Cable Types:

Standard Brake Cable.

Bicycle brake cables are usually sold as a kit.  Both ends of the inner cable have a different lead barrel molded on them.  One end fits BMX and mountain bike levers and the other end fits 10 speeds or road bike levers.  There is a plastic coated outer cable housing (flat wound steel) and a brake button in between the cable ends.  Brake cables are not all the same quality.  Buy cable that has Teflon lined housing.  Slick or stainless steel inner cables are even better.  Stay away from unlined housing - it rusts or corrodes easily.

Gyro or Oryg Cables.

These are specially made to fit rotor systems.  Usually they come with adapters to fit Odyssey Gyro Rotors or SST Oryg Rotors.  The top cable comes in different lengths and the bottom cable in different lengths and styles.  It's best to bring in the old cable so you get the correct new one.

Standard Derailleur Cable.

Bicycle derailleur cables are usually sold as a kit.  Both ends of the inner cable have a different lead barrel molded on them.  One end fits old Schwinn shift levers and the other end fits almost all modern shift levers.  There is a plastic coated outer cable housing (flat wound steel) between the cable ends.  Derailleur cables are not all the same quality.  Buy cable that has Teflon lined housing.  Stay away from unlined housing - it rusts or corrodes easily.  Note:  standard derailleur cables do not work well for SIS (Shimano Index System) shift levers or Grip Shifters.  Use SIS Cables instead.

SIS Derailleur Cable.

SIS (Shimano Index System) cables can be purchased as kit that usually includes everything necessary to assemble both front and rear derailleur cables.  But it is best if you bring your old cable housing to a bike shop and have new ones cut to fit your bicycle.  Most bicycle shops will do this for you.  This type of cable is made differently from standard cables to make it compressionless.  It comes in two diameters 4mm and 5mm.  Use the same size as the original cables on the bicycle.  If necessary the two sizes can be interchanged.  The 4mm cable uses plastic ferrules and the 5mm uses chrome plated brass SIS ferrules.  Do NOT use the thin plated brass ferrules made for brake cables.  SIS cables must be cut with SIS cable cutters.  They can also be cut with a dremel cutoff tool.  Do not cut them with regular wire cutters.  You should use either slick or stainless inner wires.

Cable Accessories:

Brake Ferrules.

These are thin chrome plated brass cable ferrules.  They fit 5mm standard flat wound brake or derailleur cables.  Do not use on 5mm SIS Cable!

SIS Cable Ferrules.

These come in two types.  5mm chrome plated brass ferrules that fit 5mm SIS cable and 4mm plastic ferrules that fit 4mm SIS cable.

Cable Fray Caps.

These are little aluminum caps that fit over the cut end of the inner cable.  They keep the cable from fraying.