Recent Posts

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British Bikes / Re: A10 front brake cables
« Last post by iansoady on April 05, 2025, 10:06:25 AM »
Agree, silver solder needs far to high a heat. And plumber's solder isn't ideal as it has a period where it is soft but neither moleten nor solid. Tinman's solder is the stiff - 60% tin, 40% lead (known as eutectic). I've used multicore for decades with no problems.
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British Bikes / Re: A10 front brake cables
« Last post by Vreagh on April 05, 2025, 09:49:38 AM »
I have a cheap 240v chineseium solder pot, splay the cable strands, dip into the Baker's fluid and into the molten plumbers solder. Allow to cool then a good clean to get rid of the corrosive Baker's fluid and trim off any wayward splayed strands etc. The pot is also useful for soldering wiring bullet connectors but using wiring solder and non-corrosive flux.
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British Bikes / Re: A10 front brake cables
« Last post by Rex on April 05, 2025, 09:15:02 AM »
Silver solder? I'd never use that as the heat required will de-temper the cable.
Good old plumber's solder for me, just as originally done.
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British Bikes / Re: A10 front brake cables
« Last post by R on April 05, 2025, 01:57:57 AM »
The strands in the cable MUST be splayed out enough before soldering that they can't pull through,
like you say.

I silver solder those squidgy little nipples, if they look like they may not be strong enough.
Care must be taken that the metal doesn't run back up the cable, or it will not be flexible enough.
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British Bikes / Re: A10 front brake cables
« Last post by iansoady on April 04, 2025, 09:45:51 AM »
I agree entirely. However, a front brake might not be the ideal first attempt......

One of the first jobs I usually do on any newly purchased bike is to make up new control cables as they're invariably the wrong length, kinked, have their plastic coat damaged, have loose ferrules and inevitably have never been lubricated. How people ride with cables like these I'll never know.

Many years ago I went to one of the VMCC "try a vintage bike" days at Curborough. One of the bikes was a tatty Ariel 500. When I'd finished my stint I tried to pull up next to the owner and the front brake nipple pulled off. He berated me for wrecking his bike. I did point out that I might have saved his life as it was better to happen when it did than when he needed to stop in ahurry.
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British Bikes / Re: A10 front brake cables
« Last post by Rex on April 03, 2025, 09:27:42 PM »
Flux, along with absolute cleanliness, that's most important.
Learn how to do it and you'll never have an ill-fitting cable again.
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British Bikes / Re: A10 front brake cables
« Last post by R on April 02, 2025, 10:19:23 PM »
I've just done this for something obscure where nothing is available off the shelf.
You take an old bit of outer, and run it in wide curves from the handlebar lever to
the brake anchor point, and measure. And with a bit of string, run from the handlebar lever,
and run in those same wide curves, to the brake lever anchor point, and measure.
That gives you the inner and outer lengths.
And figure out what fittings this will need at each end, to tell your maker.

I then went and bought a suitable cable which I knew was longer, and trimmed it down to suit.
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/VZIAAOSwRg5gGMH2/s-l1600.jpg
Being able to solder made this easier - its not difficult.
Getting the solder to actually stick is the trick - flux is important !

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British Bikes / Re: A10 front brake cables
« Last post by rgsjohn on April 02, 2025, 08:43:50 AM »
The problem for me is that I can't solder. John what are the dimensions? I could get one made if I knew that
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British Bikes / Re: A10 front brake cables
« Last post by chaterlea25 on April 01, 2025, 08:45:29 PM »
Hi John,
I would say its different ?
Mine is home made  ::)

John
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The Classic Biker Bar / Re: Locknut
« Last post by murdo on March 16, 2025, 08:39:52 PM »
Thank you for the replies. I am putting tapered roller bearings in the headstem and need a locknut to hold the tension when fitting the top plate.
Thanks Rex but I would hate to think of the price of a tap to use once. I will cut a thread in some bar stock with my lathe.
1951 G2 Bullet trials.
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