My brake cable snapped going down a steep hill last Tuesday

I was coasting down Pine Street near the old bridge when the rear brake lever went totally limp, so I had to drag my foot and steer into a grassy patch to stop, and now I'm wondering if anyone has tried those coated cables that claim to last longer than standard ones.

2 comments

2 Comments

nancy92920d ago

That's exactly why I've been looking into those coated cables too. Pine Street has that steep section near the bridge where you really need reliable brakes. But honestly, I'd ask about what kind of housing you're pairing them with. Most of the time the cable snaps because the housing is dirty or rusted inside, not just the cable itself. Have you checked if your cable housing has any kinks or rust near the ends where it bends the most? The coated ones help with friction but they won't fix bad housing that's already binding up.

-1

mia44220d ago

Jumped into this same rabbit hole last year (and promptly faceplanted, literally, because I forgot to check my housing). @nancy929 is totally right about the housing being the real culprit most times. I spent a whole afternoon replacing a "bad" cable on my old commuter, only to realize the housing was so crusted with gunk near the brake lever that it was basically sandpaper inside. Ended up just swapping both out together and it was like night and day. Makes me feel like an idiot for not checking that first, but hey, live and learn (and maybe buy a new set of housing cutters).