coasting 

How often do you change the inner wire and how often the housing.

I recently noticed that the rear derailleur cable housing at the cable stop on the downtube is looking really frayed and a bit rusty. It seems odd because that isn't a moving part. The only other reason is user error during installation. Now I know that cannot possibly be the case since I built this gorgeous bike 3 years ago, so I'm guessing 3 years might be the time to change the housing. The inner wire has never been changed either. Am I playing fast and loose with my safety?

GP

Shift cables every year. Brake cables every 4-5 years.

YOJiMBO20

I haven't recabled my machine in a while. I figure change out the cables yearly (or when frayed/broken - whichever comes first) and the housing every few years.

Beaker

Shifter cables yearly, brake cables....errr.

lostforawhile

whatever you do, dont get the dam bell cables from wallyworld, grrrr, I put a set on just to get my bike up and running, I do plan on changing them, they never take a set, just keep stretching and stretching

oldbobcat

Makes perfect sense because that's where the cable rubs the ferule and gets exposed to the weather. Also, many cable runs between cable stops aren't perfectly straight.

How long cables and housings last depends largely on mileage and how much of that was acquired in bad weather. In New England, when I raced, my cables got changed every season. As an old man in Colorado I once let my cables go three years, but there was already fraying going on inside the front shift lever. I'll never let that happen again.

Cables and housings should be replaced at the first sign of damage, deterioration, or just plain lousy performance. If the derailleur is slow to drop to a smaller cog, if the brake levers are slow to return, change your cables!

rbart4506

Yearly...May change out the RD cable and last piece of housing more often to keep the shifting crisp...

It's a perfect DIY winter project!

Christobevii3

The jagwire cable sets aren't too terribly expensive on amazon and shifted a lot better than the 105 set. Might as well just change them yearly.

RT

At $1.45-$1.95 a cable, I have them stocked up. Each time I buy something, I add one of each to the order. Change yearly, along with housing.

topflightpro

My cables are replaced 1-3 times a year. Housing is replaced annually.

And OP, yes, the housing is moving in the ferrule. Every time you turn your bars, it moves the housing, causing it to start to fray, and once it is exposed, it starts to rust. And the housing for the rear brake and RD is moving too every time you brake or shift. The movement may be small, but it enough to cause the housing to slowly fray.

coasting 

Dammit! It's never ending fiddling. I just want a bike that doesn't need to have anything done to it.

unionmade

Get a fixie. There's still moving parts, but no cables. Of course, if I rode a fixie without a brake, I doubt I'd live long enough to benefit from the reduced maintenance schedule.

merlinextraligh

When's the last time you broke a cable? With modern equipment, this stuff just doesn't need as much maintenance as in the old days.

I just replace cables if performance starts to go down, or there's a visual problem. Typically that's several years.

Velo Vol 

I've replaced everything once (in the last seven years) and replaced one of the back cables an additional time due to corrosion. Seems that cable is exposed to dripping sweat.

Clipped_in

^^^^Me too!

Jed19

I always buy quality cables (Dura-Ace right now), then stick with them until I notice performance issues.

Cables, especially shift cables, are really where you can get some bang for your money.

garysol1 

I replace all cables with Shimano cables yearly just before spring. Typically I change out the chain at the same time

dgasmd

+1

I think most of you seem to be going into the overkill arena!!

ruindd

Say hello to Di2

garysol1 

I respectfully disagree. Shimano STI has had a reputation for breaking the shift cable head off of the inner cable and jamming it in the shifter. I have seen seen shifters turned to trash because of this. It happens with no pre-warning at all.

banerjek

I replace every year, though I tend to change the housing under the handlebar tape less often.

Yes, you can get several years out of cables, but when they fail, it's a PITA. Having heads pull off shift cables when you're in mountains (has happened to me twice over the years) is really no fun.

Cable and housing is cheap and not waiting too long can prevent inconvenience.

Clipped_in

I've never had that problem with SRAM shifters.

...Hey, you set it up for me. It would have been rude to not take it. Badump Ba!

Will G

Had the head of a shifter cable break off in the shifter. Very much a pain in the posterior to fix. I replace cables every year, housings when I have shifting issues or see any rust.

terrymorse 

+1. Replacing derailleur cables annually is a cheap and easy way to avoid the "cable-break-inside-shifter" headache.

For housing, I look at the condition of the housing ends. If there's any rust, I replace.

martialman.45

I'm with merlin. If its not broken, don't fix it . I need to start carrying an extra shifter cable in case of a failure, especially on the tandem as it would be hard to get a ride.