Shimano STI cable issues

[ianrauk]

It seems hit an miss with a stroke of luck if a cable busts in your shifter. It's never happened to me on tens of thousands of miles and years of cycling on many bikes. It's not happened to others either. Yet some have had the problem on a rare basis and others it seems to happen regularly.
Strange.

 

[fossyant]

Ian, I'm using Shimano cables - the ones they supply with the shifters. Made for road sti's to ensure smooth shifting (and cost a fortune!)

SP41 cables are £15. 4000 miles out of them isn't bad. How clean do you keep the bike ? Used in all weathers ?

 

[fossyant]

I'll echo others. STI start to shift bad quite quickly. If it does this just change the cables. Had this with SRAM X9 and jagwire and 105 with clarkes stainless. Work great then start to be a bit hit and miss. Time for replacement. You can't get away with it the same with 10 speed and more.

 

[jessand]

Thanks very much for all your replies. Just to cover a few questions:
I ride all rear round and keep the bike clean - sometimes a wash after each ride in the dirtiest weather.
I strip the bike down and service bearings after winter and take mudguards off and check cables.
I googled and found a load of people with same issue relating to 4700 STI - I didn't search wider re other shimano groups.
The fist time it happened I had no real warning until the start of the ride, then shifting got progressively worse. Arriving home after 50 mile I found the nipple hanging on by a couple of strands.
Previous shifters were Campag Chorus (shimergoed) which I re-cabled every 3 years although never found any damage after this time 12-15000 miles. (Campag cables)
I'll try Shimano stainless cables on next change - and monitor closely.
When I have a chance I'll look at the removed shifter to see if I can find anything.
Thanks again.