yeamac 

New Old Stock 2003 Bianchi Vigorelli

Took my bike out yesterday and right away the chain is rubbing on the front derailer. Shifting from cog to cog doesn't change anything. I tried turning the screw that is in the middle of the cable (near steerer tube on Bianchi bike frame) and neither tightening nor making it looser seemed to help. So I figure my cable has stretched and needs to be pulled just a little tighter at the derailer. (I'm a novice bike mechanic, if you can't tell.)

So I loosen the screw and attempt to pull the front derailer cable a little and then retighten the screw. (The little metal end cap had fallen off before this). The cable slips through my pliers and goes flying out, straightening up. I pull the cable through the screw again and then all of a sudden the thing frays.

I think the fray is only up to the screw, as what is coming out the other end of the screw at the derailer seems like it is not frayed.

Now my front derailer is working perfectly, as apparently I got the cable at just the right length. Since I hate to mess with this and it is hard for me to get it adjusted just right (now it is adjusted just right), do I need to replace this frayed cable, or can I leave it? Although it pretty much unwound, I was able to get the end cap back over the frayed cable end and retighten with pliers. So there is an end cap on the cable, but the excess cable is still frayed up to the derailer screw.

Should I replace, or am I good to go? I've never replaced a cable, but guess it shouldn't be too hard. The hard part is getting the darn derailer adjusted just right!

Also, I thought the screw near the steerer tube that tightens/loosens the cable should have taken care of this without the need to actually pull the cable through. Am I mistaken?

fore

It'll work, but if you notice any broken strands I'd replace it. Cables are cheap.

thomson

As long as the fraying is all past the clamp screw, it won't cause a problem. But you should try and trim what you can and solder or tape or ?? tehrest to prevent the separated wires from getting snagged in stuff or scratching something.,

cuda2k

A dab of superglue works well to keep cables neat and tidy I've been told. I keep telling myself I should follow that advise when replacing my cables but haven't yet.

Bobby Lex

A stainless steel cable will set you back less than $5.00

Bob

bassplayinbiker

I think that the cables are wound in a counterclockwise motion. Try twistinsting the ends of the cable counterclockwise and see if the cable gets wound back up or gets worse. If it gets worse, then try the other way. If this little trick dosent work, then you can replace the cable if it astetically bothers you. For some reason, frayed cables on my ride drive me bat *****.

matimeo

To address the above question: Are you talking about the two screws next to each other on the topside of the derailleur? Those actually only set a limit on how far the derailleur will run in each direction (so your chain doesn't come flying off). Unless newer components have a screw that tightens/loosens the cable, I've always just had to adjust the cable tension the manual way.

yeamac 

No, I am not talking about the 2 screws on the top of the front derailer. On the Bianchi frame where the cable comes from the shifter on the handlebar, once the cable attaches to the bike frame there is a screw there that I can adjust for tension by hand. I think on other bikes you can twist the cable at the shifter itself. I don't know how to describe it better.

EDIT 12/21/06: Last weekend I noticed the old cable was frayed past the screw, so I decided to replace the cable. Was only $4 from my LBS. Took just a couple of times tightening it, but quickly got it "just right" and now my bike is shifting like a dream again. It's kinda nice to learn how to do this stuff on my own.