105 (5800) gear cable stuck in the shifter

fatsmoker
fatsmoker Posts: 585
edited March 2016 in Workshop
Rear gears weren't changing well. Turns out the cable wasn't turning in the shifter housing and now I can't get the blinkin thing out. The ball thingy on the end is stuck in the housing. I've tried poking it with a straightened paperclip and tiny screwdrivr but no joy. Any ideas how to get the cable out. I've ordered a new shifter and cables. If I can save the current one at least I'll have a spare shifter. It's going to be a troublesome ride to work tomorrow with just 2 gears.

Comments

  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    Assuming the cable has frayed at the 'plum' at the end and you have bits of bent cable in there - patience is what you need.

    I bought some shifters secondhand where the guy had obviously just cut the cables off flush and worked the shift levers up and down a few times - bloody wonderful !

    Lots of poking and persuading with watchmaker's screwdrivers & needlenose pliers, working the gears up and down as far as they'd go - eventually got it out
  • Matthewfalle
    Matthewfalle Posts: 17,380
    Try dental picks - they get into all nooks and crannies. Cost basically nothing at Boots.
    Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am

    De Sisti wrote:
    This is one of the silliest threads I've come across. :lol:

    Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honour :D
    smithy21 wrote:

    He's right you know.
  • fatsmoker
    fatsmoker Posts: 585
    Cheers for those ideas. Having just the 2 gears wasn't bad this morning. Makes me wonder why I bothered with 105 for what is 90% of the time my commuting bike. Might downgrade to Sora for the cheaper parts.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I've broken two. There is a trick where you can remove the underside of the shifter if you peel the rubber grip all the way back, but basically it involves LOTS of patience and all the swear works.

    Definitely worth identifying early!

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