djdelarosa25

I replaced the inner cable of my rear brake just a few months ago. When I unclamped the pinch bolt today to adjust the cable tension, I noticed a broken strand, seen here.



Should I replace this or just keep an eye on it and replace if more strands break?

Russ Roth

Actually the thing to watch for is if the strand starts to move. One strand won't matter but sometimes it starts unraveling further and curling up from the cable moving against the adjustment barrel and housing, at that point it can create excess friction and make your braking suck. But one strand isn't a big deal.

pdlamb

At some point you'll have to replace it (as you do all cables). On the one hand, as Russ Roth notes, a single strand isn't going to make a difference (unless it starts twirling around and stabs you on the leg or hand). On the other hand, how much free time do you have and how obsessive are you about your bike? If I had a spare cable, and if I was sitting out a tropical depression's rain with nothing better to do, then I'd change the cable.

Iride01 

In that location, I wouldn't be concerned. Though if the broken strand going up into the cable housing unravels, it might cause you some issues. But not so bad that it can't be addressed when it's a real problem for the function of your brakes.

Likely issue will be that your brakes won't open fully or fast enough after you release the brake lever. If you ever have an issue.

caloso

I’d put a thin spot of super glue on it to keep it from unraveling.

Chuckles1

A drop of superglue might keep it from unravelling, which is a PITA.

JohnDThompson 

While a single broken strand may not be a problem, it begs the question of why any strand broke. If one can break, others will surely follow. Sometimes, the cable anchor on the caliper is responsible for breaking strands if it is too tight.

If it were my bike, I'd replace the cable with a new one, taking care to tighten the anchor sufficiently but not excessively. And save the old cable to be used on the front brake after trimming above the broken strand.

thook

i've fixed them with short piece of heat shrink tube. change out the cable next time you have to do the housing

Murray Missile 

As cheap as cables are I replace any cable with a broken or damaged strand as soon as I see it.

79pmooney

Rear brake? I wouldn't sweat it. I'd just make sure I had a new one on hand. (Even if this cable end goes to ****, you're going to have to cut feet off to make it a front so who cares?) And in hard stop, it's the front that's going to stop you. Now if that were my front, it would get changed out soon! Poster here have heard me talk of the "critical path" between the pavement/front tire and our hands. Failure anywhere on that path can cost us a crash, broken collarbone or far more, even death. Front brakes are right up there in importance.

SurferRosa

HTFU, lower your quill stem, and cut your non-aero brake housing enough to trim that bit of cable.

ClydeClydeson

The only place I would ride that bike is to the bike shop to buy a new cable. It's unlikely that the cable will break, but what is very likely is that the strand will unravel a bit until the unravelling is inside the housing, and then it will affect your braking. It will also likely damage the inside of the housing - not so it is unusable, but it won't be perfect.

Changing a single inner brake cable is often very straightforward - you usually don't need to unwrap the bars or remove the housing, just cut the old cable out (so you don't have to pull a frayed end through the housing) and fish the new cable through from the lever. Sometimes it's difficult to get the end of the new cable through the hole in the brake lever and started down the first length of housing, especially if the housing isn't perfectly seated and straight in the lever, and in this case you might need to remove the handlebar tape to get it started.

hokiefyd 

I agree with the others that, because it's on the tensioned side of the cinch bolt, it could unravel further and even up into the housing where it could damage the liner or, as a few have already said, potentially hold the brake closed if the strand digs in. I've had several cases like that where an unraveled strand is on the non-tensioned side of the cinch bolt...where, perhaps, it started to unravel before the cable end was applied. That's usually not a problem because it can't migrate upstream beyond the cinch bolt.

coffeesnob

i'd let it go for a while and monitor it. When replacement time comes dont buy the same brand cable.

zacster

I would just replace it. Cables are inexpensive enough.