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Cables

by hucko003
Tue, Dec 08, 2015 21:54
5

My rear gable cable snapped on my bike on the weekend and this is the third time it has happened so far - seems to happen every 1500-2000 miles or so. I really don't want this to happen again as it's a pain to sort (internal cabling!) so was just wondering if anyone had any recommendations as to what cables I should go for. At the moment, I have a Shimano 105 groupset so would assume that they are Shimano cables. I've heard good things about Jagwire - are they any good? Campagnolo is also good but is it compatible with Shimano? I know they have compatibility issues anyway, but not sure in this respect. 

Would be very grateful for your opinions. 

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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5 comments

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gmac101 | 9 years ago
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Uncorroded cables nearly always fail due to mechanical damage .  Obviously  running over sharp edges will cause damage but bending a cable round too small a diameter will also lead to failure.  Ideally the minimum bending radius should not be less than 10 times the diameter of the cable.   As the bending radius gets tighter the strands of the cable in the inside of the bend aren't loaded  efficienty.  By the time you get to a ratio of 1-2 you've lost about 50% of your load capacity.

As for Jagwire cables I re-cabled by bike with them racer-pro's (around £22) and found them a significant improvement over the original jagwire's which came with the bike.  I have a base model Specialised Allez and I suspect they use pretty cheap cables on bikes towards the bottom end of the value chain and fitting any decent aftermarket cables and outers will improve the feel.  The racer pro's come with  "reinforced" sections for the brake cables to go under the bar tape and I suspect those help lot when it comes to improving brake feel.

Gavin

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keef66 | 9 years ago
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Well I have 105 and the RH shifter seems predictably to eat the gear cable in about 2000 miles.  Living as I do on cycling forums I know I'm not alone in this.  As soon as shifting starts to deteriorate and I cannot sort it out by indexing I just replace the cable.  Easy on my bike because it's external cables, and the older, side exit 5600 shifters.  5 minutes tops.  Leave it till it frays badly and breaks inside the shifter and it's a different story...

Must be a proper nightmare with under bar-tape routing and internal cables.

I've always used bog standard Shimano stainless steel cables. (had bad experience with cheap Ebay alternatives where the nipples were too big for the shifter)

Campag cables have a different shape nipple.

 

 

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Chris James replied to keef66 | 8 years ago
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keef66 wrote:

Well I have 105 and the RH shifter seems predictably to eat the gear cable in about 2000 miles.  Living as I do on cycling forums I know I'm not alone in this.  As soon as shifting starts to deteriorate and I cannot sort it out by indexing I just replace the cable.  Easy on my bike because it's external cables, and the older, side exit 5600 shifters.  5 minutes tops.  Leave it till it frays badly and breaks inside the shifter and it's a different story...

Must be a proper nightmare with under bar-tape routing and internal cables.

I've always used bog standard Shimano stainless steel cables. (had bad experience with cheap Ebay alternatives where the nipples were too big for the shifter)

Campag cables have a different shape nipple.

 

 

 

That's strange. I have 5600 shifters on one bike and have only changed the inner brake cable once in 9 years, and then that was because I thought I ought, rather than it snapping!? I also live somewhere very hilly so use the brakes a lot - I certainly get through brake blocks at a fair rate.

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keef66 replied to Chris James | 8 years ago
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Chris James wrote:

keef66 wrote:

Well I have 105 and the RH shifter seems predictably to eat the gear cable in about 2000 miles. 

 

 

That's strange. I have 5600 shifters on one bike and have only changed the inner brake cable once in 9 years, and then that was because I thought I ought, rather than it snapping!? I also live somewhere very hilly so use the brakes a lot - I certainly get through brake blocks at a fair rate.

 

The strange thing is quoting a post without reading it properly...

I specifically said gear cable, and the right hand one only.

I've only ever replaced one brake cable, and that when it started fraying at the clamp on the rear caliper.  One stray strand started unwinding, and jamming in the short bit of outer near the seatpost clamp.  I trimmed it off just before the outer, and it unwound a bit more and stabbed me in the leg

My RH shifter continues to eat through inner cables, but it is predictable, and they are a lot cheaper than new shifters...

 

 

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sergius | 9 years ago
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I have to concur with the above, I can't imagine a steel cable snapping unless it's rubbing on something sharp.  Has it snapped in the same place every time?  A burr inside the frame + vibrations + your most frequently used gear?

R.e. the Jagwire cables, I just bought a set of the replacement gear/brake cables for my winter bike (~£25), I've not fitted them yet as it's the first time I've done it so need a proper time window.  That bikes done 4000km and I'm only really replacing them cos I feel the brakes don't feel that snappy anymore.

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