??

(I'll say it before anyone else...) when they break?

I was wondering if you guys did this on a set basis or like you said, when they break.......

When shifting or braking isn't as crisp if you have everything else tuned up well. Sometimes just changing the inner cable will solve it.

For me that's probably about once a year or 4-5k miles.

I do it once a year. A broken brake cable at the wrong time could be a real disaster.

Do you guys just use stuff from the LBS or do you order a cable set online? Any recommendations?

I couldn't resist. Just yankin' your chain.

I usually order mine online, and change it every winter. Though, I think that's really due to boredom.

Shift cables every year. Brake cables every 2-3 years. I use cables from the bike shop.

Ideally...before they break. Mileage vary so it is hard to tell.

people here told me to replace every year. so far I have not replaced any except when rebuilding/putting new shifters on.

oh yes..and one idiotic occasion when I cut the outer casing and forgot i still had the inner cable inside. i did think this outer sure is hard to cut this time. then a moment of doh!

If your shifting isn't crisp because your cables are degrading, then replace them immediately. Usually, wear isn't noticeable until some of the strands in the cable have already broken and the rest will follow soon.

When is the last time anyone broke a cable? I rarely replace mine, and have bikes that must have 20,000 miles on the cables.

I don't recall breaking a cable since I was a kid. Modern, high quality, stainless steel cables will last awhile.

Modern indexed shifting systems put a lot of strain on your cables. Several people in my club have broken cables in the last couple of years (both Shimano and Campy). Inspecting your cables is difficult since they usually break at the end inside the shift lever.

Cables are cheap and easy to replace. I change mine every time I replace my chain.

When I can tell they aren't working properly. So, not very often.

I'm not disagreeing, but adding my experience: I've not heard of or seen a broken cable. Is your club really big?

I have seen a kinked cable. Kinked inside the rear derailleur (makes it impossible to get shifting to work properly).

I'm thinking the would tend to put less. The amount of pull is indexed, you get to the end, you're out of clicks, and you're not putting as much stress as a ham fisted operator of a friction shifter.

Perhaps the cable routing and the associated bend could put more stress on the cables than down tube shifting.

In my experience broken cable seemed a lot more common 30 years ago than today.

Same here.

Glad I'm not the only one who's done that.

My 105 10-speed broke the rear (right) shifter cable at 3800 miles and again after another 4200 miles. My LBS was the SAG for Bike across Kansas last year and replaced five broken cables on Shimano 10-speeds. Shimano told the LBS that it happens with their 10-speed STI shifters and to replace them regularly. After my own two breaks, I replace the rear cable like clockwork every 3000 miles. Only takes 10 minutes or so, including derailleur adjustment. The front shifter and brake cables are still original with 24,000 miles on them.

I would say that if you are one of these that rides 10,000 a year then every 6 months is just barley enough. The very basic Jagwire cables that you bike shop has in bulk would only go 3 months before they are corroded. On the cheap you can get them to order you a Jagwire Racer cable kit. Comes with shift and brake cables and you can choose from all different colors. Replace those once a year. With the cheap cables the inner wire isn't stainless steel and will corrode quickly.

Campy cables seem to last forever. That is, if you define "forever" as 8-10,000 miles.

In addition to this, what are/were other people's max mileage they had on a set of cables?

I didn't replace my shifter cables for 25,000 miles and one of them was almost frayed through.

Jenson has Dura Ace cables sets for $15 a set. Replace them when they fray or shifting gets incurable.

MTN bike cables get hammered from the water. If you take care of your road bike they should stay in good shape for years and thousands of miles. The cable problems some of us remember as kids were solved with teflon liners and stainless cables. The cables won't rot and they don't require lube.