Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
Several clever tips for finishing cables came in which I like so much I want to share them, and then I’ll pass along a couple of technical questions I hope you can help with.
Cable Tips
1. Chris Burkhardt pointed out that he “uses Yokozuna reusable cable ends. They have a tiny collet that holds them on. They stay put in all conditions I’ve ridden in. I expect them to outlast my bike. https://www.somafabshop.com/shop/yokozuna-reusable-cable-ends-1-pair-2836?page=3&category=968#attr=279,996
My thoughts: Thanks Chris, those are very cool, only about $8 a pair, and they even come in a variety of colors!
2. Larry J Parker wrote, “I like the super glue trick. I give the cable end a dip in chain cleaner or alcohol, rinse it with a little water and then a dab of super glue, the moisture is good for the super glue. I also like the dispensers with the squeeze triggers on the side. A consistent spot of glue, and consistently available, unlike some of the tubes that get contaminated and useless after a couple of uses.”
My thoughts: Appreciate the tips on using super glue, Larry! I got frustrated trying to use it long ago and gave up on it. It’s great to know that it’s now available in trigger dispensers.
3. Pete Surdo offered another great tool use tip. He explained, “I like soldering. But I also use hot glue with success. Don’t use the trigger, but rather the hole in the nozzle of a small glue gun is just big enough to plunge the cable end into and slide back out with a small sleeve of glue on it. The glue comes off with a fingernail for rethreading!”
My thoughts: I never tried using a glue gun like that Pete. Thank you!
Two Questions
The first one came in back in February but I only just saw it. The second question is a couple of weeks old. I have a few ideas which I’ll put below the questions. But I’m hoping you’ll weigh in too, sharing your experience and expertise on these topics to help out.
A Question about Shifting in the Cold from Rob MacLeod
“Hi Jim, I am not sure where you live and ride (daily!) but here in Utah in winter, I have a problem with gear shifting in cold temperatures. I am talking in the -20 to -5C ( -4 to 23 F) range, and yes, living in the mountains of Utah, this is pretty common during my commutes to work.
The problem seems to be the worst for the front mech and can cause it to stick on the big ring no matter how much slack is in the cable. But rear shifting is also pretty slow at times. Is there a suitable lubricant, or what other tricks do you suggest? I am using a gravel bike with Shimano GRX for commuting and while I try to keep it clean, you can imagine the roads are pretty sloppy around here in winter, especially this winter with record snow (hooray!)”
My thoughts:
I live and ride in Santa Cruz, California Rob. The temps here never drop as low as yours. But I did live and bike a lot in New Hampshire and Vermont. The thing is though that back then we had either down tube or handlebar-end shifters and cables and housing.
Down tube setups have barely any housing to restrict the cables and bar end systems only add a little more housing and some of it was designed to spray lube right through the housing. So I can’t recall any difference shifting in the winter versus the summer.
It’s summer now so you can’t do this test. But during the winter if you have an indoor trainer you could do a comparison of shifting when it’s warm versus shifting when it’s cold. If there’s a difference then maybe it’s related to the cold changing how the shift levers, cables or derailleurs function.
I wouldn’t expect the lube to be affected but STI levers have been known to get “sticky” over time. So that’s one thing that might be worth checking though I haven’t heard specifically of any issues with GRX STI shifters.
Since you mentioned the front derailleur sticking on the big ring along with the sloppy riding conditions, the problem might be corrosion or grit in the front derailleur itself. You did say you try to keep it clean but maybe it’s dry and binding and needs lubrication to allow it to move freely again.
You said the rear derailleur is slow too. That makes me think that maybe it’s the chain that’s causing your issues. If it’s in need of lube it could shift poorly too.
Those are a few ideas. Readers, if you’ve experienced shifting slow downs in the cold and have some possible solutions for Rob and his GRX shifting please leave a comment.
Bill Steward’s Question is about E-bike Batteries
“This is unrelated to your article today, but about electric bike batteries. When there is a fire, what happens? Do they burst into flame, or just get really hot and cause other stuff to burn? I have a Catrike with Bosch motor and several batteries. I’m getting ready to revamp my charging station. I have 2 batteries for that and several other tool batteries. Do I need to install a sprinkler head or what? Thanks for any information you can give!!”
My thoughts:
You’re asking a safety question Bill, which I’m not qualified to answer. But, you don’t have to search much to learn that there are risks to e-bike batteries.
In a Bicycle Retailer article (a trade publication) from January, 2023 covering e-bikes in New York City, it was reported:
“Lithium-ion battery fire safety has become a serious topic for the city after incidents have steadily risen in the past few years. Through mid-November last year, FDNY said there were 191 fires and 140 injuries and six deaths from lithium-ion fires in the city.”
Here’s a link to the full story: https://bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2023/01/26/nyc-council-members-bill-would-ban-e-bikes-e-scooters. By searching the site for “e-bike batteries” you can read a lot more about the issues.
Bicycling Magazine did a more in-depth feature about the issue back in 2019. Included are some scary videos showing what happens when lithium ion batteries ignite. https://tinyurl.com/2pkutkm9
I own a 2016 Specialized Levo e-bike and there was a recall on the batteries. I was notified by Specialized of the recall and learned from reading some of the correspondence that they do not recommend ever leaving a charging battery unattended. I didn’t know that until I read it.
Here’s a story about a Consumer Product Safety Commision forum held last month to address e-bike safety concerns: https://bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2023/07/26/cpsc-holds-lithium-ion-battery-safety-forum-thursday.
And since you specifically asked how to “revamp my charging station,” here’s a document by the Human Powered Solutions organization with recommendations for bike shops to follow in storing and charging e-bikes: https://www.bicycleretailer.com/sites/default/files/downloads/article/battery-protocols-v1.6.pdf.
Hopefully something here will help you Bill. Readers, if you’re versed in e-bike battery safety please help Bill out by commenting.
Thanks everyone!
Jim Langley is RBR’s Technical Editor. A pro mechanic & cycling writer for more than 40 years, he’s the author of Your Home Bicycle Workshop in the RBR eBookstore. Tune in to Jim’s popular YouTube channel for wheel building & bike repair how-to’s. Jim’s also known for his cycling streak that ended in February 2022 with a total of 10,269 consecutive daily rides (28 years, 1 month and 11 days of never missing a ride). Click to read Jim’s full bio.
Don’t know if your reader can remove his battery while it’s being charged. If he can then he should look for a “Lipo battery bag” with his favorite search engine. These are fire proof bags for battery charging. I use one when I charge cheap external LiIon battery packs for night riding.
Additionally, for a battery of an ebike capacity I’d put the charger on a timer for 60-90 minutes. Let it cool, check to see if it’s full, and charge more if required.
Lithium batteries are “happiest” at between 20% and 80% charge, and keeping them in that range provides the maximum battery life. They should not be stored for any extended length of time at full charge, as that can damage them. Once a battery is fully charged, the internal circuitry will prevent it from charging further.
Unfortunately, these bags provide a false sense of security, as they really don’t work. Here’s the first of a short series of videos (~7 minutes total) that discusses lithium battery safety options: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tavpXgmL16M
If nothing else, it’s a good place to start your search for a solution.
Jim –
Regarding Rob’s question about shifting in freezing conditions. All of what you mentioned could be affecting things. In addition, there could also be small amounts of water within the cable housing which can freeze during cold rides and make shifting progressively worse through the ride. I ride in the northeast all winter and I have found this can occur in the days after a fresh snow. Snow and ice that’s fresh – not mixed with road salt – can build up on spots on the frame and cables. The bike is brought indoors and the water melts. Some of the melt can get into the cable housing by capillary action. If it stays in there it can re-freeze during the next ride, causing issues. Under the bottom bracket, where exposed cables go through the cable guide, is another area with lots of books and crannies in which ice can build up during a ride. I used to try and run some anti-freeze down the cable housing but I’m not sure I ever found a way to do this well. If there is tons of ice and snow, or one is riding in an active ice storm (on studded tires, naturally…..). obviously there can be serious ice buildup on the derailleurs and brake calipers making for a dangerous situation. These days, of course, there are no issues with hydraulic brakes and electronic shifting.
Scott B
Re. Rob’s shifting. Is the FD getting snowy junk in it? And then freezing? Here in New England, I have had the RD and rear brake freeze when conditions may be wet and cold. The bike is always washed and then blown ( air compressor ) dry . Especially anywhere that can hold water. Chain, mech’s, bolt heads…….Then relube the chain.
Haven’t ridden in cold weather below 20 degrees since the 80’s. I had Shimano SIS shifters on the down tube. In really cold weather, two things could happen. Cable itself became stiffer and could hold a kink and because of the extreme temp change, the cable length shrank enough that I had to lock out index shifting. The longer the cable, the more significant the shrinking since it is a factor of cable length and temp difference,
I use a dab 0f Shoe Gu (I usually use it to add miles to running and hiking shoes). Just stick the end of the cable into the nozzle of the tube and pull it our. You should just have a little dab on the end. Lasts for months on the cable but is a pain to get off when you need to change the cable.
Thanks for the great tips everyone!
Jim
Good Article Jim. Hope all is well with you. I didn’t know there was so many ways to do that. I usually just be real gentle feeding the cable and not push very hard and it comes out good sometimes, I don’t have any cable ends and crimp old spoke nipples on the ends, works in a pinch. 🙂 I’ve had some questions lately about when cables give out, or stretched out. I know when I have to click my shifter twice to get it to drop or raise it might be time for a new cable but I’m not sure if I can just tighten the cable and re-adjust it. How do I know for sure that it’s done? Thanks Mike 🙂