Brake Cables

[ian emmerson]

Have been planning recently to routinely change my inner cables after a couple of years of use and some 2500 miles of use. Happened to be in Wilko,s the other day and spotted some inner cables which i thought worth a go.
Fitted them last night with new outers and fine on this mornings commute.

This evening in heavy traffic and approaching a roundabout at rush hour i was on the final approach when the car in front moved accross with warning causing me to brake sharply.

Front cable snapped and now braking using rear only until seconds later that one snapped too !!

It was one of those " OH S**t" moments as i crossed the give way line into heavy traffic using my feet as brakes. fortuneatly i quickly moved over to the kerb and despite a couple of irate drivers using their horns i escaped the unthinkable.

Checked the cables once back home to find that they had both snapped at the same place, at the tightened bolt on the calipers. I know i didnt tighten these excessively, not that that would make much difference.

It only serves as a reminder to me that whilst bargains can be had a discounted prices, some items, especially safety critical components need the investment they deserve.

 

[HovR]

Holy cr*p, that's terrible!

I am slightly surprised that this could happen even with cheap cables under heavy breaking.. The only cable I have ever managed to break was 30 years old and rusting on an old racer.

I also had to "test" my brakes today as a large 4x4 decided he didn't need to give way to a mere cyclist, despite it being my right of way.. I braked hard enough for my rear wheel to start lifting up, and thankfully the cables held!

Glad to hear you managed to stay (relatively) safe!

 

[HLaB]

Glad you escaped OK. Touchwood I usually test the brakes every so often and any snapping hasn't been too critical just annoying.

 

[threefingerjoe]

They were brake cables, right? You're positive that you didn't replace your brake cables with shifter cables? Just asking. I'm puzzled as to how they broke so easily.

 

[wakou]

+1 to threefinger, even cheapoes should not & would not just snap?

 

[fossyant]

Crikey. Wilkos crap though. I'd be back straight in the shop to warn them, or send an email. Don't penny pinch on safety kit.

 

[biggs682]

i always use wilko ones never had a problem

 

[ian emmerson]

I emailed Wilkos last night and received a reply this morning apologising for the problems encountered and asking me to send them the remaining cables which I have done this afternoon.
They are sending me a gift card as a way of apology which I am passing on to a local children's charity to use at their Christmas party, although I don't know the value , I'm sure it will be helpful.

Bought new cables from my lbs today which was my original plan as normally I don't skimp on critical components.
Told the lbs the problem I had which also didn't surprise him although he was alarmed both should snap at the same time.

Incidently the jag wire inner he sold me cost less than the wilko ones.

Moral of the story is not to skimp, I have learned the hard way

 

[chugsy]

Seeing as Wilkos inner and outer can be had for a quid I'd like to know where this shop is that sells Jagwire inners for less! Fancy buying me some and sending on?

 

[growingvegetables]

Moral of the story is not to skimp, I have learned the hard way

Whoooooooooeeee - that could have been so much worse; very glad it wasn't.

And a strong +1 for "not to skimp". A few years ago, I found myself going down a steep hill towards Hebden Bridge, with cheapo-cheapo brake blocks. Designed and made to LOOK as if there was plenty of wear left in them - except that long before they looked like they needed replacing, the rivets (?) holding the rubber on showed through, and started to grind into my rims just after I hit this hill.

Those twirling slivers of finely shaven aluminium, glinting in the sunlight after the rainstorm - aye, strangely beautiful. Doing 20, 25, 30 mph, heading for town, no matter how hard I pulled on the brakes .............. was less "beautiful".

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

bloody hell mate