gear cables and sub-zero temps

Skeleton Man said:

Hi all,

I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but when it
gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something because the
rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a little
everything is fine..

Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?

Regards,
Chris

either

A. get electric cable heaters,

B. leave the bike in cold weather (e.g. a garage) and adjust it
permanently for the cold

or

C. use the thumbscrew to adjust on the fly.

"Skeleton Man" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all,

I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but when
it
gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something because the
rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a little
everything is fine..

Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?

Regards,
Chris

As someone who used to do it, there are only 2 choices I see. 1) single
speed. Pick a gear for the front and rear, and live with it. or 2) dont
bring it inside, adjust it there, and live with the results.

Micheal

I ride in northern New England in the winter. Only thing that works for me
is 1) Pick a gear for the front and rear, and live with it.

"Micheal Artindale" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Fcfph.600751$1T2.477591@pd7urf2no...

Quoted message said:

"Skeleton Man" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all,

I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but when
it
gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something because
the
rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a
little
everything is fine..

Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?

Regards,
Chris

As someone who used to do it, there are only 2 choices I see. 1) single
speed. Pick a gear for the front and rear, and live with it. or 2) dont
bring it inside, adjust it there, and live with the results.

Micheal

Skeleton Man said:

Hi all,

I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but when it
gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something because the
rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a little
everything is fine..

Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?

Regards,
Chris

Wow. If the cable contraction due to cold is enough to pull your rear
der out of wack, that's some serious shrinkage!

I've had shifting suffer in the cold, but always chalked it up to the
shifter mechanisms and or the mung inside the cables stiffening up.

/s

Scott Gordo said:

Skeleton Man said:

Hi all,

I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but when it
gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something because the
rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a little
everything is fine..

Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?

Regards,
Chris

Wow. If the cable contraction due to cold is enough to pull your rear
der out of wack, that's some serious shrinkage!

I've had shifting suffer in the cold, but always chalked it up to the
shifter mechanisms and or the mung inside the cables stiffening up.

/s

mung?

"cc" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Scott Gordo said:

Skeleton Man said:

Hi all,

I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but
when it
gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something because
the
rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a
little
everything is fine..

Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?

Regards,
Chris

Wow. If the cable contraction due to cold is enough to pull your rear
der out of wack, that's some serious shrinkage!

I've had shifting suffer in the cold, but always chalked it up to the
shifter mechanisms and or the mung inside the cables stiffening up.

/s

mung?

dirt-lube combination. wasn't really that difficult to figure out.

Skeleton Man said:

..when it
gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something because the
rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
shifting ..

It is very improbable that this would be due to cables shrinking. A far more realistic reason it that you have an excess of lube/dirt in your cable housing (or possibly your shifters) that jams the works as it gets cold. The actual wires can be wiped down, but flushing the housings usually isn't worth the effort. If you're short of cash at least replace the part of the housing closest to the RD, wipe wire clean and lube LIGHTLY (only so it feels greasy to the touch), reassemble, adjust and ride. Better still - replace the whole cable.

While you're at it - give the RD a good clean and lube too - check that it moves freely.

GeeDubb said:

"cc" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Scott Gordo said:

Skeleton Man wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but
> when it
> gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something
> because the
> rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
> shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a
> little
> everything is fine..
>
> Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?
>
> Regards,
> Chris

Wow. If the cable contraction due to cold is enough to pull your rear
der out of wack, that's some serious shrinkage!

I've had shifting suffer in the cold, but always chalked it up to the
shifter mechanisms and or the mung inside the cables stiffening up.

/s

mung?

dirt-lube combination. wasn't really that difficult to figure out.

I know. Just wanted to hear
the official definition; I
already got it in a sentence.

Ever hear of santorum?

"cc" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

GeeDubb said:

"cc" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Scott Gordo wrote:
> Skeleton Man wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but
>> when it
>> gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something because
>> the
>> rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
>> shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a
>> little
>> everything is fine..
>>
>> Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?
>>
>> Regards,
>> Chris
>
> Wow. If the cable contraction due to cold is enough to pull your rear
> der out of wack, that's some serious shrinkage!
>
> I've had shifting suffer in the cold, but always chalked it up to the
> shifter mechanisms and or the mung inside the cables stiffening up.
>
> /s
>

mung?

dirt-lube combination. wasn't really that difficult to figure out.

I know. Just wanted to hear the official definition; I already got it in a
sentence.

Ever hear of santorum?

No and now I wish I never had....eeewww

GeeDubb said:

"cc" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

GeeDubb said:

"cc" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> Scott Gordo wrote:
>> Skeleton Man wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter..
>>> but when it
>>> gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something
>>> because the
>>> rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
>>> shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up
>>> a little
>>> everything is fine..
>>>
>>> Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Chris
>>
>> Wow. If the cable contraction due to cold is enough to pull your rear
>> der out of wack, that's some serious shrinkage!
>>
>> I've had shifting suffer in the cold, but always chalked it up to the
>> shifter mechanisms and or the mung inside the cables stiffening up.
>>
>> /s
>>
>
> mung?

dirt-lube combination. wasn't really that difficult to figure out.

I know. Just wanted to hear the official definition; I already got it
in a sentence.

Ever hear of santorum?

No and now I wish I never had....eeewww

yeah dude. i remember when the
Stranger articles came out
with that originally. that is
one of the funniest syndicated
columns I've ever read.

I should point out this bike is brand new and only ridden a handful of times
since xmas.. so wear and muck, etc are unlikely..

Chris

Skeleton Man said:

I should point out this bike is brand new and only ridden a handful of times...

Well, oils and greases still generally gets thicker as it gets colder regardless of their age. If you have too much lube in shifters or cable housings the cold will affect the bike even if you ride it straight off the showroom floor. Likewise if you've managed to get water in the cable housings, that can also kill shifting as soon as it has happened.

Scott Gordo said:

Skeleton Man said:

Hi all,

I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but when it
gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something because the
rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a little
everything is fine..

Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?

Regards,
Chris

Wow. If the cable contraction due to cold is enough to pull your rear
der out of wack, that's some serious shrinkage!

I've had shifting suffer in the cold, but always chalked it up to the
shifter mechanisms and or the mung inside the cables stiffening up.

/s

Ha! My family have been using the term mung for generic goo or
contamination for forever. I figured it was an Aussie term (anyone know?).

Long live mung! (the word anyway)

Matt (single speed in the cold, or ski)

Skeleton Man said:

Hi all,

I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but when it
gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something because the
rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a little
everything is fine..

Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?

Ride a singlespeed.

JD

MattB said:

Scott Gordo said:

Skeleton Man said:

Hi all,

I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but
when it
gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something
because the
rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a
little
everything is fine..

Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?

Regards,
Chris

Wow. If the cable contraction due to cold is enough to pull your rear
der out of wack, that's some serious shrinkage!

I've had shifting suffer in the cold, but always chalked it up to the
shifter mechanisms and or the mung inside the cables stiffening up.

/s

Ha! My family have been using the term mung for generic goo or
contamination for forever. I figured it was an Aussie term (anyone know?).

Long live mung! (the word anyway)

Matt (single speed in the cold, or ski)

I only know it as a bean, but
wiki's got some great stuff,
including the military def of
a "combination of axle grease,
mud, and dead things that were
crushed under the equipment".
Yum.

cc

cc said:

MattB said:

Scott Gordo said:

Skeleton Man wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but
> when it
> gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something
> because the
> rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
> shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a
> little
> everything is fine..
>
> Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?
>
> Regards,
> Chris

Wow. If the cable contraction due to cold is enough to pull your rear
der out of wack, that's some serious shrinkage!

I've had shifting suffer in the cold, but always chalked it up to the
shifter mechanisms and or the mung inside the cables stiffening up.

/s

Ha! My family have been using the term mung for generic goo or
contamination for forever. I figured it was an Aussie term (anyone know?).

Long live mung! (the word anyway)

Matt (single speed in the cold, or ski)

I only know it as a bean, but
wiki's got some great stuff,
including the military def of
a "combination of axle grease,
mud, and dead things that were
crushed under the equipment".
Yum.

cc

Zappa also uses it as a term in his autobiography: "low-end mung". I
always figured it was some type of voluminous bass distortion.

/s

Scott Gordo said:

cc said:

MattB said:

Scott Gordo wrote:

>Skeleton Man wrote:
>
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>I live in Canada and still like to enjoy my MTB in the winter.. but
>>when it
>>gets below freezing the gear cables must contract or something
>>because the
>>rear derailler goes out of alignment.. usually resulting in difficult
>>shifting to lower gears (1, and 2 mainly).. but when it warms up a
>>little
>>everything is fine..
>>
>>Is there anything I can do to prevent this ?
>>
>>Regards,
>>Chris
>
>
>Wow. If the cable contraction due to cold is enough to pull your rear
>der out of wack, that's some serious shrinkage!
>
>I've had shifting suffer in the cold, but always chalked it up to the
>shifter mechanisms and or the mung inside the cables stiffening up.
>
>/s
>

Ha! My family have been using the term mung for generic goo or
contamination for forever. I figured it was an Aussie term (anyone know?).

Long live mung! (the word anyway)

Matt (single speed in the cold, or ski)

I only know it as a bean, but
wiki's got some great stuff,
including the military def of
a "combination of axle grease,
mud, and dead things that were
crushed under the equipment".
Yum.

cc

Zappa also uses it as a term in his autobiography: "low-end mung". I
always figured it was some type of voluminous bass distortion.

/s

It's a versatile word. Great googly moogly!

Matt