Shifter cable life expectancy

[onekgguy]

How often are you replacing your shifter cables? I broke one after 3000 miles last year and was told by my lbs that that seemed a bit premature. I broke the same side cable again today after 3000 miles. I'm using Dura Ace. Are cables not as strong as they used to be as I don't remember replacing them this often?

Since I'm on the subject of life expectancy...what about cassettes and chain rings? How often are you replacing them? I know that this depends a good deal upon the care of your equipment...I'm speaking average conditions and care. Thanks.

Kevin g

[Peter P.]

A friend of mine has had a similar thing happen to him with Ultegra shifters. He suspects a design or production flaw; they break at the same place each time.

[Ken Robb]

when you say "used to be" do you mean back when we didn't have so many gears and thus didn't shift as often?

[David Kirk]

They should make those shifters electric so you won't get stranded with a broken cable.

Dave

[chrisroph]

or just get a fixie.

[David Kirk]

or just get a fixie.

***** yeah...........an electric fixie!

Dave

[SoCalSteve]

***** yeah...........an electric fixie!

Dave

Dave,

If you design one, I'll be the first "guinea pig".

Steve

PS: Anything ever come about with those "head badges" that we spoke about awhile back?

[CNY rider]

Where did it break?

I've never had them go that quickly but when mine have broken it's been around the bottom bracket on bikes that see winter use. I think that area traps moisture and salt and eats the cables. Other than keeping that area clean I'm not sure what else to suggest.

[michael white]

I've been breaking the righthand Shimano cables at the lever. TT told me to use lithium grease in there. FWIW.

[SPOKE]

the DA and Ultegra shifters do have a tendency to be hard on shifter cables. the cable experiences a pretty severe bend just after the cable exists the recess that holds the big lead end of the cable in the leaver body. some levers are worse than others. keeping that area greased helps but a bit of handy work with a tiny file can help too. the other suggestion is to always use the Shimano brand inner wire.....they just work better and last longer IMO. other aftermarket cables seem to stretch more and break a bit easier.

[stevep]

buy the da cables.

also dont overlook that with sti i probably shift more in 3,000 miles than i shifted in 15,000 miles 20 yrs ago*... you probably do also.

i have not yet figured out if this is good or bad or merely inevitable.

[onekgguy]

Where did it break?

They're breaking at the lever. Both times I had a bit of an early warning. At first it seems that the barrel adjuster needs adjusting and a few miles later the chain starts jumping around the cassette and won't stay in gear. The cable break is soon to follow.

Kevin

[Ti Designs]

also dont overlook that with sti i probably shift more in 3,000 miles than i shifted in 15,000 miles 20 yrs ago*... you probably do also.


You're just looking for the right gear - try the 39x27, you'll like it there.

[stevep]

You're just looking for the right gear - try the 39x27, you'll like it there.


thats where i am...i need something easier.
i keep pushin the dammn lever and nothing happens.

[Vancouverdave]

All dual controls are hard on cables; I automatically replace derailleur cables with more than 2K miles on them when doing tuneups for customers. An extra $10 on a repair tab goes down a lot easier than a broken cable in the field.

[David Kirk]

So..........In all seriousness............I don't fully believe that the electric thing is the way to go but one of the arguments against going electric was dead batteries stranding you.

Yet broken cables can do the same exact thing. I too change my cables periodically. When using electric stuff I change the batteries at about the same interval. It's good preventative maintenance. It could be the same thing with batteries.

It seems like one of those "devil you know" deals.

Dave

Sorry about the thread drift.........not so sorry that I didn't post this but sorry nonetheless.

[soulspinner]

Just replaced my Campy cables with a stainless off brand. The Campy ones went 10k. These wont but switching groups at the end of season. 3k sounds like a really short life for a cable...

[Sandy]

I have had trouble with the rear shifter cable breaking and I get the cables changed much more frequently. They seem to break at the shifter and once they simply could not get the cable out of the shifter and I was given a new shifter in replacement. I always use Dura-Ace cables.


Shifting Shimnano Smooth Silent Shifting Shifters Sometimes Slowly Sometimes Speedily Shifty Shimano Simpleton Serotta Sandy :banana:

[regularguy412]

Just replaced my Campy cables with a stainless off brand. The Campy ones went 10k. These wont but switching groups at the end of season. 3k sounds like a really short life for a cable...

I rode a set of 8-speed STI cables for over 30,000 miles,, not that that's a good idea. However, I do clean up and lube everything once a week, or about every 200 miles, whichever comes first. During the bike cleaning process, I always look the cables over. Throughout all that time, I never had a frayed or rusty cable and I experienced no deterioration in shifting performance. Cable life might have as much to do with riding conditions ( wet/ dusty) as it does with periodic maintenance.

Mike in AR

[nm87710]

A few years of trial and error and breaking two RD cables during races in one season I switched to a standard mainteneance schedule for "consumable" parts. Now change rear der cable & chain every two months like clock work. All the other consumables(front der and brake cables, housing, brake pads, cassettes) replaced yearly. You could probably go much longer on everything but the rear der cable and chain but I like my equipment to be "spot-on" each and every time. No issues after switching to scheduled maintenance riding 12-15K year on DA10.

[chrisroph]

never broken a campy drlr cable. change them occasionally but I've never seen signs of distress. I grease them upon installation.

[Dekonick]

So..........In all seriousness............I don't fully believe that the electric thing is the way to go but one of the arguments against going electric was dead batteries stranding you.

Yet broken cables can do the same exact thing. I too change my cables periodically. When using electric stuff I change the batteries at about the same interval. It's good preventative maintenance. It could be the same thing with batteries.

It seems like one of those "devil you know" deals.

Dave

Sorry about the thread drift.........not so sorry that I didn't post this but sorry nonetheless.

+1

Preventive maintenance. Just like your smoke detector - change your clock, change your battery. I used to change cables every year, but now the stable has grown so I am going with change the chain, change the cables. Cables are cheap. Batteries are cheap. Campy isn't cheap but I like it :D

[Dekonick]

Just replaced my Campy cables with a stainless off brand. The Campy ones went 10k. These wont but switching groups at the end of season. 3k sounds like a really short life for a cable...

But a cable is such a critical part of the bike...imagine if a brake cable fails...

You can push consumables to the limit, but I prefer to keep a safety 'reserve' if you will. You don't have to change the oil in your car every 3k miles either...but I do (well - 5k just cuz its easier to see on the odometer)

I want DK's first electric fixee!

[gdw]

Shimano should pull a few of their engineers off the electric project and straighten out some of their current components. A 3000 mile lifespan for a cable is pathetic. They seem to be copying Sram's mountain components lately so hopefully 2008 Dura Ace will borrow Sram or Campy's cable routing. :D

[David Kirk]

I had a brake cable snap on a BMX bike years ago. I was going downhill, in traffic, pretty quickly when the rear brake cable, the only brake cable, snapped.

I did some pretty creative speed control and managed to not lose any skin.

I was lucky.

Dave

[benb]

Brake cables seem to be much more sturdy then shift cables for whatever it's worth. They're not the same thing.

That said I doubt mine go 3000 miles. I replace them about twice a year and/or when the shifting starts to be a little rough due to corrosion, wear, dirt in the housing, etc..

The weather you're riding in seems to have a big effect on how long they last. But since the cables are cheap no harm changing them often if you can do it yourself... and you get a bit of an added safety net.

ISTR having a cheap BMX chain go less then a month on my fixed gear bike when I was riding it 3-4 days a week in the middle of winter a couple years ago. The road salt + extra strain with a fixed gear bike killed it really fast.