Oiling.

leemolyneux

Is it just as simple as squirting some oil into the brake levers to keep them oiled up?
What about internal cables to keep them nice?
What oil do you recommend? Not great maintenance wise normally as I get someone else to do it but I've got to start myself sometime.
Thanks.

reaperactual

I'm sure most riders have their own methods but my regime involves a drop or two on brake lever pivot points and let soak in for a while and wipe off any visible excess as this will attract dirt and dust if exposed to the elements.

Every so often I would refresh brake/shift inner cables by removing them, spray WD40 down outers and leave to dry.

Providing the inner cable ends aren't frayed, a good wipe down and then run them though my fingers with some silicone grease (this is what Shimano use on sp41 cable kits) for a minimal coat and re-thread, or fit new stainless steel ones which would also get a thin coat of silicone grease too. I would make sure to wipe off any grease on exposed inner cable sections once fitted.

More involved process but worth the effort for long lasting performance and service life and works for me.

thistle_

I haven't had cable operated brakes for a while now, but on a road bike at least the levers/cables hardly ever needed any maintenance. The calipers often got gunked up so I would dismantle every now and then, clean out the mud and reassemble.
If the cables were sticking, it was time for new inners and outers.

On gear cables I have used the SP41 ferrules with the rubber diaphragm in the ends and I don't think I've ever had to remove a cable for cleaning/lubing.
My current road bike has internal cabling which keeps everything clean and my MTB has full length outers on it which does the same.

I also use the nice smooth stainless steel cables as the galvanised ones always feel rougher when new, and always end up corroding.

DeVlaeminck

I've never oiled cables or shifters. If I was going to it'd be a drop of light mineral oil at most - start oiling them it's going to attract dust etc and gunk them up.

Sutton_Rider

If you want to learn about basic maintenance have a look at some of the GCN youtube vids.

pilot_pete

I wouldn’t be squirting anything into the shifter/ brake levers as it will attract dust and dirt and gum them up over time.

As others have said, modern cables don’t actually need lubrication - the outers are PTFE/ Teflon lined and it is not recommended to use any lubricant. If use use stainless steel inners they shouldn’t corrode either, so don’t need a lubricant.

Caliper brakes can get covered in muck and gunk, so good cleaning, drying and a light drop of oil on the pivot points can help. Occasional strip, clean and rebuild/ lube can keep them in tip top condition. Be sure to be very sparing with the oil/ lubricant, don’t get any on the pads and rims (best done with the wheel out), and wipe off any excess.

PP

pilot_pete

Inners get permanently bent, especially around tight bends such as in the shifter and suffer fatigue. Strands can fray or the cable can get kinked and indexing goes out the window.

Gear inner cables are so cheap it pays to keep a few in stock and rather than mess about, just periodically remove the old one and fit a new one if you want to keep shifting tip-top.

That is the point where I would check the shifter to ensure there is no dirt/ debris/ wear which can hinder shifting.

PP