Ccccables frozen



J

J. Chisholm

Guest
I'm more of a 'Utility' that 'Recreational' cyclists, but that does mean
I'up at crack of dawn (or before) and cycle in all weathers some 10+
miles each day.

This morning my 7 speed Nexus hub was reluctant to go into lower gears
once I'd been in a high one.
This ain't the first time I've so suffered on very cold mornings, but it
is first time this year.

I think it is due to fricton in the cable run, due to buildup of grot
and moisture.
What lubricant, if any, do others use in such cables?
Should I be finding the time to replace such cables each Autumn?

It is a real pain to set off from the lights, or at a mini r'about and
discover you are in second highest instead of the lowest gear!

A couple of years ago the cable to the hub brake became so frozen that
after an application I had to get off bike and bang lever on hub with a
spanner as cable wouldn't release it!

And it wasn't even cold enough to freeze my beard this morning!

(I gather neither Napolean nor ****** got to Moscow because their
machinery/guns wouldn't work in the cold)


Jim Chisholm
 
"J. Chisholm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm more of a 'Utility' that 'Recreational' cyclists, but that does mean
> I'up at crack of dawn (or before) and cycle in all weathers some 10+ miles
> each day.
>
> This morning my 7 speed Nexus hub was reluctant to go into lower gears
> once I'd been in a high one.
> This ain't the first time I've so suffered on very cold mornings, but it
> is first time this year.
>
> I think it is due to fricton in the cable run, due to buildup of grot and
> moisture.
> What lubricant, if any, do others use in such cables?
> Should I be finding the time to replace such cables each Autumn?


Cables should get replaced when they need replacing. I don't generally
lubricate cables heavily, but I also run full length outers and tend not to
ride when it's absolutely perishing. I'd use something like 5w30 motor oil
or 3 in 1 as it'll stay thin at low temperatures.
 
Doki wrote:
> Cables should get replaced when they need replacing. I don't generally
> lubricate cables heavily, but I also run full length outers and tend not
> to ride when it's absolutely perishing. I'd use something like 5w30
> motor oil or 3 in 1 as it'll stay thin at low temperatures.


Note that many cables these days are pre-lubricated with special stuff,
and may not take kindly to having ordinary oil dripped in there with it.
Try it and see, obviously, you have nothing to lose if it was already
stuffed, but it may be time for a new one.


-dan
 
In message <[email protected]>, [email protected]
writes
>Doki wrote:
>> Cables should get replaced when they need replacing. I don't
>>generally lubricate cables heavily, but I also run full length outers
>>and tend not to ride when it's absolutely perishing. I'd use
>>something like 5w30 motor oil or 3 in 1 as it'll stay thin at low
>>temperatures.

>
>Note that many cables these days are pre-lubricated with special stuff,
>and may not take kindly to having ordinary oil dripped in there with
>it. Try it and see, obviously, you have nothing to lose if it was
>already stuffed, but it may be time for a new one.
>

I use the "dry" teflon lubricant. Its very thin and mobile and works its
way down if you carefully dribble it in from the top. Its useful on long
Brompton cables.

--
bob
 
On 12/12/2007 13:14, J. Chisholm wrote:
> Should I be finding the time to replace such cables each Autumn?


I replaced my front brake cable (inner and outer) last night, after it
froze for the third time this winter. The difference it made to the
feel and responsiveness of the brake and to my stopping power was
incredible (helped, no doubt, by the new front brake that I installed at
the weekend).

The old cable was sopping wet when I pulled it out. I can only think
that the water got in during the Exmouth Exodus in June and hasn't been
able to get out again.

I know you were asking about gear cables, but cables is cables. If
you're suffering at all with cable sticking, and especially cable
freezing, I don't think you'll regret spending a few quid and half an
hour replacing both the inner and the outer (not much point just
replacing the inner, if the outer is full of ****).

YMMV, but doing it every Autumn might be overkill. Although this was
the 4th time I've changed the inner cable on this bike, the outer had
been on there since I bought the bike 7 years ago. It's been fine until
the last few months.

--
Danny Colyer <http://www.redpedals.co.uk>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"The plural of anecdote is not data" - Frank Kotsonis
 
On Dec 12, 10:14 pm, "J. Chisholm" <[email protected]> wrote:
> (I gather neither Napolean nor ****** got to Moscow because their
> machinery/guns wouldn't work in the cold)


I thought it was buttons in Napolean's case. The tin buttons on their
uniforms turned to weak, powdery grey tin due to the cold hence they
were all running around starkers (and once you do that, other bits
quickly stop working thanks to the cold).

Some, or all, of the above may of course be nonsense/urban legend or
other such havers.

Graeme
 
Graeme Dods wrote:
> On Dec 12, 10:14 pm, "J. Chisholm" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> (I gather neither Napolean nor ****** got to Moscow because their
>> machinery/guns wouldn't work in the cold)

>
> I thought it was buttons in Napolean's case. The tin buttons on their
> uniforms turned to weak, powdery grey tin due to the cold hence they
> were all running around starkers (and once you do that, other bits
> quickly stop working thanks to the cold).
>

So the parts of the usual rape and pilage would be difficult (;-)?

Jim Chisholm
 
On Dec 13, 4:19 am, Graeme Dods <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Dec 12, 10:14 pm, "J. Chisholm" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > (I gather neither Napolean nor ****** got to Moscow because their
> > machinery/guns wouldn't work in the cold)

>
> I thought it was buttons in Napolean's case. The tin buttons on their
> uniforms turned to weak, powdery grey tin due to the cold hence they
> were all running around starkers (and once you do that, other bits
> quickly stop working thanks to the cold).
>
> Some, or all, of the above may of course be nonsense/urban legend or
> other such havers.
>
> Graeme


Well apart from anything else Napoleon (and most of his army) did get
to Moscow. It was the getting back again that proved problematic...

Napoleon's guns would have worked in the cold, not having the same
problems of fuel turning to jelly that the german army did.

Dave

Dave