Cable lubrication

Wreckless Eric said:

Hello,

I used grease to lube cables for several years with no problems.
I've heard that you shouldn't lube lined cables, but I was never
happy with dry cables, especially after riding in the rain.

Then, ten or fifteen years ago, the mechanic at my LBS said you
should only use oil to lube cables. Lately, I've been unhappy
with the frequency I've been having to lube my Ergopower cables.

I'm thinking grease might last longer. Any opinions?

Perhaps Boeshield? I was at a LBS and watched the wrencher replace a
cable after dousing it with Boeshield, a chain lubricant that dries
leaving a wax like film. Seems sensible to me.

Wreckless Eric said:

Hello,

I used grease to lube cables for several years with no problems.
I've heard that you shouldn't lube lined cables, but I was never
happy with dry cables, especially after riding in the rain.

Then, ten or fifteen years ago, the mechanic at my LBS said you
should only use oil to lube cables. Lately, I've been unhappy
with the frequency I've been having to lube my Ergopower cables.

I'm thinking grease might last longer. Any opinions?
--
Miss Baby was alright until me and Junior turned her head around.

I use a little squeeze bottle of Mobil One-

Wreckless Eric said:

Hello,

I used grease to lube cables for several years with no problems.
I've heard that you shouldn't lube lined cables, but I was never
happy with dry cables, especially after riding in the rain.

Then, ten or fifteen years ago, the mechanic at my LBS said you
should only use oil to lube cables. Lately, I've been unhappy
with the frequency I've been having to lube my Ergopower cables.

I'm thinking grease might last longer. Any opinions?

cables are lined with nylon. you need to use a nylon-friendly lube.
ordinary oil forms a sticky gummy mess with nylon after a while. i use
an inert light silicone grease - works very well.

On Tue, 09 May 2006 11:53:19 GMT, [email hidden] (Wreckless Eric)

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I used grease to lube cables for several years with no problems.
I've heard that you shouldn't lube lined cables, but I was never
happy with dry cables, especially after riding in the rain.

Then, ten or fifteen years ago, the mechanic at my LBS said you
should only use oil to lube cables. Lately, I've been unhappy
with the frequency I've been having to lube my Ergopower cables.

I'm thinking grease might last longer. Any opinions?

If you ride often, good grease works...but it eventually dries out and
leaves a hard sticky sludge behind. Oil and grease both will track
[censored] into the cable housing. I find that with stainless cables and
lined housing, the whole thing's irrelevant...but if you don't have
lined housing, lube is a must, and I have had the best results with
50wt motor oil so far.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

On Tue, 09 May 2006 11:53:19 GMT, [email hidden] (Wreckless Eric)

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I used grease to lube cables for several years with no problems.
I've heard that you shouldn't lube lined cables, but I was never
happy with dry cables, especially after riding in the rain.

Then, ten or fifteen years ago, the mechanic at my LBS said you
should only use oil to lube cables. Lately, I've been unhappy
with the frequency I've been having to lube my Ergopower cables.

I'm thinking grease might last longer. Any opinions?

I use ProLink on my chain and like it so much I bought this for use
with cables:

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=ProLink+Cable+Luber&vendorCode=PROGOLD&major=6&minor=7

So fart, the ProLink has worked well with my cables and the applicator
keeps it from dripping all over the place.

Doug Taylor said:

On Tue, 09 May 2006 11:53:19 GMT, [email hidden] (Wreckless Eric)

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I used grease to lube cables for several years with no problems.
I've heard that you shouldn't lube lined cables, but I was never
happy with dry cables, especially after riding in the rain.

Then, ten or fifteen years ago, the mechanic at my LBS said you
should only use oil to lube cables. Lately, I've been unhappy
with the frequency I've been having to lube my Ergopower cables.

I'm thinking grease might last longer. Any opinions?

I use ProLink on my chain and like it so much I bought this for use
with cables:

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=ProLink+Cable+Luber&vendorCode=PROGOLD&major=6&minor=7

So fart, the ProLink has worked well with my cables and the applicator
keeps it from dripping all over the place.

I think ProLink says on the bottle that it's safe for lined housing, too.
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Wreckless Eric said:

Hello,

I used grease to lube cables for several years with no problems.
I've heard that you shouldn't lube lined cables, but I was never
happy with dry cables, especially after riding in the rain.

Then, ten or fifteen years ago, the mechanic at my LBS said you
should only use oil to lube cables. Lately, I've been unhappy
with the frequency I've been having to lube my Ergopower cables.

I'm thinking grease might last longer. Any opinions?

It's hard to get grease into a cable housing. If you apply it to the
cable, it gets wiped off as the cable goes back into the housing. Oil
wets the cable better, and doesn't wipe off.

Matt O.

I have been using gun oil. Remmington brand. It's teflon oil used to
clean guns. Seems to work fine on my bikes.
Rick in Tennessee

FINISH LIME TEFLON/WAX - remove cable - rinse with CHO - stop one end
and shake- rinse out-blow out housing (try the local garage) - drip in
liquid FL (one end plugged and let lie in sun to dry somewhat
clean off cable -drip liquid FL onto cable -run the botttle's nose down
an inclined cable -allow to dry
assemble.
occasionally -drip wax down open cable end - penetrates and is
effective with a few drops onto one or two exposed ends
use gravity -stand bike up or in vert to drip in and down.

yeah gotta add - all good lubes - pick one with a viscosity suits your
temperature range

Wreckless Eric said:

Hello,

I used grease to lube cables for several years with no problems.
I've heard that you shouldn't lube lined cables, but I was never
happy with dry cables, especially after riding in the rain.

Then, ten or fifteen years ago, the mechanic at my LBS said you
should only use oil to lube cables. Lately, I've been unhappy
with the frequency I've been having to lube my Ergopower cables.

I'm thinking grease might last longer. Any opinions?
--

As to methodology, I'm partial to these:

http://www.jpcycles.com/productgroup.aspx?GID=5D46130F-4E91-4BB8-ACE7-73DC982D3E5B

OR: http://tinyurl.com/gh889

As to product? I use plain ol' spray Triflow for the cables ... after
using that oiler and some WD-40 (SACRILEGE!! (but that's just me)) to
flush 'em clean.

The reason manufacturers say you shouldn't use grease on lined housings
is because some brands f grease may react with the plastic liners,
degrading them.

If you want to lube your cables with lined housings try Paraffin (candle
wax). It is chemically neutral and won't harm any linings. Being a solid
lubricant, it wont wash out and will protect the exposed sections of
cable as well.

- -
Comments and opinions compliments of,
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

My web Site:
http "colon-slash-slash" geocities "dot" com "slash" czcorner

To E-mail me:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

Chris Z The Wheelman said:

If you want to lube your cables with lined housings try Paraffin (candle
wax). It is chemically neutral and won't harm any linings. Being a solid
lubricant, it wont wash out and will protect the exposed sections of
cable as well.

I was going to recommend the same thing. It's what I do. But the
abuse heaped on chain wax fans made me hesitate!

- Frank Krygowski

Chris Z The Wheelman said:

If you want to lube your cables with lined housings try Paraffin (candle
wax). It is chemically neutral and won't harm any linings. Being a solid
lubricant, it wont wash out and will protect the exposed sections of
cable as well.

I was going to recommend the same thing. It's what I do. But the
abuse heaped on chain wax fans made me hesitate!

Oh, but the wax I use is canning paraffin, not candle wax. I believe
there's a difference.

- Frank Krygowski

From: [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

I was going to recommend the same
thing. It's what I do. But the abuse
heaped on chain wax fans made me

hesitate!

Quoted message said:

- Frank Krygowski

Hey, If you know something works because you've tried it yourself, then
you have proof that no flame can singe!

- -
Comments and opinions compliments of,
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

My web Site:
http "colon-slash-slash" geocities "dot" com "slash" czcorner

To E-mail me:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

From: [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Oh, but the wax I use is canning paraffin,
not candle wax. I believe there's a
difference.

- Frank Krygowski

True. Candle wax is basically canning wax with extra ingredients to
prolong burn, reduce drip, give it color, fragrance, etc. I don't know
what, if any, effect these have on it's use as a lubricant.

I used "candle wax" to distinguish it from fuel (kerosene, I believe),
which is also called paraffin in Europe.

- -
Comments and opinions compliments of,
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

My web Site:
http "colon-slash-slash" geocities "dot" com "slash" czcorner

To E-mail me:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

Werehatrack <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

If you ride often, good grease works...but it eventually dries out and
leaves a hard sticky sludge behind. Oil and grease both will track
[censored] into the cable housing. I find that with stainless cables and
lined housing, the whole thing's irrelevant...but if you don't have
lined housing, lube is a must, and I have had the best results with
50wt motor oil so far.

Shimano uses some type of grease in their cables. It works very well and I
have not seen it harden up over time. Anyone know what this stuff is?

--
Mike DeMicco <[email hidden]>