How often do you change your cable outers [road bikes]?

[Cyclenon]

Hi there,

question as above.
So far, I've only ever had the cable themselves (inners) changed on my 105 equipped road bike.

This improves shifting but invariably over time it deteriorates again.
I understand that some of the cable outers are coated with a special lubricant.

Would I be better off changing the outers as well, even though there is no sign of external damage?
If so, how often should I change them? Every time the inner cables are changed?

I'm a bit reluctant to change them frequently, given rewrapping bar tape, hassle etc, so welcome any views.

Thanks

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Lots of varying advice and variables that may alter the advice given, such as what mileage, exposure to dust etc.
I know people that only change cables and outers when they have a problem with shifting. Personally, I would suggest inner every year and outer every other year based on not too dirty riding, regularly maintained and 3,000 miles a year. If planning a tour or similar, I would change them beforehand and still take an inner as spare.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

BTW .....wrapping handlebars is much easier than it looks and we'll worth learning how to do it.

 

[Milkfloat]

I often try to just replace the short bit at the rear derailleur, it is this bit that is likely to cause most friction. However, I love fiddling with my bikes and demand perfect shifting, so I often end up replacing the whole lot as soon as I am unable to achieve a perfect shift.

 

[I like Skol]

You all have this the wrong way round! A decent stainless steel inner won't need replacing unless it becomes frayed or kinked. It can be cleaned by wiping with a rag soaked in GT85 or similar. It is contamination and deterioration of the outer casing that causes the problems and as has already been said, usually the short piece at the rear mech that is the worst (most exposed and tightest bend).
Periodic replacement of that final piece of outer and a good clean of the inner is often all that is needed to maintain good shifting. Occasionally change the longer piece at the shifter but this is a bigger job and can sometimes be avoided by flushing with an aerosol lube like GT85 or WD40 and then refitting the cable after applying a wipe of a light oil.
Putting new inner cable in the old rear piece of outer is utter madness!

 

[Drago]

More often than I change my Y fronts.

 

[raleighnut]

More often than I change my Y fronts.

 

[cosmicbike]

More often than I change my Y fronts.

But you do wipe the inner periodically with GT85...

 

[cosmicbike]

I have yet to change a set of cables on any of my bikes. Some have 2000 miles on, some 4500 miles. They still shift perfectly well. I have yet to clean then or do any other maintenance. If it ain't broke....

 

[I like Skol]

My hybrid has done 15000 miles. I have changed the inner and outer once and only changed the inner then because it was a touch too short for the outer after I improved the routing a little.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Around 5,000 miles on my commuter, and it did improve the shifting a fair bit. Still on the original inner cable though.

I'm thinking of doing a full replacement (inners and outers) on my MTB since it gets ridden in a lot of mud, but since it's shifting OK for now I doubt it's worth it.

Anyone noticed any improvement in braking from changing inners/outers (thinking vee brakes/calipers/cantis here)?

 

[mjr]

I know people that only change cables and outers when they have a problem with shifting.

BTW .....wrapping handlebars is much easier than it looks and we'll worth learning how to do it.

And maybe in another 25 years of trying (only on mine and relative's bikes, mind), I'll actually manage to do it neatly once!

 

[Venod]

Only change them when I have a problem and its usually by just changing the inner, the cables on my winter bike have racked up some serious mileage.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

I would suggest that a snapped gear cable definitely falls well inside the category of "a problem with shifting"!

 

[mjr]

I would suggest that a snapped gear cable definitely falls well inside the category of "a problem with shifting"!

I think you may be thinking of the inner that snapped inside the shifter, so nothing to do with the outer IMO. It's very difficult to get any lubricant inside EZ-Fire shifters, so I've taken to preemptive cable replacement on that one since then... well, and not using it much. I really should replace those shifters with something less fussy.