Gears not working.............

[DDYB]

My Giant Defy 2.0 was in for a 6 week service today (only done about 100 miles)
The front set of gears had stopped working so I asked the guy to have a look at it (I'm new so didn't really know what I was looking for)

Anyway, he said the gear cable had frayed ans as a result the gears would no longer change. Cable replaced and I'm assuming gears work fine now. The guy in the shop reckoned this was caused by the salt on the road in the first few weeks I had been on the bike. If that's the case, I would have to change the gear cable every 6 weeks or so during the winter?

Is there any other reason for the cable to fray other than salt on the road?

 

[Joe24]

Rubbish. My Giant is over a year old and the front gear cable has never been changed. Only changed the rear one because it needed a new outer so decided to do inner aswell.
Reasons why it could of frayed? Depends where it has freyed. If you tighten the bolt that holds it up too much, it can peirce the cable and cause it to frey. Not very common though.
The cable having a freyed end when its been cut, and that not being cut or sorted can cuase it to frey. Or just the end cap of the cable coming lose or not being put on will cause it to frey.
I do very much doubt it will be due to the salt on the road. The amount mine has had thrown up at it during the many miles ive done on it, and its not freyed at all. And, the front mech has stopped moving in that time aswell, thats how much absue it has taken.

 

[Mortiroloboy]

It's more likely to be that the cable has stretched a little, which is quite normal, that's why LBS's offer a free shakedown service at about 6 weeks.

 

[MacB]

DD my Giant CRS Alliance was new in Jan this year and last week wouldnt change gears on the front. Took to LBS and was down to cable tension(had either settled or stretched), they adjusted FOC and all works fine now, took about 5 mins.

 

[DDYB]

DD my Giant CRS Alliance was new in Jan this year and last week wouldnt change gears on the front. Took to LBS and was down to cable tension(had either settled or stretched), they adjusted FOC and all works fine now, took about 5 mins.

The back gears were also playing up a bit and I'm told that was due to cable tension but the cable at the front had frayed, I spotted it myself when I was having a look to try and fix the problem myself.

As I say, I'm just trying to get to the bottom of why this happened so I can avoid it happening again.

Thanks.

 

[Radius]

I presume it frayed at the end? Was there a ferrule on the end (little metal cap thing)?

 

[girv73]

Who built the bike? It could be they left off the ferrule (metal end cap bit), or it wasn't fitted properly and fell off during delivery or when you were riding.

Salty roads wouldn't make a cable fray. Cables should last for ages - I think I've changed cables on a bike once, ever.

 

[summerdays]

I changed my cables after a year because they were the original ones which weren't changing that smoothly. The shop told me that the original ones weren't steel (can't remember) perhaps galvanised?, basically they were now a dull grey rather than the replacement ones that were steel. (As you can see I paid alot of attention to what he was saying - but the gist was that you didn't want the cheapest ones). The point I was trying to make is that it can be worth changing them if changing gear is becoming sticky.

And if your cable starts fraying at all ... put a new end cap on - or if you haven't got one handy almost any kind of tape will do as a temporary measure. I've used micropore tape before now when I hadn't bought spare caps.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

+1

It's more likely to be that the cable has stretched a little, which is quite normal, that's why LBS's offer a free shakedown service at about 6 weeks.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Hang on, if the cable was frayed at the end I fail to see how that would have any impact on the gear changing at all.

Fraying can be indicative of a cable at the end of its life but after 6 weeks - I think not. As for it being caused by salt on the road - No chance. Yes salt is corrosive and can in the long term damage a frame or cogs but unbraiding cables............

 

[palinurus]

Salt and dirt on winter roads sometimes cause a front mech to "freeze"- basically they get jammed up and need a good clean and a squirt of penetrating oil followed by a re-lubing to get them working again. Sounds more likely, I can't see how cable fraying can stop the mech functioning unless the cable has somehow frayed inside the outer (I've never seen it happen).

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Salt and dirt on winter roads sometimes cause a front mech to "freeze"- basically they get jammed up and need a good clean and a squirt of penetrating oil followed by a re-lubing to get them working again.

Another excellent point.

Sounds more likely, I can't see how cable fraying can stop the mech functioning unless the cable has somehow frayed inside the outer (I've never seen it happen).

If that was the case I would want every cable on the bike changed immediately.

 

[jayce]

If this is your lbs i sugest you find another

 

[Paulus]

Salt and dirt will cause a cable to corrode and therefore cease to work properly, sometimes cheap cables will split inside the outer cable, this has happened to me. When it does, the cable won't move at all as the frayed part eventuly gets stuck in the outer.

On all new bikes, the gear cables will stretch a little and will need some adjustment after a few weeks/months depending on how many miles you do.