Originally Posted by
mschwett
i should have clarified that for me it would be a ride-ending failure. are internally routed shift cables really so easy to replace on the side of the road?
Unless they are snipped off inside the ratchet mechanism on the older Shimano units, in which case a case of beer is needed, yes, it really is that easy. Fetch the 5 mm, push the old cable out, thread the new one in, connect, adjust and tighten. A couple of minutes? Ten? Whether one just takes one long one or a long and a short is personal pref, I always just carried one long. I always have tiewraps and duck tape.