Grease on Teflon Coated Brake Cable?
04-18-09, 04:43 PM
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Grease on Teflon Coated Brake Cable?
Do you grease a Teflon coated brake or shift lever cable?
04-18-09, 04:54 PM
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Disagree. You are paying a premium to avoid having to grease them. However, I never "grease" cables of any kind. I will use a very light oil (like ProGold chain lube) on plain wire cables but that's all.
04-18-09, 05:12 PM
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Don't use grease on cables/housing. Under some circumstances, grease can thicken and clog your cables and housing. A little light oil is quite sufficient.
04-18-09, 05:17 PM
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Actually, it does hurt. Don't put grease on new cables.
No new cables on modern lined housing need grease/oil on them
No new cables on modern lined housing need grease/oil on them
04-19-09, 07:27 AM
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The plastic lining can trap moisture. Always grease 'em. I fact, if I can pull the lining, I always do so and just add grease.
As you can see, I'm not a believer or sold on this 'improvement'. If you intend to install and not ride in the rain or touch the system for 10 years, go ahead. Otherwise, it isn't necessary for me.
As you can see, I'm not a believer or sold on this 'improvement'. If you intend to install and not ride in the rain or touch the system for 10 years, go ahead. Otherwise, it isn't necessary for me.
04-19-09, 03:19 PM
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Some people say lined cable housing does not need any lube at all. However, I have noticed that when you buy a set of Shimano shifters with cables they usually have some light lube pre-injected in the cable housing.
If Shimano lubes their cables I don't think you can go too wrong doing the same. Just use a light lube that won't gum up later and it should have no ill effects on a teflon cable, probably not necessary though...
If Shimano lubes their cables I don't think you can go too wrong doing the same. Just use a light lube that won't gum up later and it should have no ill effects on a teflon cable, probably not necessary though...
Last edited by sfclearwater; 04-19-09 at 03:24 PM.
04-19-09, 04:38 PM
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Not needed at all. It's Teflon-coated cable - it's as slick as it's ever going to be. I use Teflon-coated brake-cables and Jagwire housing. It doesn't need a thing. A little oil if you insist.
06-01-12, 11:06 AM
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The LBS owner by me sells Sunlite Item 14111, Slick Brake Cables, that come with a teflon liner.
He says lube them with grease.
He says lube them with grease.
06-01-12, 12:33 PM
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The coating wears off the cable inside the housing ..
so you are Ok to add a thin wipe of grease if you wish.
the liner in the housing is more durable.
Zn treated cable, will rust , but It can be easily soldered before cutting
to pull and re grease.
Stainless cables are harder to solder. but will resist rust better.
so you are Ok to add a thin wipe of grease if you wish.
the liner in the housing is more durable.
Zn treated cable, will rust , but It can be easily soldered before cutting
to pull and re grease.
Stainless cables are harder to solder. but will resist rust better.
Last edited by fietsbob; 06-01-12 at 12:36 PM.
06-01-12, 12:41 PM
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I never grease cables
__________________
It may not be fancy but it gets me were I need to go.
https://www.jtgraphics.net/cyclist_bicycles.htm
It may not be fancy but it gets me were I need to go.
https://www.jtgraphics.net/cyclist_bicycles.htm
06-01-12, 02:31 PM
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Don't add anything, unless they are really old and just need a little help sliding around or if you need some kind of rust barrier.
06-01-12, 05:26 PM
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I do not believe that teflon lined inner wires are a good idea unless of high quality and in a matched set with housing. In addition to eventually wearing through the coating they can produce debris in the process that can actually cause problems. Decent housing is already lined, and surprisingly the two don't alway work well together. I don't see a problem with grease in brake housing - that was the standard for many, many years, and good quality grease does not thicken or harden in any reasonable amount of time.
As for shift cables, grease is not a good solution, but a heavier oil or "wet lube" is. Grease used to be the standard for shift cables, but indexed shifting and long-run, tightly curved housing associated with brifters both call for minimal resistance. Even good quality grease can slow shift cable response when one is depending on the derailleur spring to pull the housing through all the way to the lever in order to shift.
The reason one should lube cables even when using lined housing is that all that is required for rust is water vapor and unprotected metal, both of which are present inside any cable housing with an unlubricated cable. The technique is to run the lube onto the cable when the amount of cable left to feed through the housing is equal to the length of the housing. That way there is not lube on the cable to attract dirt.
As for shift cables, grease is not a good solution, but a heavier oil or "wet lube" is. Grease used to be the standard for shift cables, but indexed shifting and long-run, tightly curved housing associated with brifters both call for minimal resistance. Even good quality grease can slow shift cable response when one is depending on the derailleur spring to pull the housing through all the way to the lever in order to shift.
The reason one should lube cables even when using lined housing is that all that is required for rust is water vapor and unprotected metal, both of which are present inside any cable housing with an unlubricated cable. The technique is to run the lube onto the cable when the amount of cable left to feed through the housing is equal to the length of the housing. That way there is not lube on the cable to attract dirt.
Last edited by cny-bikeman; 06-02-12 at 08:24 AM.
06-01-12, 06:13 PM
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It depends. Some cheaper versions of the black Teflon coated cable only have a thin spraying of coating that will wear off very easily. You can practically scratch it off with your fingernail. I'd lube that stuff. Some other stuff such as the thick, neon green/yellow coated cable is much more durable, rust free, and is better off with no lube. Allow this Teflon coated cable and the teflon coated housing to have their bareback sex. Grease would probably just serve to trap dust. Some grease sucks as cable lube, turning into a sticky mess with age. If you do lube, light oil is always better for cables than any grease in my experience.
06-01-12, 07:33 PM
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On new cables/housings, I often use a coat of Sil-Glyde SG-8 silicone grease diluted with a light oil (Tri-Flow), wiping off the majority so it doesn't inhibit cable movement. If it's an assembled setup and I want to lube it, I may attach my Cable Luber and fire some aerosol Tri-Flow down the housing. On clean cables, the improvement over dry cables is hard to miss. On dirty or corroded ones, it may help, it may not.
