brake/derrailleur cable maintenance.How often.
03-24-07, 11:08 AM
#1
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brake/derrailleur cable maintenance.How often.
I have three bikes. Going on a steep descent, it's nice to have your brake cables intact.
With three bikes,probably I average at least 2000 miles per year per bike.
Some say replace brake/derailleur cables each year. Is not a better guide miles riden per year? Or maybe the kind of riding you do. You live in mountainous areas , brake cable might only last 1000 miles.
How do you guide when you replace cables. Each year. 3000 miles or maybe just a descent down Pikes Peak. ?
With three bikes,probably I average at least 2000 miles per year per bike.
Some say replace brake/derailleur cables each year. Is not a better guide miles riden per year? Or maybe the kind of riding you do. You live in mountainous areas , brake cable might only last 1000 miles.
How do you guide when you replace cables. Each year. 3000 miles or maybe just a descent down Pikes Peak. ?
03-24-07, 11:18 AM
#2
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You need to use a little judgement on this one.
Look at your cable condition. Are they getting coroded or are they getting sticky through the housing? Getting freyed out any where? Any signs of wear or broken strands? The weather conditions that you ride in will have an effect.
For the miles per year that you are talking about, that yearly rule might be a good idea, but I normally just look at the cables when ever I work on the bike and just replace as needed.
Look at your cable condition. Are they getting coroded or are they getting sticky through the housing? Getting freyed out any where? Any signs of wear or broken strands? The weather conditions that you ride in will have an effect.
For the miles per year that you are talking about, that yearly rule might be a good idea, but I normally just look at the cables when ever I work on the bike and just replace as needed.
03-24-07, 09:01 PM
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For brake cables, three typical points of wear:
– In the lever, sometimes, depending on the model of levers. Depress the lever and use a flashlight to inspect inside; watch for broken strands.
– At the brake, typically where is the bolt. Check for broken strands again.
– If you have Travel Agents (gizmos on top of v-brakes that allow you to use v-brakes with STI levers), where the cable is kinked to go from one pulley to the other.
The Travel Agent requires frequent inspection (2-3 times a year at least). Apart from that, I never had a Travel Agent and broke a cable only once, after 50 000 km.
For shifter levers:
– The front derailleur cable may break near the derailleur – usually during installation – if you don't install it carefully. But once you're done, it takes a really long time before breaking.
– The cable also frays and eventually breaks in the shifter.
Over the years, tension has decreased in derailleur cables, I think. Back in the 1970s, I usually broke a rear derailleur cable per year. In the 1980s, it was usually one per 2-3 years. On my recent bikes, I have broken both cables after 6 years and something like 20 000 km.
– In the lever, sometimes, depending on the model of levers. Depress the lever and use a flashlight to inspect inside; watch for broken strands.
– At the brake, typically where is the bolt. Check for broken strands again.
– If you have Travel Agents (gizmos on top of v-brakes that allow you to use v-brakes with STI levers), where the cable is kinked to go from one pulley to the other.
The Travel Agent requires frequent inspection (2-3 times a year at least). Apart from that, I never had a Travel Agent and broke a cable only once, after 50 000 km.
For shifter levers:
– The front derailleur cable may break near the derailleur – usually during installation – if you don't install it carefully. But once you're done, it takes a really long time before breaking.
– The cable also frays and eventually breaks in the shifter.
Over the years, tension has decreased in derailleur cables, I think. Back in the 1970s, I usually broke a rear derailleur cable per year. In the 1980s, it was usually one per 2-3 years. On my recent bikes, I have broken both cables after 6 years and something like 20 000 km.
03-25-07, 06:33 AM
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Originally Posted by operator
You are my hero Michel.
03-25-07, 10:20 AM
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[QUOTE=Michel Gagnon– If you have Travel Agents (gizmos on top of v-brakes that allow you to use v-brakes with STI levers), where the cable is kinked to go from one pulley to the other.
The Travel Agent requires frequent inspection (2-3 times a year at least). Apart from that, I never had a Travel Agent and broke a cable only once, after 50 000 km.[/QUOTE]
There is certainly no harm in inspecting your Travel Agents 2-3 times a year. After working with them for over a decade on personal bikes, bikes of other family members, and customer bikes, I've stopped worrying about them. The kink in the cable never moves so the cable doesn't fatigue in that area. If the brake cable breaks, it's most likely to happen inside the brake lever.
The Travel Agent requires frequent inspection (2-3 times a year at least). Apart from that, I never had a Travel Agent and broke a cable only once, after 50 000 km.[/QUOTE]
There is certainly no harm in inspecting your Travel Agents 2-3 times a year. After working with them for over a decade on personal bikes, bikes of other family members, and customer bikes, I've stopped worrying about them. The kink in the cable never moves so the cable doesn't fatigue in that area. If the brake cable breaks, it's most likely to happen inside the brake lever.
