Gear

Thorn Cable Connector for Bare Inner Wire Brake

They seem a bit wasteful on cable, because one half of the connector wants a nipple. Doesn't that mean you have to buy two whole cables for each connector? I'd rather cut a cable and secure the ends with grub screws like LEE.

[Simon Galgut]

Finished result (this will be of interest to about 4 people world-wide)

I'm one. Who are the other three?

[LEE]

Have SJS stopped selling these things? I need some because I'm building a bike with S&S couplers, but all I can find on the SJS site is these:

Thorn Cable Connector for Bare Inner Wire Gear

Thorn Cable Connector for Bare Inner Wire Brake

They seem a bit wasteful on cable, because one half of the connector wants a nipple. Doesn't that mean you have to buy two whole cables for each connector? I'd rather cut a cable and secure the ends with grub screws like LEE.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Rohloff-Rohloff-Bayonet-Connectors-for-Gear-Cables-1-Male-1-Female-8274-11743.htm

Far from cheap though.

[Nick H.]

Aha. They look very nifty.  Do you know how they differ from the ones that Moulton use?

Here they are. They cost £9.74 + p&p. They look easy to operate. How is the cable attached to the top half:



Looks like you have to twist the cable by several turns when you connect them though. For that reason I think I prefer the Rohloff ones.

[Simon Galgut]

Aha. They look very nifty.  Do you know how they differ from the ones that Moulton use?

Here they are. They cost £9.74 + p&p. They look easy to operate. How is the cable attached to the top half:



Looks like you have to twist the cable by several turns when you connect them though. For that reason I think I prefer the Rohloff ones.

The half that doesn't have a grub screw uses another cable - the nipple sits in the barrel, so the cable doesn't twist.

[Nick H.]

So you either have to use 2 cables where normally one would do - or attach nipples yourself? Is this easily done with lightweight tools, e.g. miniature pliers? And is it safe?

[Simon Galgut]

My Raven S&S uses these for the rear brake as well as the Rohloff. I don't think I'd trust a cable that I had bodged together with pliers.

[Nick H.]

Yes...just one more thing to go wrong, innit? The Rohloff splitters are looking like good value despite the price.

[Simon Galgut]

Just one more point. You cannot use the Rohloff splitters for brakes - they will pull apart when braking if you do. 

[Nick H.]

Ah! Thanks for telling me! What do you think's best for the brake cable?

[julk]

Fit the £9.74 + p&p cable splitter as pictured above, put between the arms of the rear V brake you can then disconnect the noodle from the arm of the rear brake for S&S dismantling of the frame.

Yes it does seem a waste as it requires an extra inner cable cut very short, but it works.

[Nick H.]

Instead of using an extra cable how about a solderless nipple?



But I'm not sure it would fit in the Moulton sleeve when it's attached to a cable, would it?

[sbseven]

Thorn Cable Connector for Bare Inner Wire Brake

They seem a bit wasteful on cable, because one half of the connector wants a nipple. Doesn't that mean you have to buy two whole cables for each connector? I'd rather cut a cable and secure the ends with grub screws like LEE.

I have one of these on my Nomad's rear V-brake. TBH, when I next change my rear brake cable, I'll be ditching this part. For the number of times I'll use the S+S couplings, it's easy enough to remove the brake cable wire from the arm and re-attached it (along with all the other bits) when putting the bike back together again.

If you want to use the part you could buy a double-nippled brake cable. Something like this, I suppose.

Shaun