When to Replace Gear Cable?

[AlanW]

As a rule of thumb and given my usual annual mileage, I used to replace both the gear and brake cables (inner and outer) at the end of the winter every year, without fail.

However, a few years back I fitted the utterly superb Jagwire Elite Sealed gear and brake cables to me then everyday ride to work bike and have not had any reason to replace them due to wear related issues. The kits are no more expensive than the Shimano cable kits, but last considerably longer.

Yes, they are a bit of a faff to fit, but once fitted you can forget about them. I have Jagwire Elite sealed cables fitted to all my bikes now and my memory they have been on my most used bike four maybe five years now.

But for whatever reason, they are really hard to find anyone that stocks them which really surprises me, given how good the sealed system is.

 

[Mr Celine]

I've been giving my summer bike its annual winter service.

Rear mech was shifting fine when last used in November but the cable was not long for this world.

'Washing line' Shimano 5603.

Front cable was bent but not broken at the shifter but had frayed under the bottom bracket. I've never seen that before on this bike.

 

[Gunk]

Most seem to neglect cables and don‘t see them as a consumable, an inner and outer cable is not that expensive and completely transforms the quality of the shifting, I also assemble dry, you don’t need oil or grease on them.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I've been giving my summer bike its annual winter service.
Front cable was bent but not broken at the shifter but had frayed under the bottom bracket. I've never seen that before on this bike.

Well worth a monthly finger under the BB shell to check the FD cable there, during irregular cleaning or anyway. It comes under more stress than the RD cable and the release of tension down shifting (especially large to middle on a triple) means fast movement of the cable still under tension. And of course, unless you're a Philistine who turns their bike upside down, is 'out of sight'.
Failure at the clamp bolt is more likely, but only if the cable has been un- and reclamped many times.

 

[geocycle]

I had a rear derailleur cable fail at the shifter. 105 as per comments up the thread. I didn’t think about the limit screw trick which now seems obvious. Instead, I just yanked the rest of the cable to shift into mid cassette and tied it off on the bottle cage. Not elegant but two gears got me home.

 

[cyberknight]

I've been giving my summer bike its annual winter service.

Rear mech was shifting fine when last used in November but the cable was not long for this world.
View attachment 722204


View attachment 722205
'Washing line' Shimano 5603.

Front cable was bent but not broken at the shifter but had frayed under the bottom bracket. I've never seen that before on this bike.

I should check my cables more often especially on the summer bike with that new cable routing , 4700 shifters .I was doing a sportive and i was about halfway when the cable snapped inside the unit, i limped to the next feed station and had to have the bike set as a single speed to finish although i did reroute to avoid a massive hill as i was in 36x14 and from experience i knew i was not getting up that with that gear combo ( i did the full distance )

 

[MidnightRider]

Brake cables every year, gear maybe every 2.
Always kept lubricated where exposed to weather.

Stainless steel cables preferred where possible as I have seen cheaper cables rust and you dont want that happening out of sight in an outer.
Be aware the layout of some outers encorages water to enter and settle at the bottom of curves, where you can't see rust eating away.

Its not worth dying for the price of a cable, if there is a sudden failure.