Question about stripping brake cables mid-ride

Was descending a steep hill outside Boulder last Saturday when my rear brake cable snapped at the ferrule, so I had to finish the last 3 miles using just body weight and the front brake to slow down, has anyone else dealt with a cable failure in the middle of nowhere?

2 comments

2 Comments

rileygonzalez3d ago

Used to think I could fix anything with zip ties and duct tape mid ride, but this kind of failure made me rethink my whole setup. Now I always carry a spare cable just in case.

barbara_sanchez882d ago

...and honestly that's the kind of failure that makes you think about redundancy. I've had a cable snap on a rainy descent near Loveland Pass, and after that I started carrying a short length of brake cable and a couple of spare ferrules in my saddle bag. It doesn't take up much room, and if you have a mini multi-tool with a cable cutter (or even just a good set of pliers), you can do a roadside repair in about 10 minutes. The trick is to keep the cable end from fraying when you cut it, but a little bit of electrical tape works in a pinch. Also, check your cable housings for rust or wear before long rides, that's often what causes the snap at the ferrule in the first place.