Campy Shift Cable

On 7/10/2013 9:36 PM, James wrote:
On 11/07/13 12:09, David Scheidt wrote:
AMuzi wrote:
:On 7/9/2013 10:42 PM, Joe Riel wrote:
: The front shifter cable for my 9-speed Ergo levers
: is wearing at the brifter---I noticed it when a strand
: began jabbing me today. Don't know if the local bike
: shop has Campy cables, but will find out tomorrow. If
: not, is there any reason not to use something else?
:
: Thanks
:

:Yes, and a very good reason. The other major brands have
:changed to a larger head which will just slip in but sticks
:in an amazingly difficult to remove manner.

I have a Versa brifter for an 8 speed Shimano IGH. For reasons known
only to some hysterically insane taiwanese designer, it uses a Campy
cable. I found that out the hard way, and mention it to save any one
thinking about the shifters the same misery. A complex curved dental
pick was just the ticket, once I found it.


If Campy cables are hard to come by, or expensive by comparison to
another "major" brand, and the difference in size is small, I'd
contemplate enlarging the hole 0.5mm with a drill. It's not like it's a
brake cable with any safety concerns attached...


True, but so very many people think of that option _after_
destroying the part with the cable head stuck in it.

In the olden days, there were on-axis(Campagnolo type) heads
and perpendicular to axis (Huret type) heads. They are
completely, utterly different. The
ever-so-perniciously-larger new Asian format heads are just
close enough to classic format to make trouble for the unwary.

I'm more perplexed at reports of bicycle stores which do not
sell gear wires. What's up with that? Don't they repair
bicycles? If so, how?

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Thursday, July 11, 2013 11:29:37 AM UTC-4, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/10/2013 9:36 PM, James wrote:

On 11/07/13 12:09, David Scheidt wrote:

AMuzi wrote:

:On 7/9/2013 10:42 PM, Joe Riel wrote:

: The front shifter cable for my 9-speed Ergo levers

: is wearing at the brifter---I noticed it when a strand

: began jabbing me today. Don't know if the local bike

: shop has Campy cables, but will find out tomorrow. If

: not, is there any reason not to use something else?

:

: Thanks

:



:Yes, and a very good reason. The other major brands have

:changed to a larger head which will just slip in but sticks

:in an amazingly difficult to remove manner.



I have a Versa brifter for an 8 speed Shimano IGH. For reasons known

only to some hysterically insane taiwanese designer, it uses a Campy

cable. I found that out the hard way, and mention it to save any one

thinking about the shifters the same misery. A complex curved dental

pick was just the ticket, once I found it.





If Campy cables are hard to come by, or expensive by comparison to

another "major" brand, and the difference in size is small, I'd

contemplate enlarging the hole 0.5mm with a drill. It's not like it's a

brake cable with any safety concerns attached...





True, but so very many people think of that option _after_

destroying the part with the cable head stuck in it.



In the olden days, there were on-axis(Campagnolo type) heads

and perpendicular to axis (Huret type) heads. They are

completely, utterly different. The

ever-so-perniciously-larger new Asian format heads are just

close enough to classic format to make trouble for the unwary.



I'm more perplexed at reports of bicycle stores which do not

sell gear wires. What's up with that? Don't they repair

bicycles? If so, how?



--

Andrew Muzi

www.yellowjersey.org/

Open every day since 1 April, 1971

The shop here in town I got inner shift cables for my Campy Ergo levers told me to gring down tthe cable end because that's what they do. What really got me was the shop in the next city from me, that sells Campy stuff and had Campy stuff in their display case does NOT stock Campy shift cables - they're a Special Order ite. I wonder if this isn't part of thereason many prefer Shimano and Sram shifters?

Cheers

On Thursday, July 11, 2013 8:29:37 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/10/2013 9:36 PM, James wrote:

On 11/07/13 12:09, David Scheidt wrote:

AMuzi wrote:

:On 7/9/2013 10:42 PM, Joe Riel wrote:

: The front shifter cable for my 9-speed Ergo levers

: is wearing at the brifter---I noticed it when a strand

: began jabbing me today. Don't know if the local bike

: shop has Campy cables, but will find out tomorrow. If

: not, is there any reason not to use something else?

:

: Thanks

:



:Yes, and a very good reason. The other major brands have

:changed to a larger head which will just slip in but sticks

:in an amazingly difficult to remove manner.



I have a Versa brifter for an 8 speed Shimano IGH. For reasons known

only to some hysterically insane taiwanese designer, it uses a Campy

cable. I found that out the hard way, and mention it to save any one

thinking about the shifters the same misery. A complex curved dental

pick was just the ticket, once I found it.





If Campy cables are hard to come by, or expensive by comparison to

another "major" brand, and the difference in size is small, I'd

contemplate enlarging the hole 0.5mm with a drill. It's not like it's a

brake cable with any safety concerns attached...





True, but so very many people think of that option _after_

destroying the part with the cable head stuck in it.



In the olden days, there were on-axis(Campagnolo type) heads

and perpendicular to axis (Huret type) heads. They are

completely, utterly different. The

ever-so-perniciously-larger new Asian format heads are just

close enough to classic format to make trouble for the unwary.



I'm more perplexed at reports of bicycle stores which do not

sell gear wires. What's up with that? Don't they repair

bicycles? If so, how?

So is the new Asian format the "Campy" cable DS was talking about with his Versa brifters? Or are there now three different formats?

Is there some engineering justification for the differences or is this just a turf war?

-- Jay Beattie.

AMuzi writes:

On 7/10/2013 9:36 PM, James wrote:
On 11/07/13 12:09, David Scheidt wrote:
AMuzi wrote:
:On 7/9/2013 10:42 PM, Joe Riel wrote:
: The front shifter cable for my 9-speed Ergo levers
: is wearing at the brifter---I noticed it when a strand
: began jabbing me today. Don't know if the local bike
: shop has Campy cables, but will find out tomorrow. If
: not, is there any reason not to use something else?
:
: Thanks
:

:Yes, and a very good reason. The other major brands have
:changed to a larger head which will just slip in but sticks
:in an amazingly difficult to remove manner.

I have a Versa brifter for an 8 speed Shimano IGH. For reasons known
only to some hysterically insane taiwanese designer, it uses a Campy
cable. I found that out the hard way, and mention it to save any one
thinking about the shifters the same misery. A complex curved dental
pick was just the ticket, once I found it.


If Campy cables are hard to come by, or expensive by comparison to
another "major" brand, and the difference in size is small, I'd
contemplate enlarging the hole 0.5mm with a drill. It's not like it's a
brake cable with any safety concerns attached...


True, but so very many people think of that option _after_ destroying
the part with the cable head stuck in it.

In the olden days, there were on-axis(Campagnolo type) heads and
perpendicular to axis (Huret type) heads. They are completely, utterly
different. The ever-so-perniciously-larger new Asian format heads are
just close enough to classic format to make trouble for the unwary.

I'm more perplexed at reports of bicycle stores which do not sell gear
wires. What's up with that? Don't they repair bicycles? If so, how?

No idea. I've always done my own repairs---for a long time it was a
necessity because the shops aren't in walking distance and I didn't own a
car. I called the store---maybe the service guy I got was clueless, or
was trying to sell me stuff I didn't need, I don't know. Either way,
it didn't sound good to me.

--
Joe Riel

Frank Krygowski wrote:
Seems to me an amazing amount of earth's manufacturing now happens
in China. They seem able to ship those items to the U.S. at very
low cost.

Anything you can ship(sic!) in a standard intermodal container over
the sea is cheap in transport. Way too cheap, unfortunately.

--
Best regards
helmut springer panta rhei

On 7/11/2013 11:22 AM, Jay Beattie wrote:
On Thursday, July 11, 2013 8:29:37 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/10/2013 9:36 PM, James wrote:

On 11/07/13 12:09, David Scheidt wrote:

AMuzi wrote:

:On 7/9/2013 10:42 PM, Joe Riel wrote:

: The front shifter cable for my 9-speed Ergo levers

: is wearing at the brifter---I noticed it when a strand

: began jabbing me today. Don't know if the local bike

: shop has Campy cables, but will find out tomorrow. If

: not, is there any reason not to use something else?

:

: Thanks

:



:Yes, and a very good reason. The other major brands have

:changed to a larger head which will just slip in but sticks

:in an amazingly difficult to remove manner.



I have a Versa brifter for an 8 speed Shimano IGH. For reasons known

only to some hysterically insane taiwanese designer, it uses a Campy

cable. I found that out the hard way, and mention it to save any one

thinking about the shifters the same misery. A complex curved dental

pick was just the ticket, once I found it.





If Campy cables are hard to come by, or expensive by comparison to

another "major" brand, and the difference in size is small, I'd

contemplate enlarging the hole 0.5mm with a drill. It's not like it's a

brake cable with any safety concerns attached...





True, but so very many people think of that option _after_

destroying the part with the cable head stuck in it.



In the olden days, there were on-axis(Campagnolo type) heads

and perpendicular to axis (Huret type) heads. They are

completely, utterly different. The

ever-so-perniciously-larger new Asian format heads are just

close enough to classic format to make trouble for the unwary.



I'm more perplexed at reports of bicycle stores which do not

sell gear wires. What's up with that? Don't they repair

bicycles? If so, how?

So is the new Asian format the "Campy" cable DS was talking about with his Versa brifters? Or are there now three different formats?

Is there some engineering justification for the differences or is this just a turf war?


A 1953 Campagnolo Gran Sport lever or a Simplex of the era,
the sort of thing Fausto Coppi would recognize, uses 2013
Campagnolo gear wires or any made in the intervening years[1].

The current Asian heads are just slightly larger- enough to
cause trouble. (3.8mm vs 4.4mm heads) I doubt there is any
other benefit or at least none I can imagine. There was an
accepted standard. Now we have two in conflict.

Wow. Amazing things may be found on a web search:
http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.50114...58836&pid=15.1

[1] This I know, but I didn't research to find an earlier
start date for the format. I leave that exercise to the reader.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Tuesday, July 9, 2013 8:42:01 PM UTC-7, JoeRiel wrote:
The front shifter cable for my 9-speed Ergo levers is wearing at the brifter---I noticed it when a strand began jabbing me today. Don't know if the local bike shop has Campy cables, but will find out tomorrow. If not, is there any reason not to use something else? Thanks -- Joe Riel

I don't understand the problem. If your lousy LBS won't stock or order a genuine Campy cable, then go to online sources. There are two excellent sources he

Andy Muzi's Yellow Jersey:

www.yellowjersey.org

or Peter Chisholm' Vecchio:

www.vecchios.com

Further, if you think Campy cables are overpriced, there are alternatives! Instead of messing around with trying to grind down the head on shimano-type cables, look for Campy-specific cables from Jagwire, Clarks, Nokon(more $$) and Gore-on (more $$). Good Luck!

On Thursday, July 11, 2013 10:23:40 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/11/2013 11:22 AM, Jay Beattie wrote:

On Thursday, July 11, 2013 8:29:37 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:

On 7/10/2013 9:36 PM, James wrote:



On 11/07/13 12:09, David Scheidt wrote:



AMuzi wrote:



:On 7/9/2013 10:42 PM, Joe Riel wrote:



: The front shifter cable for my 9-speed Ergo levers



: is wearing at the brifter---I noticed it when a strand



: began jabbing me today. Don't know if the local bike



: shop has Campy cables, but will find out tomorrow. If



: not, is there any reason not to use something else?



:



: Thanks



:







:Yes, and a very good reason. The other major brands have



:changed to a larger head which will just slip in but sticks



:in an amazingly difficult to remove manner.







I have a Versa brifter for an 8 speed Shimano IGH. For reasons known



only to some hysterically insane taiwanese designer, it uses a Campy



cable. I found that out the hard way, and mention it to save any one



thinking about the shifters the same misery. A complex curved dental



pick was just the ticket, once I found it.











If Campy cables are hard to come by, or expensive by comparison to



another "major" brand, and the difference in size is small, I'd



contemplate enlarging the hole 0.5mm with a drill. It's not like it's a



brake cable with any safety concerns attached...











True, but so very many people think of that option _after_



destroying the part with the cable head stuck in it.







In the olden days, there were on-axis(Campagnolo type) heads



and perpendicular to axis (Huret type) heads. They are



completely, utterly different. The



ever-so-perniciously-larger new Asian format heads are just



close enough to classic format to make trouble for the unwary.







I'm more perplexed at reports of bicycle stores which do not



sell gear wires. What's up with that? Don't they repair



bicycles? If so, how?



So is the new Asian format the "Campy" cable DS was talking about with his Versa brifters? Or are there now three different formats?



Is there some engineering justification for the differences or is this just a turf war?





A 1953 Campagnolo Gran Sport lever or a Simplex of the era,

the sort of thing Fausto Coppi would recognize, uses 2013

Campagnolo gear wires or any made in the intervening years[1].



The current Asian heads are just slightly larger- enough to

cause trouble. (3.8mm vs 4.4mm heads) I doubt there is any

other benefit or at least none I can imagine. There was an

accepted standard. Now we have two in conflict.



Wow. Amazing things may be found on a web search:

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.50114...58836&pid=15.1



[1] This I know, but I didn't research to find an earlier

start date for the format. I leave that exercise to the reader.

Now I get it. My first question was going to be whether there was any problem with using a Campy size cable in an Asian brifter -- and if not, why aren't there "universal" cables. Alas, I answered my own question:

http://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Hyper-.../dp/B00BTNO9C2

It would seem to me that Joe could just go buy some $4.99 Jagwire cables. Or save a buck -- $3.99 at performance for the Clarks wi

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...400928__400928

-- Jay Beattie.

Jay Beattie writes:

Now I get it. My first question was going to be whether there was any problem with using a Campy size cable in an Asian brifter -- and if not, why aren't there "universal" cables. Alas, I answered my own question:

http://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Hyper-.../dp/B00BTNO9C2

Note the shipping charge: $4.62. The total is greater than what I paid
for genuine Campagnolo wire, with shipping.

--
Joe Riel

On Thursday, July 11, 2013 7:31:26 PM UTC-7, JoeRiel wrote:
Jay Beattie writes:



Now I get it. My first question was going to be whether there was any problem with using a Campy size cable in an Asian brifter -- and if not, why aren't there "universal" cables. Alas, I answered my own question:



http://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Hyper-.../dp/B00BTNO9C2



Note the shipping charge: $4.62. The total is greater than what I paid

for genuine Campagnolo wire, with shipping.

Perfectly fine choice. You would think, though, that the LBS would have a "universal" inner cable -- Jagwire and Clarks are common as fleas at REI and Performance, for example. My world is a little skewed because there is practically a bike shop on every corner -- with the other corner taken by a coffee shop. The latest shop to open is a half mile from my house, and guess what . . . it specializes in old Campagnolo. Cables galore! http://www.burlingamebikes.com/ It was next to a coffee shop, but that closed -- pushed out by a Starbucks on the opposite corner. There is another Campy specialty shop that is on my way home from work, but it always seems to be closed. http://www.ensellebikes.com/ (no store hours listed).

-- Jay Beattie.