How to Lube Brake and Derailleur Cables
Improve braking and shifting performance and increase the life span of your cables and housing by lubricating your bike's cables.
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Instructions
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Derailleur (Shifting) Cables
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1
Clamp your bike into a repair stand.
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2
Shift the chain onto your big cog in back and your big ring in front (make sure that your chain is long enough before you do this - otherwise, you may damage the derailleurs).
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3
Without turning the cranks, shift down as if you wanted to be in the small cog in back and small ring in front. The derailleurs and chain should remain where they are, but your cables should now be limp.
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4
Pop the cable housing out from within the cable stops.
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5
Slide the housing down, and wipe off the cables with a clean rag.
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6
Lube derailleur cables with a light oil.
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7
Put the cable housing back into the cable stops and carefully turn the pedals forward.
Brake Cables
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8
Squeeze your brake levers so that the pads are touching the rim.
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9
Hold the brake pads against the rim with one hand.
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10
Pop the cable housing out from the cable stops.
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11
Slide the housing down, and wipe off the cables with a clean rag.
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12
Lube brake cables with heavy oil or grease.
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13
Slide the housing back, squeeze the brakes again and put the housing back in the cable stops.
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14
Test your brakes to make sure they're safe.
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Comments
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FredT
Oct 30, 2007
This approach only works for cables with open stops. Most mechanics, to do a thorough job, are more likely to remove the cable from the housing, add a thin layer of top quality grease (such as Phil's), and reassemble. I'd be happy to elaborate if someone wants, but to do this you need to know how to make basic brake and derailleur adjustments.
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FredT
Oct 30, 2007
This approach only works for cables with open stops. Most mechanics, to do a thorough job, are more likely to remove the cable from the housing, add a thin layer of top quality grease (such as Phil's), and reassemble. I'd be happy to elaborate if someone wants, but to do this you need to know how to make basic brake and derailleur adjustments.
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chris labarbera
Oct 05, 2007
Thanks for the Advice!
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chris labarbera
Oct 05, 2007
Thanks for the Advice!
