• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Become a Premium Member
  • About

Road Bike Rider Cycling Site

Expert road cycling advice, since 2001

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Bikes & Gear
  • Training & Health
  • Reviews
  • Cycling Ebooks
    • Ebooks Training
    • Ebooks Skills
    • E-Articles Training
    • E-Articles Nutrition
  • Member Area
  • Newsletter

Keep Your Cables Clean and Lubed

Make it easy to get broken cables out

When shift cables break inside the shift lever, it can be a pain getting the end of the cable out of the lever. To make the cable less likely to break in the first place and easier to get out if it does, be sure to put plenty of lube on the cable head and a portion of cable inside the lever.

Lube job

Most bicycles have brake cables that don’t need frequent lubrication because they’re inside fairly well-sealed housing, with a slippery nylon liner inside. But shift cables are usually exposed and can become gunked-up with dried energy drink, or can simply get dry or even rusty. You’ll usually feel this in sluggish shifting and increased shifting effort.

The cure is to regularly check your shift cables and keep them clean and lubed. Energy drink usually runs down the cables and collects on them at the bottom bracket guides beneath the frame. Use hot water to clean it off, and lubricate the cables there with grease.

Also, inspect the cable where it enters and exits the short housing section leading to the rear derailleur. On many bikes the housing stop on the chainstay is split. This allows you to create slack in the cable and then lift the housing section out of the stop. You can then slide it along the cable to apply grease to the section of cable that was hidden to make your shifting smooth and fast again.


If you have an idea for a QT, fire away. We’re always looking for good info we can share with fellow roadies. We would love to hear from you with any suggestions you have. Contact us by clicking Quick Tips Ideas.

—John Marsh & The RBR Team

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search

Recent Articles

  • Anti-Aging: VO2 Max
  • Tackling an Epic Climb – Mt. Lemmon, Tucson, Arizona
  • Move Around Before and After You Eat
  • Cycology Cycling Apparel Quick Review

Recent Newsletters

Newsletter Issue No. 1054

Newsletter Issue No. 1053

Newsletter Issue No. 1052

Newsletter Issue No. 1051

Newsletter Issue No. 1050

Footer

Affiliate Disclosure

Our cycling expert editors and writers choose every product we review. We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy from one of our product links, at no extra cost to you. This income supports our site.

Follow Us

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook

Privacy Policy

Still Haven’t Found What You’re Looking For?

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in