cables

[Badger]

I have a question how many of the riders out there have broken a cable?  I'm not talking about being off road and have a branch or log grab it but actually shifting and have it break. I guess I should include break cables as well. This falls in the category of what spare parts should you carry.

[tofubicycle]

If I have to go more than 300 miles without a bike shop, I carry one spare brake cable but no more and never any sh*ter cables. I have never needed it. If your bicycle is properly maintained both before you set out and during your tour, the likelyhood that you will snap a cable through normal use is quite slim. Certainly, things happen but even if they do, being without a shifter cable for 100 miles or so is hardly the end of the world if you know how to adjust the limit screws on your deraileurs. I'd be a little nervous running a single brake for 100 miles which is why I carry one spare brake cable but I feel it is much more likely that you could handle your bike with one brake for 100 miles than it is that you would need to do so in the first place. Still, cables don't weigh much and if it's piece of mind you want, go for it.  

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i'd rather be biking.

[cyclesafe]

I needed to replace my front derailleur cable in the middle of a tour because it frayed too much near the anchoring bolt.  I agree with Tofu.  They weigh and cost nearly nothing, so there is no reason not to bring both types of cables.

[FredHiltz]

My old Sun Tour bar end shifter regularly breaks its cables about once every 4,000 miles, apparently because it bends them around too small a radius. One can get by with just one shifter working for a while.

One brake, however, is another matter. Tofubicycle is right, cables are so cheap and light that they definitely fall into my category of "better to have one and not need it than to need one and not have it."

Fred

[DaveB]

In 110,000 miles of riding I have never broken a cable of any type. I do change them about once a year (~7000 mile intervals) and use good quality cables.

[pmspirito]

One brake and one shifter cable. "tandem" length for use on my recumbent.  Also: with 16 and 20 inch wheels on our bents i carry spare spokes in each of the different sizes.  When it comes to parts and tools I believe "what you carry you never will use" think about it.  Peter aka Lantern Rouge.

best wishes from the back of the pack,  Peter & Judy Spirito