sti gear cable

mattshrops

am in the process of upgrading my groupset. the current cables seem to need regular adjusting. is this because theyre very probably cheap and nasty? if i spend a few quid (dura ace cables 20 quid) is it worth it for performance and durability. any comments appreciated, thanks.

mattshrops

wow will i be the first person to not get a reply? :oops:

cougie

What group set have you got ? I've always found the standard shimano ones to work just fine. Are the cables in good nick ?

domhopson

If you buy the full groupset you should get cables with it. As Cougie says, Shimano ones are perfectly good.

mattshrops

its the one below sora -2700 i think. which is why im upgrading . im trying to do it cheap so its rear mech here, levers there etc. is it normal to need to adjust the cable every couple of rides? condition looks ok. dont mind paying a bit more to remove the risk of sticking the rear mech into the back wheel(unfortunately yes this has happened) but no point if this is normal.cheers.

keef66

Unless you're talking about a new bike, in which case the cables do stretch a bit in the first few weeks, no, it's not normal to have to adjust every few days. Even at the level of 2300 the components should be reliable and of decent quality.

Whatever state the cables are in, the limit screw on the rear mech should be set so it can't go into the rear wheel.

Might be cheaper in the long run to save up then look out for a discounted groupset which should come with all the neccessary cables.

desweller

It's hard to assess the conditions of cables just by looking at them, as the faults will lie within the cable housing. I would buy a set of Clarkes gear cables from Halfords for £8 and replace the lot if I were you.

mattshrops

ok cheers for info. im going to change them.

LeighB

Are you sure its not the in line cable adjuster (if you have them) vibrating and releasing cable tension/adjustment?

mattshrops

is that the things next to the levers ?

how would i know if it is them?

LeighB

Yes they are normally near the levers, try adjusting/screwing them out to put a little tension in the cable and note if they move in use; mark with pen or tape.

desweller

LeighB wrote:

Yes they are normally near the levers, try adjusting/screwing them out to put a little tension in the cable and note if they move in use; mark with pen or tape.

Also, sometimes there are multiple barrel adjusters in the system. I have found that it all works a bit better if you wind all but one adjuster all the way in, so you are making your tweaks with just one screw.

If you can get pics of your shifters and derailleurs then it might help.

mattshrops

photos tomorrow - thanks
will try the marking suggestion-thanks again

Erudin

mattshrops wrote:

...dont mind paying a bit more to remove the risk of sticking the rear mech into the back wheel(unfortunately yes this has happened) but no point if this is normal.cheers.

keef66 wrote:

...Whatever state the cables are in, the limit screw on the rear mech should be set so it can't go into the rear wheel...

Check the limit screws on your rear mech, they should stop this happening regardless of the cable tension.

From: http://bicycletutor.com/adjust-rear-derailleur/

Low Gear Limit Stop

The L-Limit screw prevents the guide pulley from shifting any further past the lowest gear and into the wheel spokes. Shift down to the lowest gear, step behind the bike, and check how the chain rides on the sprocket. If it looks like it wants to ride into the spokes, tighten the L-screw clockwise until it is centered on the sprocket. If it looks like it wants to shift down, loosen the screw until it lines up. As an extra precaution you can use your thumb to gently push the derailleur body and make sure the chain will not run into the spokes, as this could obviously have a nasty effect on both you and your bike.

Has your bike been dropped or crashed? Shifting problems caused by a bent derailleur hanger are quite common. The result is poor shifting even after all other adjustments have been made.