Stupidest possible mechanical

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Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
After I'd broken a FD cable (and it had broken a strand already) 65k into a 600, I started carrying a cable (again). But a wise man (OTP) said "if you think it's worth carrying a spare cable, replace the cable before the ride and don't carry it as a spare".
Reasons were that, breaking a cable is an extremely rare occurrence.
If I want to replace a cable, I need to cut the ends. This is because, two ends have diffrdiff "heads" to fit different brake types.
One can procure cables with the correct head one end and a secure end the other. No cutting required, and no requirement to carry cable cutters.
On my 600 (BCM) I screwed the lower limit screw up to fix the chain on the middle ring, removed the broken cable, rode on the 60k to Rhayader (Clive Powell Mountain Bikes - just west of the town centre) bought a cable, fitted it and rode on.
If you haven't spotted a fraying cable
As @Dogtrousers has observed, on the modern STIs (cable routed along handlebars) right by the head, inside the STI, seems the most usual point of failure. One cannot inspect this without unclamping at the derailleur and subsequently redoing the tension/indexing, which is a pain if it's set up just right.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Even if it's fraying inside the innards of a brighter?

Although I admit to having once seen a fraying cable and thinking "it'll be ok". ... It wasn't.

A cable will seldom fray on a straight run. It needs to have been bent repeatedly in a small area to work-harden the strands, which includes over-tightened clamps and badly-routed cables to moving parts, meaning the cable gets bent every time it moves. I've seen cheap cable-operated brakes where the cable runs to the clamp over a cam to avoid this but as the brakes wear the cable run becomes direct to the clamp, where it is crushed and flexes at a small point as the brake arm moves, causing it to fail very quickly. A remarkably bad and dangerous design.
 
Location
España
So the lesson for people like me is to inspect the cable before going on a tour.
I'm off tomorrow for three weeks on the bike & I've just packed a spare brake and gear cable.
One night I locked the bike to a wire fence at a campsite in Italy. It was the only solid thing in the vicinity and beside a railway line - a very busy railway line! Next morning, the rear derailleur cable (which had been in contact with the fence) was almost totally frayed through. As the trains went past, the old steel wires of the fence rubbed against the cable. I'd put in a new cable before I left.

If you're worried - bring it. It's light.
I also carry a spare saddle pin after mine broke on the same trip leaving me stranded in a thunderstorm ^_^
 
Location
España
This is interesting. Because I only take the bare minimum. Just spare tube, tool set and chain repair tool. That is all.
On this tour I had to replace brake pads which I was able to buy at Decathlon.
For me, touring is all about being relaxed. I'm a great believer in Murphy's Law, so I'll bring what I've learned to bring.
I cycled to France one time, figuring I'd pick up a map when I got there. I arrived on a Thursday - Holy day so all shops shut, Friday ditto, Saturday I was in the middle of nowhere, back to civilisation on Sunday, shops closed... and Monday was another holiday! ^_^ Tuesday, I was heading for the coast and didn't need a map anymore ^_^
One time in Spain I needed brake pads. One bike shop in the village.... but it was Fiesta time! Nobody in the shop! Next day was hilly.... and not terribly pleasant. So now I always carry spare brake pads!
This trip, I'm bringing 2 tubes, spare brake pads, 1 gear cable, 1 brake cable, the saddle pin, multi-tool, spoke wrench, lube, gaffer tape, cable-ties and quick-links. And a Leatherman.

Everybody's different. Do what suits you.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Well it's well known that any cable, cord or rope left unsupervised for long enough (even in a locked drawer) will find something to tangle with.

Yes. I can vouch for that. Pulling up near some lights, a hoop of wire was flicked up by my front tyre, then hooped over my shoe and the trailing end got run over by the back wheel, pulling the cable and pinning my foot to the pedal. Over I toppled onto the grass verge.
 

alicat

Legendary Member
Location
Staffs
I have seen a case where a cable broke inside a brifter. I don't know any details but I lent the guy my little pliers to try to sort it out. It was on a Welsh FNRttC but I forget which one.

That happened to me on a hilly audax out of Hebden Bridge. A guy doing jobs for his wife and proper bored helped me fix the derailleur in a low gear to get back to the start. It was hell to try and get the rest of the cable out of the STI lever.
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
That happened to me on a hilly audax out of Hebden Bridge. A guy doing jobs for his wife and proper bored helped me fix the derailleur in a low gear to get back to the start. It was hell to try and get the rest of the cable out of the STI lever.
Happened to me as I pulled up at home once, putting the bike in a lower gear, nothing happened. I now change the cable every few months.
 

FLYINGGATER

Well-Known Member
Location
Medstead
In my early motor bike days I had the bright idea of taping spare clutch and brake cables onto the existing cables. Rode motorcycles for 53 years and never had a cable failure
 
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