Originally Posted by
phughes
Oh man, I guess I better go swap the housings and cables on my Surly... they are 11 years old. I might die despite the fact they are in very good shape despite multiple cross country tours and commuting. They are clean and shiny, with no fraying, and work very well and smoothly. Thanks for the warning on possible self-destruction.
Now, the reality is, hydraulic brake systems need to have the fluid changed every two years since the fluid is hygroscopic. Maybe you got the two mixed up. Either way, both systems work, it's all a matter of choice.
My cables simply do not survive multiple years. Perhaps it's the road salt or whatever but after two years they start getting sticky and sucky.
Anyways I'd imagine most hydraulic brakes these days use mineral oil instead of DOT fluid. Since it's hydrophobic you don't have to change it all that often. We have a bike that hasn't been bled in a decade. No ill effects so far. But just because you can leave something for that long doesn't mean you should.