The 7 Best Shifter outer Cables (2023 reviews)

We consider a shifter outer cable to be a worthy investment in the long run. We are here to help you choose the right one for your purposes from all the best available products in market today.

Our review process: Show/Hide

Our Top Picks:

Best Overall: Buy: Jagwire Shifter outer Cable READ REVIEW

Best For an old MTB: Buy: Shimano Cable Housing READ REVIEW

Best For housings: Buy: Boao Shifter outer Cable READ REVIEW

Best For Gear Shifter: Buy: Shimano Shifter outer Cable READ REVIEW

Best For many cheaper bikes: Buy: Dhieong Shifter outer Cable READ REVIEW

Best For Mountain Bike: Buy: CNC Shifter outer Cable READ REVIEW

Best Feature: Easy To install: Buy: Qicfrk Shifter outer Cable READ REVIEW

Best Overall: Jagwire Shifter outer Cable

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For smooth shifting you must have good & well lubed cables, housings, shifters & derailleurs. High carbon stainless steel is magnetic and much higher strength than common stainless steel like 18-8 used for silverware. The Brake cables contain a little iron in order to increase the stiffness and tensile strength. They are heavy duty, and the ends don't fray, even after many times through the housing.

These are very nicely finished stainless cables. The excess wire will be more than adequate for your needs with a derailleur. It is great replacement for cable driven components. The shifting system feels almost new with this cable.

• Great replacement for shimano ultegra shifter
• Super slick, better down shifting than campy
• Good extra length for generic installation
• Full length and high quality cables

Best For an old MTB: Shimano Cable Housing

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This cable lasts longer than sram, and jag wire cables. It comes with plenty of length and extra end caps. This is necessary when running cables inside bike framing. These Shimano cables cut nice and clean with them. It is really good quality cable and housing. It is long enough and has ends in there. This is very easy to install, enough length to make it fit properly and able to replace both cables with ease.

• Good investment for long term
• Lot of satisfied buyers

Best For housings: Boao Shifter outer Cable

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The Bike Shift derailleur cable and brake cable are made of pvc and stainless steel material, heat and rust resistant, they are durable to use for a long while, providing smooth use experience to your riding trip. They look good and preform well with minimal stretch. The shells in the kit are cut with some type of shear which leaves a burr where the shell is cut. It also helps if you have a "housing/cable cutter" to make clean cuts on the stainless steel cables and covers.

This kit provides plenty of cables and housing to completely replace on one bicycle and likely have some leftovers. The cable has a nylon type of insert tube inside for the cable to stay dry and clean. It is great for low cost referb on your old bike. It is perfect kit to keep on hand.

• Nice kit for re-cabling derailleurs and brakes
• Really nice and useful set of parts
• Plenty of cable and housing overall good product

Best For Gear Shifter: Shimano Shifter outer Cable

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This cable is exactly the right fit to replace the worn Shimano Cable. It comes with an assortment of all the smaller caps and crimp ends needed. The Optislick cable coating is a proprietary treatment that acts as a protectant and lubricant to the cable surface and has a " bluish, green " tint where standard cables are galvanized in appearance. You can tell the cable and cable housing are very high quality as there is a special coating on the cable and everything in this kit is made in Japan.

These cables are very smooth, fit well with the right tools, and are easy to install. The Fantastic tight cable, cuts clean with the Park cutting tool, feeds easily and leaves no flattened or frayed ends. These cables will fit any mountain bike drivetrain.

• Rear derailleur shifting much snappier and reliable
• Fit great just the expected trimming and adjusting needed
• Great install slick shifting its oem
• De-grease, clean and lubricate your derailleur pivot points

Best For many cheaper bikes: Dhieong Shifter outer Cable

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It includes 10 pieces of gear shift cables. It includes larger mountain bikes and bikes with riser bars. The cables have a cylindrical or barrel shaped end with the cable connected at the cylinder end. It will cut down on corrosion and help the cables work better.

The cable is made of stainless steel. It is made of durable metal with good quality, which allows for better braking power and smooth operation. The length is enough for spare and replacement in daily life, you also can cut them easily to match well with your bikes. These are really high quality and long enough to use in any application unlike some of the other packs.

• Slide well, are properly sized and actually cut very well
• Stainless steel strong slick cable for more shifting power and smooth operation
• New and hot release

Best For Mountain Bike: CNC Shifter outer Cable

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The cnc shifter outer cable's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. The Gear Shifter Cable meets any of your needs, professional polished stainless steel, high precision grinding,1.2 x2100/2500/3000/3500mm, corrosion resistant and durable,gold. It is suitable for mountain bike, road bike, folding bike, mtb, mtn and gravel bike.

The package includes one cable and one end-crimp. The Gear Shifter cable is Professional Polished Stainless Steel, High precision grinding,which eliminates the flake coating, making it smoother, with less friction, and the shifting is smoother and more precise.

• Bicycle shifter cable pro slick polished process, high precision grinding
• Derailleur cable compatible shimano/sram and compatible all performance housing and lubricants
• Moisture resistant, wear resistant, corrosion resistant
• High quality material, polished, high precision grinding process

Best Feature: Easy To install: Qicfrk Shifter outer Cable

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Next on the list, we've got yet another cable that manages to win our hearts. It's the qicfrk shifter outer cable and it's widely considered as one of the best convenient cable you can buy. Bicycle rear derailleur cable is suitable for speed control system, to help you adjust bike speed. The Stainless steel shifter cable fit for MStainless steel shifter cable fit for most types of bikes, like the common bikes, mountain bikes, city bikes, etc.

• Stainless steel strong derailleur cables for more shifting power and smooth operation
• Very good quality, long rear derailleur cables
• Shifter cable long enough to apply to the rear derailleur cable length