If the cable breaks in the shifter, you can, theoretically, select a middling gear and then clamp the remaining cable under a bottle cage bolt to keep in the chosen gear.
Gear Cable failure - on the road
- Thread starter Ajax Bay
- Start date
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OP
OP
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Thanks, Tim. And if it parts at the clamp bolt and is not too frayed you could pull the cable out, reclamp at the RD and do the same. Cable cutters would make this much easier, if you carried them.
Foghat
Freight-train-groove-rider
Something to bear in mind, if your frame has internal routing for its gear cables (and/or rear brake cable), is that, depending on how that routing is configured, you may well need the plastic inner cable guide tubing (that hopefully came with the frame/bike) to achieve successful replacement on the road (or anywhere else for that matter).
The tubing threads into and through the frame over the existing inner, before you remove the cable. Once the guide is all the way through, you can remove the existing inner and insert the new one through the tubing+frame, and then remove the guide tubing.
Internal routing has become very popular - and some frames have internal routing which could be impossible to replace inners on while on the road if you don't have the guide tubing (in sufficient length - probably coiled up in pocket or seatpack).
The tubing threads into and through the frame over the existing inner, before you remove the cable. Once the guide is all the way through, you can remove the existing inner and insert the new one through the tubing+frame, and then remove the guide tubing.
Internal routing has become very popular - and some frames have internal routing which could be impossible to replace inners on while on the road if you don't have the guide tubing (in sufficient length - probably coiled up in pocket or seatpack).
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
If a FD a bit of a twig and zip ties will enable you to see it on the middle ring quite easily. Then you'll have more than enough gears to complete your ride.
OP
OP
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
If you have a screwdriver in your pocket/saddlebag (and who hasn't) then much quicker and easier to do what I did (see my OP): "last weekend I was able to do this (by) us(ing) the lower limit screw to push the chain onto the middle chainring." With regard to 'enough gears to complete your ride' I had 540km to go and a few 1:7s and a 1:5 to get up later that day. I rather fancied using a 30t rather than a 42t to get up them and did not wish to stop at the bottom of each of those chevron climbs to release the limit screw.
OP
OP
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
I found this verb sap from @User when searching for something else, when the RD cable parts at the clamp.
Mr Celine
Discordian
- Location
- Waxing my moustache
See my previous post upthread. I got up to the 17t sprocket, which is 5th on my 10 speed 5600 rear derailleur (where 1 is lowest gear / largest sprocket). This only worked one sprocket at a time, ie screw in the limit screw as far as it goes, lift the back wheel and turn the pedals, the chain jumps to the next sprocket, repeat as necessary.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Assuming that's the BCM the 1:7 are so close together you'd lose little time walking them if necessary. The steep bit up to Kings is again very short and would hardly delay you. Less delay than fitting a new cable in fact. The rest is fairly gentle grades. The BCM is ridden fixed and they get up the grades without fuss.