T4tomo
Legendary Member
That's slightly odd at those are the "washing line" versions that are allegedly kinder to inner cables as there is no harsh bend as they exit the shifter mechanism.
Gear cable jamming etc with duel type shifters
- Thread starter night cycler
- Start date
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That's slightly odd at those are the "washing line" versions that are allegedly kinder to inner cables as there is no harsh bend as they exit the shifter mechanism.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
I hated DC breaking cables in lever. So much so I upgraded to bar end friction levers and never looked back. Not had a problem since and no cable replacement after 33,000 miles.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Think this is a radius of curvature of the cable issue rather than indexed v friction.
Are the radii significantly different between down tube levers, bar end levers, washing line STIs and under-bartape STIs? Are Shimano's versions of the latter better (greater radius, less likely to part) or worse than Campagnolo ergos?
Are the radii significantly different between down tube levers, bar end levers, washing line STIs and under-bartape STIs? Are Shimano's versions of the latter better (greater radius, less likely to part) or worse than Campagnolo ergos?
andrew_s
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gloucester
I doubt the radii are significantly different.
What will be different is that you'll change far less frequently on bar end or downtube levers that you will with brifters, that are at your fingertips all the time.
What will be different is that you'll change far less frequently on bar end or downtube levers that you will with brifters, that are at your fingertips all the time.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
ever since they went under tape i think it hasnt helped TBH , never had the same issue on shimano when they had the cables that came out the side of the shifter, cant say i have had an issue with sram either even under tape versions .
I looked this up ( or read something where someone else had) a while back and the minimum safe radius for a Bowden cable is something like 13 times its diameter. This is VERY important in things like cranes etc. Arguably less so for a bike. I read that old washingvline style Shimano shifters are right on this limit for the 1.2mm gear cable but the newer under the tape type exceed it a bit hence the mileages limit for changing cables. This also fits with my experience, Dirz Ace 7800 shifters have not had a cable break in the lever in 15 years, DA 9000 levers had 2 break in 8 years of use. I guess campaign and Sram must have larger radii to avoid the issue.
Mr Celine
Discordian
- Location
- Waxing my moustache
The harsh bend is inside the shifter.
In 10th gear the cable from the nipple exits the shifter in a straight line. As lower gears are selected the nipple and the first 20mm or so of the cable is wound round a very tight radius. The cables usually break within the first 5mm, presumably as that section is bending and unbending the most.
T4tomo
Legendary Member
Yes, as do the newer models, which also have an additional bend as the cable exits the shifter mechanicals to turn down the handlebar.
Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
So what's the difference between the Shimano cable routing and the SRAM version that causes this?
I've one bike with Shimano 105 where the cable broke off at the shifter at around 6000 miles, but 3 bikes running either SRAM Apex or Rival with a combined 30,000+ miles where I've not had to touch them at all.
I've one bike with Shimano 105 where the cable broke off at the shifter at around 6000 miles, but 3 bikes running either SRAM Apex or Rival with a combined 30,000+ miles where I've not had to touch them at all.
Scottish Scrutineer
Veteran
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
Not sure, but another argument in favour of SRAM, or Di2
Mr Celine
Discordian
- Location
- Waxing my moustache
An argument in favour of SRAM perhaps but you can buy an awful lot of gear cables for the price of Di2.
If a cable breaks I can always ride home with either 3 or 8 usable gears. Can you do that when Di2 fails?
Doesn't that apply for all shifters to a degree? the old downtube shifters wound the cable round a very small radius.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Changing the cable far less often is a good thing.
Smokin Joe
Squire
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
Y had issues with Shimano cables, never with Campag. Despite the price advantage Shimano have and their dominance in the market IME the quality of their equipment lags behind Campagnolo.
