replacing brake cables and lubing your chain

jazzkailey

I'd be grateful for advice on my road bike shimano brakes.

My brake cables and outer casings have done 6000+ miles. Now when pressing the levers the feel is a bit spongy (I've put on new brake blocks and optimised the rim clearance).
I suspect that the inner cables need changing. Where one is exposed under my top tube it looks a bit rusty. Should I replace the outer casings too?

On a different note does anyone use car engine oil to lube their chains? I only ask ask as I have a can of unused clean engine oil in the garage for which I no longer have any use for.

Thanks in advance

Jazz

sungod

did you adjust cable tension? the cables can stretch, especially when new, adjusters will help a bit, but after a while you need to retension

otherwise, if the cable is corroded it might've damaged the liner, although this would tend to make the brakes slow to release rather than spongey, you could try flushing them through, but if you are recabling then i'd change the lot

make sure you get brake outer, not gear outer, they look similar, but gear outer can fail if used for brakes

you can get kits with cable, outer, ferrules etc., simplest way to be sure you have all the right bits if it's the first time you've done it

tbh any oil will do, you probably have several lifetime's supply there

ADIHEAD

I change my cables on my all weather bike every year. Always inner and outers together, gear and brake. You can buy high end cables but I'd just go into your LBS as they cut it off the reel and it's pretty cheap. Don't forget to have some bar tape to hand just in case your's won't go back on!

Bear in mind bike shops don't charge much to do the whole job for you though

keef66

I use engine oil on chains. It's cheap enough to be able to marinate the chain in the stuff for a couple of days, hang it up to drain, wipe off the outside and reinstall a shiny, lubricated chain.