Campy users: How often do you replace your rear shift cable?

[yzfrr11]

I've been getting about 3000 miles per cable before it starts to fray. The interval has been similar on 3 different bikes.

[DfCas]

About every 4-6 months.I find that the shifting is crisper with new cable and rear housing,and if its tape time I replace all the housing.I use generic cables tho,and they may not last as long as genuine Campy.

dan

[Dave]

I've been using campy for 10 years and never had a cable fray. Where is the fraying?

I apply some lube to the cables a couple of times a year. Dribble some thin lube, like a 3/1 mix of mineral spirits and oil or a good spray lube like Slick 50 1-lube, down the cable and into the housing, with the bike hanging by the back wheel from a ceiling hook.

I have had one housing failure after only a few hundred miles. Shifting to smaller cogs still worked, but shifts to larger ones became impossible. Replacing the housing fixed the problem.

My next shift cables and housing will be some generic items from Bike Tools Etc. that only cost $20. I usually use campy cables with generic or shimano housing, since campy doesn't sell anything but complete cable kits with brake cables. My brake cables will outlast several sets of RD cables and I suspect the FD cable may last through two RD cables.

[William]

:p

4 to 6 months sounds about right under "normal"* use. It's amazing how much crisper the response is by changing out the cables regularly.

William

Disclaimer: Normal is as nomal does. What the heck does that mean? :confused:

[Too Tall]

What Dave said...but dewd if you even see fraying you are too late. Don't wait until there is failure. Cables are a wear and tear item to replace at regular intervals and keep the ship shape. A dab of solid lube on the last 1/2 inch of cable is SOP to prevent corrosion / galling of the cable end and I suspect helps prevent premature failure of that portion of the cable which receives the most bending force. erk.

[pjm]

Campy cables will fail right inside the brifter, mostly the right one. I had it happen on a ride once and had to ride back (and walk) 20 miles stuck on the smallest cog.

[zap]

I found out yesterday that 4+ years and 12,000+ miles was a bit long for a Shimano r. der. cable.

Ahh well, I had a Sandy moment. At least I got all the bits out.

My other bike which has Campy :banana:, shifts just fine on 2+ year old cables with roughly 5,000 miles on it. Took it out about 2 months ago and no visible signs of fraying.

[flydhest]

I'm with zap. I get a ton of time out of cables. I might not be so sensitive to the "crispness" of shifting, though. I just want to go "click" and have it shift precisely each and every time. If it doesn't do that, then I fix whatever is wrong. If it does that, I leave it.

[Elefantino]

About once every two years, or every 8,000-10,000 miles. I always go with the generic ones because Campy are expensive. Housings seem to last just fine with regular lubing.

I've never had a cable fray, though.

[yzfrr11]

Campy cables will fail right inside the brifter, mostly the right one. I had it happen on a ride once and had to ride back (and walk) 20 miles stuck on the smallest cog.

YES!!

This is what I am refering to. Fraying at the right Brifter spool. I ride about 12,000 mi per year and I go through a cable about every 3 months.

I am suprised that more riders don't have similar wear pattern. Maybe I shift too much??

[flydhest]

wow, not here. I consistently get many more than 3K miles.

[hypnos]

8700 miles and still shifting perfectly.

[Dekonick]

Yearly on main ride.

Otherwise not often as da back-up's are either on a trainer (no biggie if a break occurs) or used not often.

[boulder_courier]

over 10,000 miles - no problems, was still shifting when the bike was stolen....

I've had Shimano brake cable fail after 50 miles....