Ultegra 6700 shifter cable threading? What am I doing wrong?
 

I'm replacing a rear shifter cable on my Ultegra 6700, and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. If I follow the directions from Shimano (PDF warning!) and click on the big lever such that it would put the chain on the largest cog, I can't get the cable through as an internal part moves into the cable way and blocks it. If I don't follow the directions, I can thread the cable through the shifter, but then ANOTHER part seems to block the plug on the end of the cable from entering fully into the shifter and engaging the rotating drum.

I've been working on this for about three hours and can't figure it out.

Dura Ace 7800 is SOOOO much easier to work with. :P

for the rear lever click the small lever for the highest gear or smallest cog. insert cable, done. you can sight the hole with a bright background or install the cable with the lever off the bike

yeah your doing it backwards, your supposed to click the lever to the smallest cog not the largest cog.

Heh.

Higher gear means a gear with a higher ratio (wheel turns per pedal rotation.)

If it's still sticking, was the wire you removed frayed? You may have debris wedged in the cable path.

The shifter cable on 6700 shifter is a pain to install than say on an 7800, the Tech Doc is ok, using new cable really helps, and a torch to check that the lever/shifter position hole is in the correct position when installing the cable in the guide under the shifter.

Yep - the cable was frayed inside the shifter, which is why I was replacing it. I fed the cable from the top instead of from the bottom and some bits of wire popped out. So I took out one of my smaller headlights and lit it up as much as I could trying to see anything - looked clear, and now it works fine.