Originally Posted by
Tourist in MSN
A lot of people feel that you do not need to bring spare cables, but I always carry a spare brake and shifter cable on tour. I can't remember the last time I needed to replace a brake cable, last bad shifter cable was about eight years ago, so unlikely that they will be needed on a tour, but they weigh almost nothing so there is no reason to leave them out. Most trips I do not open my first aid kit either, but still carry one.
I have only had one tour with a disc brake, but I pack spare pads for the brake.
As long as you carry a spare shifter and brake cable you'll never need it. Just wiat until the one time you forget on of them then. Ol' Man Murphy will surely strike then. LOL
Back around 1986 I was riding across the Danforth Street Viaduct in Toronto Canada and my front wheel hit a glancing blow to a piece of metal debris on the road. the metal piece flipped up and hit a rivet on a chain link just perfectly so as to drive the rivet out just far enough that the chain would no longer go through the front derailleur cage. No chain tool that day. I've carried one ever since and the only time I've needed it was... wait for it... the one time I forgot to move it to the bike i was riding that day. Fortunately I did have a small vice-grip and a small washer and was able to push the chain pin back in and ride slowly home that day.
Cheers
Edit. that was a 7-speed chain with slightly protruding rivets. The odds of that happening must be astronomical.