Rear derailleur cable issues

[FlandersZA]

So, I have been learning about maintenance over time and with help from hubbers and Tech Q&A, I'm slowly getting there.

 

My latest problem is with my rear derailleur cable. A couple of rides back I noticed that my up shifting at the back started to do nothing (misfire) or have a delayed reaction. I found this odd as normally up shifting was always spot on and, if anything, it was normally down shifting that would not be clean or sometimes require some coaxing. I forgot about it and the next time I rode was when things got slightly worse. The up shifting issue continued but now I have no second gear (it skips straight over second from third or first). The only way I can get second is if I hold my down shifter at exactly the right amount of tension or it jumps off to third. Also, when I shift into the big rear cog, my down shifter feels like it has a slightly abnormal bit of play compared with normal.

 

After that ride I think I found the reason but I'd like to know if the above symptoms would be due to this (excuse the cell pics):

 

Cable has done about 3250km. Is this normal wear? What concerns me is that it appears to have broken cleanly at the pinch bolt and only about 1/3 of the strands remain. Is cable replacement a straight forward job or one for the LBS? Cost? Would it be possible or even worth clamping a piece of cloth or other material in there in future to delay this sort of wear? RD is 9 spd SLX.

 

Thanks

[madbradd]

Breaking the cable as you have done will cause it to "stretch" which will have the effect you speak of on up shifting.

 

Replace the cable and housing yourself, easy job. Youtube should be able to assist with any queries.

[madbradd]

In the interim you can adjust the cable tension. Turn the barrel adjusters anticlockwise to tension the cable to shift up quicker, clockwise to slacken the cable and shift down quicker.

[droo]

That cable is in its moer. Replace cable and housing. You'll need 2 inners and about 2m of outer if you want to DIY, and a cable cutter to cut them to length.

 

Don't underestimate the importance of a cable cutter. You won't get through the housing without it.

[Piernas Flacas]

And don't forget to cut the new outers to the same size as the old ones!

[Rapunzel]

Run continuous cabling housing as well - it may not look the prettiest but it keeps grime out of the gap between cable and housing (excuse how filthy the bike is)

 

[FlandersZA]

Can the outer be re-used or not advisable? Mine is continuous and looks fine.

 

I was looking on CL's website under cables and cannot find what I need here. I'm looking for shimano mtb gear cable but see nothing like that. Can someone give me the product names for inner and outer? I'm just trying to establish basic cost. Do I need anything else like that bit to crimp on the end or is that included?

[Guest Smimby]

just go to any bike shop and get the outer, you can buy it p/m and ask them for the "ends" also

just get some good sidecutters or a cable cutter...here is some links to what you needs

 

 

http://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/icetoolz-cable-cutter

 

http://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/alero-derailer-cable-kit

 

http://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/alero-gear-inner-cable-nano

Edited September 17, 2014 by Smimby

[Guest Smimby]

Continuous outers will not help with the OP in this case as he broke the cable where it comes out the housing.....

[JXV]

The cable outers have an inner plastic lining that eventually wears and also gets full of grime.....causing stiff shifting. Replacing cable inner will only partially solve the problem....for a while. And that cable broke/frayed most likely as a result of over tightening.

The cable outer caps are normally push-on plastic jobs...no crimping required