Broken rear derailleur cable, Ultegra Shifter

[Dr.Hairybiker]

2003 Bianchi Vigorelli. Ultegra shifters.

This mornings ride was cut short. It looks like the rear derailleur cable broke right at the ball end, right inside the shifter. I'd like to think I can just put another cable on and adjust, but I can't find the end. The cable came right out of the shifter and there's no end on it, and I can't find the ball (I think it's just a solder end?) inside the shifter anywhere. And the black, rear lever(the "shift down" lever) won't move now. The two levers together will move, as if I am trying to upshift, but the black lever won't move away from the front lever.

I don't see how the ball could have fallen into anything in there. But I don't understand why the black lever won't move. Anyways, my questions are:

1. should the black lever move freely when there's no cable hooked up to it?

2. Could the ball end have fallen down inside the shifter somewhere, and is that why the lever won't move?

3. Am I going to have to disassemble the shifter to get inside?

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

 

[tafi]

You've probably jammed the shifter with the frayed cable end. Are you sure the end of the cable isn't still in its little nook in the shifter?

 

[artemidorus]

1. yes
2. maybe
3. Don't take it apart - many have attempted this, but very few have managed to put a Shimano brifter back together. If you can't fish out the cable end, take it to your local bike shop.

edit: 9spd DA shifters require you to undo a plastic plate (with a single small screw) to get at the cable stop. I don't know Ultegra, but this may be the case. 9spd 105 does not require any disassembly. I don't know about 10spd.

 

[thomas_cho]

I got 10 spd Ultegras ... and I just had a look at them.

Have you tried disconnecting your brake cabling (just loosen the cable from the caliper)? This will allow you to fully pull back the lever to give you a better look inside. Chances are that will give you enuf room to undo the jam, and extract the cable.

I do not know what the 9spds are like.

If nothing else works, try shaking it like crazy. Might just be able to get that darn thing out.


Good luck.

 

[Dr.Hairybiker]

Well, it's official. I've learned that if you try to take an Ultegra shifter apart, it ain't going back together. There's a whole bunch of little springs and screws and stops, and gadget-widgets in there, that one would need some pretty detailed instructions, or have a godawful lot of time on their hands, in order to get it back together.

It looks like mine had a broken return spring in there. Pieces of it were falling out as I took it apart. And in fact, that might have been why the cable broke, I can't tell for sure.

Luckily, a (semi-local) LBS had a used shifter sitting around that I picked up for $90. So I've got it on, just went for a ride, and all is well.