MrQuackers
Site Donor 2025
What is the lube you use?
Bicycle Maintenance
- Thread starter MrQuackers
- Start date
I’m presently have some issues with this system. Is it worth buying a maintenance stand just to adjust your own shifter system in a couple of bikes?
I just pick up the back end and look at the chain line from the back to set the limiter screws, and the indexing. Go try the gears, and do the fine indexing adjustment on the shifter while I ride. With a good friction free cable and a straight hanger, there's not much too it. As the derailleur and shifter wear and get sloppy the sweet spot for the indexing gets smaller, which is why I like the 8-9-10 speeds.
Dumonde Tech
Yes, that's the first thing you'll use the stand for, then you'll find dozens of other uses.
It's not necessary, but it can be helpful. Is it worth it? Depends on who you ask. For adjusting gears and other light maintenance tasks, my opinion is no. If you plan to get deeper into maintenance, like servicing & replacing headsets, bottom brackets, etc. then maybe. Especially headsets. Bottom brackets can be done with the bike upside down on the floor. But headsets are a real PITA without a maintenance stand.
https://analogcycles.com/
Came across this place. Lots of cool stuff. So far, I bought some seat post clamps and machined brass brake cable ends. Great for stocking up on cool small parts.
Came across this place. Lots of cool stuff. So far, I bought some seat post clamps and machined brass brake cable ends. Great for stocking up on cool small parts.
MrQuackers
Site Donor 2025
I replaced the front derailleur cable the other day. The previous cable lasted less than 2 thousand miles and it was a Shimano purchased at a Trek bicycle shop @ $7.00! That is a record for me, what the heck?
I got a brake/derailleur cable combo from WalMart for 10 bucks, 4 cables with housing.
I will not be surprised if this cable lasts 5k+
I got a brake/derailleur cable combo from WalMart for 10 bucks, 4 cables with housing.
I will not be surprised if this cable lasts 5k+
I've got a pair of new Continental Gatorskins to put on my road bike, but I can't get motivated with the gloomy rainy weather we've been having the last few days. Maybe tomorrow.
We have about 15k miles on our 24 year old Santana Tandem. All original brake & shifter cables. Runs and shifts like new. Cables will last a lifetime if you don't ride in bad weather.
Do you remember when they sold oiler attachments you could slip over shifter and brake cables? You had to make an opening in the cable housing before attaching the oiler. This was not easy with the braided steel cable housings. There was a removable cap and you'd add a drop of oil every few months to keep the cables lubed. This was back in the '80s when I was a kid. I don't remember it not working as intended.
Interesting. On the 10 speed, SRAM Rival rear shifter I have, I had an issue where the cable makes its tight, 180 degree+ loop. I put a cheap, coarse cable in (don't ask, it was marketed as a PTFE coated cable) the time before and it failed at that point.
As a hopeful solution I first I made sure I replaced the cable with a finer, stainless quality cable. It was only ~$8 but I verified it wasn't a peice of junk at the LBS. Next task, and luckily there happens to be access at that critical point on the top of the shifter where I can put a sealing blob of grease in there and then a few drops of high viscosity lube with low friction properties on top to gravity feed thru the grease over time. BTW it's the same and only lube I use on my chain(SRAM PCS1050), which is closing in on 12,000 miles... if it needed changing, I'd have changed it. It doesn't.
Then I sealed it over with some electrical tape. Finally the bar wrap and hoods.
I don't know if that's what made the diference but it's been about 4,000 miles since I did any maintenance on it at all. This winter I'll open it up and refresh the same process.
I used to run Dumonde Tech Lite, then went to Squirt. Squirt felt faster. Neither kept the drivetrain clean. Now I put my clean chain into a hot crock pot of paraffin wax. That feels faster yet, and the drivetrain stays clean. Sounds like a lot of work, but not really.
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it's amazing, I finally got a bike during the pandemic, and I figured how hard can it be to maintain? I can fix cars.
Well, a lot was not obvious. I removed the front derailleur without making any notation on its position that I removed it from. Any guesses as to how easy or difficult it was to put back
Well, a lot was not obvious. I removed the front derailleur without making any notation on its position that I removed it from. Any guesses as to how easy or difficult it was to put back
It's easy, if you know what you are doing. It's like many other things, you gotta get on the learning curve, and pay your dues.it's amazing, I finally got a bike during the pandemic, and I figured how hard can it be to maintain? I can fix cars.
Well, a lot was not obvious. I removed the front derailleur without making any notation on its position that I removed it from. Any guesses as to how easy or difficult it was to put back
I'm not a racer. Don't care if the lube slows me down.
Works fine for me in a sandy and dusty seaside environment.
Have fun with that.
Ah, the old wet (oil) vs. dry (wax) lube debate.
Both work well, when used properly. Each has its pros & cons. Over the past 5 years or so I've seen a trend toward wax. It is cleaner, with lower drag and wear. Yet wax doesn't hold up as well under adverse conditions.
If you're going to use oil, there's no point to using bicycle-specific products. They typically cost around $10 / ounce, which is nearly 100 times more expensive than chainsaw bar oil that costs about $15 / gallon (12 cents per ounce) and has the same performance.
As for wax, you can also brew your own but it's a bit more involved, melting solid bars of paraffin and mixing in some xylene. It's highly flammable and you don't want to burn down your house, so buying a pre-made wax can make sense.
Been there, done that.it's amazing, I finally got a bike during the pandemic, and I figured how hard can it be to maintain? I can fix cars.
Well, a lot was not obvious. I removed the front derailleur without making any notation on its position that I removed it from. Any guesses as to how easy or difficult it was to put back
Many of us also do both. I can't claim a favorite, each (bikes & cars) has its charms.
If you want to double check the FD alignment, parallel to the biggest chainring with 2mm of clearance is a good general rule.Well, a lot was not obvious. I removed the front derailleur without making any notation on its position that I removed it from. Any guesses as to how easy or difficult it was to put back
Here's a good detailed guide: https://cycling-obsession.com/modern-shimano-front-derailleur-adjustment-guide/
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