Originally Posted by
DaveSSS
Something is wrong when cables fail that soon. I've used campy for 25 years and never seen any hint of cable wear. I've ridden up to 6500 miles in a year, but I usually have two bikes and split the miles between them.
It's a well known problem from the bend radiuses being tighter than mechanical engineering guidelines suggest for wire rope. Some people shift less and have no problems. Some shift more and measure cable life in months.
It got worse moving beyond pointy hood Campagnolo (1997 8/9 speed) and flying housing (e.g. 6500 series) Shimano brake/shift levers because of the extra 90 degree guide - that dropped my cable life from 4500 to under 2500 miles. Shift half as frequently and that gets you to 9,000/5,000, a quarter as often 18,000/10,000, an eighth 36,000/20,0000.
Before that change they'd break closer to the cable head; now it's a little higher on the cable section which incurs fatigue cycles winding around the drum and gliding around the tight 90 degree guide.
Modern high quality die drawn cables also cut the fatigue life because they're cold worked.
FBinNY suggests "
Overall gear cable life depends on where you live and how you ride. It's measured not in days or miles but in the number of shift cycles. Interestingly, people in fairly flat areas may have the shortest life because they might be shifting back and forth between two or three gears, which means that they're always flexing the wire in the same place."
I ride in the same low traffic flat spot for 1-2 hours a day before work with metronomic cadence.
Most of the failures are Shimano because that's what most people ride; although it's the same geometry problem.
https://durhamcycles.com/frayed-cables-frayed-nerves/
Suggests "Shimano and Campy riders should change rear shifter cables every three months under heavy use (200+ miles per week), every six months under light use. You may get longer out of your cables, but if you want to limit the risk of cable failure during a race or event frequent changes are recommended." Three months at 200 miles per week is 2400 miles.
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...s-fraying.html
Campagnolo cables fray every 2000 miles
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycl...e-shimano.html
Shimano cables need changing every 2000 miles
Another 6700 setup that breaks cables in 2500-3000 miles
5800 shredded in 3000 miles
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...l#post21134710
broken in 3.5 - 4k miles
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...able-life.html
two broken cables in 4000 miles
https://weightweenies.starbike.com/f...28295&start=30
broke in 4000 miles
fail in 2400 - 3000 miles every 3-4 months
broke in 3600 miles
broke in 1500 miles, Shimano said the recommended replacement interval is 2500 miles
failed in just under 4000 miles
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...n-problem.html
broke in 3800 and 4400 miles