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Brake and gear housing look alike and are built completely differently

The best bike cables and housing for 2026

The two housings are not interchangeable and the difference is structural: brake housing is coiled steel that resists the crushing force of braking, while gear housing is longitudinal strands that do not compress lengthwise, which is what keeps indexed shifting accurate. Use one for the other and the system either feels spongy or shifts vaguely. We compare construction, inner wire diameter (commonly 1.1 mm (0.04 in) for gear and 1.5 mm (0.06 in) for brake) and length, coated wires, and which ferrules and end caps are supplied.

By

What we recommend

  1. Shimano gear cable coiled with its end cap

    SHIMANO Gear cable, 1.2 mm (0.05 in) × 2100 mm (82.7 in)

    The cheapest item in the European catalog of this site: a genuine Shimano gear cable at 1.2 mm (0.05 in) × 2100 mm (82.7 in), galvanized and supplied with an end cap.

    Diameter
    1.2 mm (0.05 in)
    Length
    2100 mm (82.7 in)
    Finish
    Galvanized
    Included
    End cap, usable front or rear
    Amazon reference
    B0013UQ0RI (identical on 6 markets)
    EAN
    0641702425045
    • Rank 399, and the cheapest thing on this entire site
    • A genuine Shimano part, so the nipple shape and diameter are correct for Shimano shifters
    • A cable only — no housing, no ferrules beyond the single end cap

    Best for: A gear cable replacement on a Shimano drivetrain, which is one of the cheapest ways to restore shifting.

    ≈ $10
    Check price on Amazon
  2. Jagwire CEX black 5 mm bicycle brake cable housing roll

    Jagwire CEX brake housing, 5 mm (0.20 in), 15.2 m (50 ft) roll

    A 15.2 meter (49.9 ft) roll of 5 mm (0.20 in) spiral-wound brake cable housing with thirty end caps, for brake systems only.

    Use
    Brake only — not for shift cables, per Jagwire
    Construction
    Spiral wound, with a plastic liner
    External diameter
    5 mm (0.20 in)
    Length
    50 ft (15.2 m) — about five bikes
    End caps
    30, 5 mm (0.20 in)
    Weight
    907 g (32 oz) — double the 15.2 m (50 ft) shift roll
    Price per meter
    $1.78
    Origin
    Taiwan
    Designation
    Jagwire CEX
    Inner cable
    Not included
    Internal diameter
    Not published
    Amazon reference
    B082Y77712
    EAN
    0745245215290
    • Names its construction and forbids the wrong use, in one bullet
    • Its 907 g (32 oz) against the shift roll’s 454 g (16 oz) confirms the structure
    • Housing only — brake inner wire is a separate purchase

    Best for: A workshop or a cluster of bikes, where housing is cut from a roll

    Check price on Amazon
  3. Gemtte bike cable set with inner cables, housing and ferrules

    Gemtte Brake and gear cable set, 2 sets

    Two complete brake and gear cable sets with housing, in PVC-covered carbon steel with double-ended nipples so one cable fits either lever type.

    Contents
    2 sets of brake and gear cables with housing
    Materials
    PVC outer, carbon steel wire
    Nipples
    Double-ended, universal
    Amazon reference
    B0CNPGPHTQ (identical on 5 markets)
    EAN
    0717522803681
    • Complete sets with housing, not inner cables alone
    • Double-ended nipples, so one cable serves drop-bar and flat-bar levers
    • Not listed on the US market

    Best for: Recabling a whole bike cheaply, on a machine where new cables and housing will transform how it feels.

    Search Amazon for this model
  4. Jagwire LEX 4 mm bicycle shift cable housing roll

    Jagwire LEX shift housing, 4 mm (0.16 in), 15.2 m (50 ft) roll

    A 15.2 meter (49.9 ft) roll of linear-strand shift cable housing with fifty end caps, for derailleur systems only.

    Use
    Shift only — not for brakes, per Jagwire
    Construction
    Straight inner wire strands, plastic liner
    Diameter
    CONFLICTING — 4 mm (0.16 in) in the title, 5 mm (0.20 in) in bullet 2
    End caps
    50, 4 mm (0.16 in)
    Length
    50 ft (15.2 m) — about five bikes
    Weight
    454 g (16 oz) — half the 15.2 m (50 ft) brake roll
    Price per meter
    $1.78
    Origin
    Taiwan
    Designation
    Jagwire LEX
    Inner cable
    Not included
    Minimum bend radius
    Not published
    Amazon reference
    B082Y5K93V
    EAN
    0745245215306
    • Names its construction and forbids brake use, in its own words
    • 454 g (16 oz) against the brake roll’s 907 g (32 oz) — the structure, made measurable
    • Says 4 mm (0.16 in) in the title and 5 mm (0.20 in) in a bullet

    Best for: A workshop cutting shift housing to length, more than once a year

    Check price on Amazon
  5. Hyakoz cable and housing set with ferrules, end caps and frame donuts

    Hyakoz Cable and housing set with ferrules and donuts

    The most complete cable set here: two sets in PVC and stainless steel with 2 m (7 ft) of housing, plus the ferrules, end caps and frame donuts.

    Contents
    2 sets, cable and housing, front and rear
    Materials
    PVC outer, stainless steel wire
    Housing length
    2 m (7 ft)
    Small parts
    End caps, ferrules, O-ring donuts
    Amazon reference
    B0BDR5DSX6 (identical on 5 markets)
    EAN
    0721805878259
    • Stainless steel inner wire rather than carbon steel, so no corrosion inside the housing
    • The small parts are included — ferrules, end caps and frame donuts
    • The most expensive cable set here

    Best for: A recable done properly, where the ferrules and donuts you would otherwise have to source separately are in the box.

    Search Amazon for this model
  6. Shimano black brake cable and housing set with ferrules

    SHIMANO Brake set: 5 mm (0.20 in) housing, 2 × 1.6 mm (0.08 × 0.06 in) cables

    A complete brake cable set with 2,200 mm (86.6 in) of 5 mm (0.20 in) housing and two stainless 1.6 mm (0.06 in) inner cables of different lengths.

    Use
    Brake, road or mountain
    Housing
    Ø 5 mm (0.20 in), 2,200 mm (86.6 in), slick polymer lined
    Inner cables
    2 × Ø 1.6 mm (0.06 in) stainless — 1,000 mm (39.4 in) and 2,050 mm (80.7 in)
    Ferrules
    4
    Cable tips
    2
    Weight
    45 g (1.6 oz)
    Price
    $15.49 for a whole bike
    Frame donuts
    Not included
    Ferrule diameter
    Not published
    Bend radius
    Not published
    Amazon reference
    B0050LUBZ8
    EAN
    0689228603004
    • Every length and diameter published — five figures and two counts
    • Two different cable lengths, so neither has to be cut down to size
    • No frame donuts, which the Hyakoz set on this shelf includes

    Best for: Rebraking one bike completely, front and rear, in a single purchase

    Check price on Amazon
  7. Corki black bicycle shifter cable and housing set

    corki Shift set: 4 mm (0.16 in) housing, 2 × 1.1 mm (0.08 × 0.04 in) cables

    A complete derailleur cable set with two PVC-coated 1.1 mm (0.04 in) stainless inner cables and 4 mm (0.16 in) linear-strand housing.

    Use
    Shift / derailleur
    Housing
    4 mm (0.16 in), reinforced linear strand
    Housing length
    CONFLICTING — 2,000 mm (78.7 in) in bullet 3, 2,500 mm (98.4 in) in bullet 4
    Inner cables
    2 × 1.1 mm (0.08 × 0.04 in) stainless, PVC coated, 2,100 mm (82.7 in) each
    Also includes
    Clips, ferrules, cable end crimps — counts not given
    Total weight
    121 g (4.3 oz)
    Compatibility
    SRAM and Shimano derailleurs
    Price
    $11.49 — the cheapest of the American sets here
    Fitting instructions
    Two full bullets, including crimping
    Ferrule count
    Not published
    Amazon reference
    B07JLWSF82
    EAN
    0192594209485
    • The cheapest complete set on this page, at $11.49
    • Names its construction — linear strand — which is the shift standard
    • Publishes two different housing lengths, 500 mm (19.7 in) apart

    Best for: Re-cabling the gears on one bike cheaply, after measuring the old housing

    Check price on Amazon

For whom, within cables and housing

Stiff shifting
A derailleur that shifts up badly or a brake that returns slowly almost always points at the housing, not the mechanism.
Exposed bike
Water and mud get in at the ends and corrode the cable inside the housing. Replacement becomes periodic.
Internal routing
An internally routed cable is far harder to replace. Continuous housing or a draw wire make the job easier.

What each advantage costs, on cables and housing

Brake housing against gear housing
Brake housing is spiral-wound and compresses; gear housing has longitudinal strands and does not compress. Swapping them throws everything off.
Stainless cable against coated
A coated cable slides better and its coating can flake off inside the housing. Bare stainless is simpler and takes more effort.
A clean cut against the tool
Ordinary pliers crush the housing and leave an unusable end. A cable-housing cutter is the only tool that cuts cleanly.

Before buying cables and housing

Can brake housing be used for a derailleur?

No. Gear housing does not compress lengthwise, brake housing does. Swapping them makes adjustment impossible.

My derailleur shifts up badly — where does the problem come from?

Almost always from clogged housing or a corroded cable. Redoing the control fixes the great majority of these cases.

How do I cut housing cleanly?

With a dedicated cable-housing cutter. Ordinary pliers crush the end, which will no longer bear correctly in the stop.

Do I need ferrules?

On every end of housing, yes: they spread the load and stop the housing splaying. Cable end caps prevent fraying.

Should the cable be greased?

A light film on the part that slides inside the housing, without excess. Too much grease attracts dust and ends up dragging.

How often should they be replaced?

When the action becomes stiff or vague, or after a winter in the rain. There is no universal interval.

How do I route an internal cable?

By leaving the old cable in place as a draw wire, or with a magnetic guide. Removing the old one without preparation makes the job much harder.

Should a new cable be greased?

With lined housing, no: grease holds dust and does the opposite of what is wanted. With bare housing, a light film of thin oil is justified.

What to remember about cables and housing

Brake and gear housing cannot be swapped: one compresses, the other does not. A vague derailleur almost always points at the housing, cut it cleanly with the dedicated cutter — and keep the old cable as a draw wire on internal routing.

A quick look at cables and housing

  • Weight: 45 to 907, on 3 of the 7 models.

Cables and housing, side by side

There is no table here, and the reason is in the listings. The figure published most often across these 7 products is use, given by 4 of them — short of the four in five a column needs to compare rather than to display gaps. Each product page says what its own maker published.

Sources and how we rank

Specifications: manufacturer sheets for bike gear and the matching Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa.

Most recent revision in this category: October 6, 2026.

How we assess cables and housing

Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.