Originally Posted by
mschwett
another trip to the LBS every six months is definitely a factor for me, when compared with, well, zero trips to replace cables. especially when you throw in the increasingly unsatisfying shifting leading up to the replacement. obviously not an expensive or particularly complex fix, but beyond my mechanical ability at the moment and pretty unacceptable longevity of what really shouldn't be a fast wearing component (like, say, brake pads or tires) if properly designed and specified.
You are clearly on the fringe end of cycling miles per year. I think this is often lost on a message board like BF- it isn't common to ride 6000mi each year. That isn't close to the average for what people who identify as cyclists put on their odometer each year.
Again-
- yes cables can feay and preventative maintenance is better than reactionary maintenance.
- no, cables aren't being eaten by shifters at some alarming rate, even if cables need to be replaced every 3000mi.
- 3000mi on one bike is 2 or even 3 years for most that identify as cyclists. Heck, for those that ride road, gravel, and mtb and have half a dozen bikes, even they may take a couple years to put 3000mi on their bikes.
I don't view cables as scary and don't view them as some wild card that I need to be constantly concerned about failing. Maybe that's blissful ignorance on my part, but based on seeing how rare its actually an issue thru experience and discussion, it seems like most also don't view it as anything to focus their fears on.
I completely recognize that cable heads can fray, it just isn't something that I worry about when considering which bike or drivetrain to use. See my example about a di2 battery bricking- this stuff just isn't concerning.
If it required taking the bike into a shop for the 2 shift cables to be replaced, I can see that being a frustration, especially if that's the only bike ridden.