When I first started racing, I don’t think I changed my cables once during the season. The cables were woven and we didn’t really address the shifting being precise because it was friction shifting and you had to adjust it manually.
Then STI index shifting became the norm and that is when the cable changing became common place. It is impossible to have good shifting with gummed up cables. But, with the 8 speed shifting, it still wasn’t something you had to do all that often.
Then I started racing MTB bikes full time. That is when the drastic amount of cable changing occurred. I would change cables at least once a week. All the cables, brake and derailleur. Sometimes I’d change them more, depending upon the conditions.
Gore Tex came out with cables then, back in the 90’s. I tried the Gore Tex cables for awhile, but it took way too long to change them, without the longevity advantage to justify it.
When the road shifting turned to 9, then 10, now 11 speed shifting, the cables have become more and more important. Shimano STI levers have a tendency to stress the cables at the cable end, by the shifter. If you use shitty cables, they break really quickly. I don’t know how many times I’ve been out riding with guys that have broken their right shifter cables and are stuck in their 11’s. My brother is the worst case. I’ve probably been riding with him at least a half a dozen times when his shifter cable breaks. He did it during the Bazaar Road Race one time I was in a break with him and he had to ride the whole race in his 11.
Anyway, changing cables now isn’t the super simple task it used to be. With the new SRAM and Shimano shifting, you have to remove your bar tape to change the shifter housing. I ride the Shimano 7800 levers on all my bikes, cross and road, mainly because the cables are exposed and easy to change.
Plus, a lot of bikes have internal cable routing now. My Trek Madonne has this and it is a hassle to string the cables through the frame. It is like fishing electrical wiring through a wall covered by drywall. And with this internal shifting, it is hard to stretch the cables properly to get the shifting correct. I’d never change my cables the morning of a race anymore. I don’t do it on Friday. I’ve never had any luck with the inline cable adjustors. They just seem to move when I’m racing, thus making the shifting horrible. The only adjustment I have on my cables is at the rear derailleur.
I’m thinking about trying the new Gore Tex cables again. I’ve heard that they are much better than their predecessors and make the shifting amazing. With the time it takes to change the cables, it is probably worth the extra hour spending installing the Gore cables if they last that much longer.
I used to look forward to changing the cables before each and every race, now it is just a hassle. I guess as the shifting improves and becomes more precise, the maintenance is going to follow. It’s about time to just go to Di2 eletronic shifting and just be done with all this sillyness. TRP is coming out with a new shifter for Di2 that allows the use of hydraulic disc brakes, so we, in theory could be done with changing all cables pretty soon. Wouldn’t that be nice?
My garage floor after the deed.
TRP's new shifter allowing the use of hydraulic brakes.
Here you go Steve. Recharge the DI battery once a month, and you already know hydraulic brakes are “set it and forget it” (I always wanted to say that).
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tech-colnago-launch-c59-disc
ah just get some Di2 stuff… and move on. Cables are not for racing no more.
I highly recommend Di2. I have been really impressed with their performance. I only charged my Di2 battery twice last year. Once when I received it and once in the middle of the summer. I never saw the low battery light. I only had to adjust the shifters once as well. I am not sure if I needed to adjust them but I thought the shifting might be a bit off because I had crashed the week before in a crit and slid the derailleur across the pavement. I spend more time trying to find the manual on how to adjust the shifters than I did adjusting them. The setup costs more but I think they will last longer as well.
Bazaar Road Race reference.
Sweet…
Just around the corner now days!
steve, i’ve had really good luck with the nokon cables. They seem to provide less friction in tight bends and the way they do the sleeve housing its easy to do internal routing. The enamel coated ones don’t oxidize like aluminium either.
I second Jed.
I have the same Nokon Housing set in use since 2005. The cables get changed once a season and every other year I change the plastic liner.
The Gore cables are nice but the teflon coating on the cables will start to peel after a while and then the cable needs replacing. Sealed or not it happens. Just make sure all your housing cuts are clean and have been opened up nicely.
I think I was in that race when Chris broke his der cable. He’d fly by on the downhills and we’d catch him on the way back up. I remember people murmuring “Why’s he doing that?” Now we know.
crap I have to go do that now,, not looking forward to it.
The broken cable probably worked to his advantage as Kris is one of the few riders around capable of keeping an 11 rolling through any terrain.
Yokozuna reaction cable set is the best cable set on the market bar none. They actually machine the cables after they wind them so they are super smooth. The housings are compression less. You will be amazed at the improved braking performance. None of that gimmicky coating on the cables that wears out and just gets gummed up in the housing. You can actually lube them and they last an amazing long time. I put one set at the beginning of cx season and never had to change them. I set them up on the stand the first time and never have to adjust them due to stretching. If you try them i guarentee you will agree with me that these are the best cables you have ever used or I will buy you a new set of your choice.
Now that the UCI has legalized disc brakes for cyclo cross bikes, you are going to see more road bikes equipped with them.
On the cable scene… I am still going for stainless steel wires and DuMonde Tech for oil in the housing. All those owners with bikes out there that have internal housings and wires will just have to settle in with the reality of having to changes the cables and housings every 3 months.