Originally Posted by
Velo Dog
Not that you'd want to follow my example for maintenance, but I've been riding for more than 40 years, owned at least 15 bikes (plus maintaining my wife's and kids' rides), and I've only seen one cable fray. I replace them occasionally, usually when I replace the brake pads, which I do when they look like they need it. But as far as I can tell, cables last forever.
Yeah, almost never. I tend to change cables only because I've gone for longer housing for some reason, or the cable's been off and on so many times it's fraying at the clamp point. Then back cable goes on the front and the back gets a new one.