I replaced the cables in my 105 shifters. The rear won't shift now and I can't see the cable end in the shifter. It appears to have slipped out of the anchor into the shifter body. Is this possible? How do I get it out? Can I get it out?

I replaced the cables in my 105 shifters. The rear won't shift now and I can't see the cable end in the shifter. It appears to have slipped out of the anchor into the shifter body. Is this possible? How do I get it out? Can I get it out?

It sounds like the head broke off your cable, but you need to explain this problem a lot better. You should detach the cable from your rear derailleur and then push the cable through the lever and see what happens. Alternatively, if the head has broken off, you should be able to just pull the cable out of the lever. If the head is in there, you should be able to get it out by banging the lever on the table (need to remove it from the bar first).

when you put the cable through the shifter. undo the cable at the der and just shove it back through the shifter and start again. make sure it goes through the anchor inside the shifter, (i think it's white plastic?), you may have to shift it back and forth a gear or two to get the cable out, but it will come out w/o too much trouble.

Will the small lever move? It sounds to me like the lever is in the wrong position. Try clicking the small lever at least 10 times. Look again and see if the anchor is there.

Will the small lever move? It sounds to me like the lever is in the wrong position. Try clicking the small lever at least 10 times. Look again and see if the anchor is there.

any hints on preventing this from happening again. I clicked the lever, I saw the anchor. I put the cable in. Ran it through the housing, frame, another piece of housing, the rear derailleur. Pulled it tight. Clamped the cable in the derailleur. When I attempted to shift to a larger cog, the cable head must have somehow slipped out of the anchor into the lever body. I messed with it until I could see the cable and used an awl to pick it out. I had to pull the whole cable out through the hole. The head was still in there jammed behind the anchor. I could see it so I took the awl and pryed it out. The shifter appears to still work OK. What caused the cable head to slip out of the anchor? Did I not have enough tension on it when I clamped the cable in the derailleur? Thanks in advance for any help.

any hints on preventing this from happening again What caused the cable head to slip out of the anchor? Did I not have enough tension on it when I clamped the cable in the derailleur?

I think you've guess right. At some point during the install, the cable experienced "negative tension" either because it was pushed or because you shifted with no tension on the cable. At that point, the head came out of the shifter, and when you later applied tension, the thing jammed in there. The standard procedure is to "shift" the empty lever many times to be sure that it is in the minimum position, thread the cable in, and pull it tight with your fingers while clamping it in the derailleur. This won't be quite enough tension for proper adjustment, so start with the barrel adjusters screwed all the way in.