Kinda angry about this one, known 5800 shifter issue

burnthesheep

Why in the world, if a certain model year of a part has known issues don't you let people know?

Getting stranded because your 5800/6800/DA shifter internally ate the cable for lunch isn't nice. Especially on a bike only 1 year old and under 2500 miles.

I guess it isn't popular to tell customers "yeah, you need to replace your shifter cable as often as you lube your chain". That's hyperbole, but you get my point.

Probably a quick, cheap, simple repair.......but I have a race Wednesday. If that happened during a race, I'd be beyond livid. Especially on a year old bike.

Apparently, researching this, people "in the know" are aware of this issue. Should most shops know? Beyond routine normal inspections for things you inspect on "most bikes", you shouldn't have to Google every part on your bike for "common early failures" to know what new/weird maintenance to do.

I would have replaced those cables at 1 year 6 months or so anyway. With cable routing.

Sorry to vent. Just that when you're a person that does inspect and replace parts early, but there's some hidden issue you don't know about, it bothers you.

keef66

Coming from bikes where the gear cables lasted as long as the frame, I too had a rude introduction to Shimano STIs.

My right hand 5600 shifter eats it's cable every couple of years of pretty light use, and the 9 speed Tiagra on the winter bike can do the same.

The only consolation is they are very easy to inspect / replace with side exit shifters and external cable routing

svetty

When I have had gear cables fail there is usually a period of a week or so beforehand where the shifting goes to s**t and I know that the strands are parting before the cable fails completely. Only once have I ignored this until complete cable failure, usually I can replace the cable before this though I accept that sometimes a cable will just snap.

proto

Dura Ace 9000 series isn't any better. Cables breaking on the guide inside the lever, often leaving broken wire in the guide which can be very difficult to remove. Ask me how I know.

keef66

I've learned the hard way not to ignore the hesitant shifting and vague crunchiness. A lot easier to extract a fraying cable than the remains of a snapped one.

And it's just started to appear on the winter bike again so I need to give it a good looking at before the next ride.

Disappointing to hear about the DA; I was hoping with the trickle down of technology the new 7000 series 105 would be cable-friendly

Vino'sGhost

keef you are clearly a technical muppett.

Matthewfalle

proto wrote:

Dura Ace 9000 series isn't any better. Cables breaking on the guide inside the lever, often leaving broken wire in the guide which can be very difficult to remove. Ask me how I know.

how do you know?

Nick Payne

It's not just Shimano shifters that eat gear cables. Here's the rear gear cable from my Campag Chorus 11-speed shifters after about a year of use - this was the original cable that came with the shifters. Symptoms were that the gears were starting to go out of adjustment...

Vino'sGhost

i have some mechanical DA 9000 shifters that must be 4years old now? and another bike where they are three years and all still silky smooth, some ultegra 11 speed (winter bike and turbo) 2 years silky smooth.

Prior to that D/A 10 speed x2 that must have twenty thousand miles on at least and ive changed cables a couple of times more because i fancied doing it than needed to. Ive never had the sort of things youre describing happening, perhaps ive just been lucky. I also take time to install properly

keef66

I think you have been lucky. All mine have been installed properly; my old shifters with the gear cables sticking out the sides don't really offer any scope for getting it wrong...

Vino'sGhost

Im not surprised youve had problems Keef

svetty

It is worth putting a little light grease onto the replaceable plastic cable guides when changing inner cables.....

keef66

Well I had a good look at the inner cable on the Tiagra last night and it's fine. Lubed all the outer cable sections too, but it's still hesitant shifting up into the 2 smallest cogs. I think I need to whip the rear mech off for a deep clean and lube. The roads have been particularly shitty of late. While it's off I'll check the hanger alignment too; I occasionally get that scary noise of rear mech strumming spokes when changing down into the biggest sprocket or when climbing, so something's not quite right.

Vino'sGhost

keef66 wrote:

Well I had a good look at the inner cable on the Tiagra last night and it's fine. Lubed all the outer cable sections too, but it's still hesitant shifting up into the 2 smallest cogs. I think I need to whip the rear mech off for a deep clean and lube. The roads have been particularly sh!tty of late. While it's off I'll check the hanger alignment too; I occasionally get that scary noise of rear mech strumming spokes when changing down into the biggest sprocket or when climbing, so something's not quite right.

hmmmm when your in the biggest sprocket your mech is rubbing on the spokes???? LOLOL youre right "something's not quite right"

-Dash

I've had this happen about 4 times with my right 6800 shifter. Super annoying. First two times required a trip to the bike shop to get the cable end removed too.. since I've been able to find it after discovering the little plastic cover underneath the shifter. Still incredibly annoying when it happens out on a ride... I end up going single speed 50-11 and getting angry with any car that decides to go slow in front.