Bicycle Mechanics - Need a Campagnolo cable?

I need to replace the rear derailleur inner cable on my Mondonico with Campagnolo 10-speed gearing. Is there anything that special about the Campy-branded cable, or can I use something decent and available such as Jagwire?

The head of the cable is a bit different between Shimano and Campagnolo. The result is that you can't use a Shimano cable in your Campagnolo shifter. But it is possible to make cables compatible with both, so some/most third part cables will be fine in either system.

Use the Campy as some of the other cable heads will become wedged into the shifter and when replacing them later I have had some shifters were they needed the head to be drilled out to replace.

You don't need Campy's own branded cable but you do need to use a Campy-specific end fitting.

Jagwire makes good quality shifter cables with a Shimano fitting at one end and the slightly smaller Campy fitting at the other and you just cut off the unneeded one.

Alternatively, if only Shimano compatible cables are available, some judicious filing can be used to reduce them to Campy diameter.

The Campy head is slightly smaller than a Shimano head which can be gotten in, but tends to get stuck there. When I was Campy's east coast service tech, I was kept very busy removing Shimano head cables from ergolevers. It was so regular that I made myself a tool just for that job.

If you buy Jag cables they offer both Campy and Shimano ends, designated with a C or S molded in respectively. Also Sram uses the campy size head as does some of the newer Dura Ace stuff so the right size head is much more common than it used to be.

Whatever you use it should be a very easy slip fit into the cam, and you can test by putting in the head only backward. If there's any hint of resistance you have the wrong head. Also dip the head in grease when installing to make removal easier 2 years from now.

clear info and few dollops of common sense! Thanks, gents! Sounds like if I use a Shimano head, I really need to file it down to a nice smooth fit.

Sounds like installing vintage French stuff.

Yes u have to file the head enough to fit and be sure it is some lose also, the issue is that if it fits too tight u wont be able to take the cable out, in that case u have to drill it out. U can use a dremel, is faster :P

If you buy Jag cables they offer both Campy and Shimano ends, designated with a C or S molded in respectively. Also Sram uses the campy size head as does some of the newer Dura Ace stuff so the right size head is much more common than it used to be.
Now that is useful info. I didn't realize SRAM used the Campy end fitting and certainly didn't expect Shimano to use it for anything.

Now that is useful info. I didn't realize SRAM used the Campy end fitting and certainly didn't expect Shimano to use it for anything.

I'm sure neither thinks of it as the "Campagnolo" size head. Years ago when I distributed Jag, I was the only customer in the USA to request the smaller head, and it was fortunate that JagWire already had the mold and by coincidence it had a "C" in it. The C didn't stand for Campy, it was the initial of of JagWire's makers name.