Friction tape on cable housing ends beat my crimps after 2 months

I kept fighting frayed shift cables on my commuter bike in Portland, and those little metal ends never stayed put. A shop vet told me to wrap the housing tip with a thin layer of friction tape before the final cut, and it locks everything in place. Has anyone else tried this instead of ferrules on budget builds?

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kelly38519d ago

Frustrating as hell, right? I had the same problem on my winter bike last year, snapped three ferrules in two months before I tried the tape trick. I wrap about half an inch of friction tape around the housing before I cut it, then peel it back and use a sharp blade to get a clean edge. It adds just enough grip so the cable doesn't chew through the end, and I haven't touched it since.