Rear mech cable replacement mileage

1964johnr
1964johnr Posts: 179
edited February 2018 in Road general
Having snapped a rear mech cable in the shifter under the mechanism which resulted in me buying a second hand tiagra shifter from ebay for £ 27 for my winter bike, I want to avoid the same problem on my carbon shimano 105 equipped summer bike. It has now completed 3000 miles and I am wondering if it's time to replace the rear mech cable. Any advice on what mileage to renew the cable would be appreciated. I have lubed the cable on a regular basis, but haven't touched the mechanism.

Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    As they cost pennies, if it bugs you change it.

    I normally change mine when they start feeling gunky, and do inners and outers, but have had cables on some bikes for years and years without hassles.
    I don't do smileys.

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  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    It's usually the loop of outer at the mech that dictates the time for a new cable for me. I've had 5700 shifters and not had a cable fail yet despite knowing others having theirs fail in the shifter.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • cooldad wrote:
    As they cost pennies, if it bugs you change it.

    I normally change mine when they start feeling gunky, and do inners and outers, but have had cables on some bikes for years and years without hassles.

    This. I've only ever really needed to change cables once the ends have rusted and frayed. I think it depends quite a lot on the conditions you live in and how they're stored.
  • I’ve had lots of cables fail inside Shimano Brifters. It’s a massive PITA, because you have to extract the bit that’s stuck in the Brifter before you can replace the cable. I’ve developed a cat like sense of when the cable feels like it’s about to give up the ghost now. If they last more than 5000 miles, it’s unusual, so if they make it to 5000 miles, I change them anyway.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Never had any cables fail. Usually I'll only replace them if I swap the kit around from one bike to another.
  • I had a cable fail on my 105 11 speed shifter after only about one year of use. Someone suggested that the shimano cables as originally supplied are coated with ptfe which eventually flakes off and causes the cable to bunch up. For the amount of effort versus the woe of having the cable fail on the road I change mine every year now.
  • robbo2011
    robbo2011 Posts: 1,017
    Not much help to you but I have done over 40'000km using the OEM cables that came with my SRAM red groupset. Still working perfectly.

    Seems like there is a weak spot with Shimano mechanical groupsets if the cables fail so quickly. If you are a Shimano user, regular replacement after 5000 miles seems like a good idea
  • robbo2011 wrote:
    Not much help to you but I have done over 40'000km using the OEM cables that came with my SRAM red groupset. Still working perfectly.

    Seems like there is a weak spot with Shimano mechanical groupsets if the cables fail so quickly. If you are a Shimano user, regular replacement after 5000 miles seems like a good idea

    Spot on. The Shimano Brifters seem to chew through cables much more readily than SRAM, in my experience. The 5700 10 speed are far worse for it as well, I’ve not had the same problems with the 6800 Ultegra, or the 4700 Tiagra set ups.
  • Brifters?
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Brake levers and shifters combined.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,743
    Only change mine when they feel bad. Originally built the CX bike I use most days with the cables that came with the 105 groupset. They felt horrible fairly quickly riding on and off road in all weather. Replaced them with XTR cables that have better sealing ferrules and haven’t replaced them since, probably about 8,000 miles on them.
    I don’t lube my cables, I find it can attract dirt and make them stick more.
  • Matthewfalle
    Matthewfalle Posts: 17,380
    cooldad wrote:
    Brake levers and shifters combined.

    Also known as Shakes.
    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.