Hans, Dave had it right, most sticky shifting is due to water that has condensed in or seeped into the cable housing. The classic symptom is the shifting is fine until the temperature gets low enough that the lubricant/water mix freezes, then the shifting becomes very difficult or impossible. Shifting will improve when it gets warm again. The solution is not no lubrication or new cable and housing as I have had this happen with a brand new cable and cable housing.
Instead, disconnect the cable and remove it from the housing. Next, blow out the cable housing with WD-40 to remove the water. Let the WD-40 drain from the housing and then add a light oil to the housing until the oil just starts to drip from the low end of the cable housing. Reinstall the cable. This procedure not only removes the water but also fills the cable housing with oil to prevent the re-entry of water. For winter use, my favorite oil is Dumonde Tech Lite chain oil which is really slippery and makes for crisp, clean shifts even in sub-zero weather. Do NOT use grease because grease gets too thick in extreme cold (<0 F) causing sticky shifting. The problem of sticky shifting usually appears after a wet sloppy thaw followed by a hard freeze. Not only can water seep into the cable housing but water can condense in the cable housing. Another solution is the Gore Ride On sealed cable system if you can find it and afford it. I am currently using the Ride On system for my rear brake; so far so good. Regarding internal geared systems, they are a mixed blessing. The up side is that you have fewer gears to clean and no derailleurs to malfunction. I have been using internal geared hubs in the winter since 1997, first a Shimano Nexus 7 then a SRAM S7, and could probably write a book on the subject. Both suffer from the fact that the right side bearing is not sealed and is prone to water infiltration and corrosion. The first three years I used the Nexus system, the dealer had to replace the hub or the hub internals after each winter due to corrosion. Then I started lubing the hub myself trying different greases and greasing techniques. This greatly improved longevity but required the hub to be stripped down and regreased after each winter. When I started using the SRAM S7, I started using my own grease and greasing technique after the first year with somewhat better results than with the Nexus 7 but still requiring the yearly strip down and regreasing. The S7 will be replaced after this winter probably with a Shimano Alfine 8 which is suppose to be better sealed to the elements. If you get an internal geared hub for winter use, replace or have the bike shop replace the grease in the hub. The manufacturers grease is not designed for sub-zero weather resulting in much increased pedaling effort and poor shifting. This year I am using Lubriplate MAG-1 grease (purchased from Motion Industries on the east side) which is designed for low temperature use. It is by far the best winter grease I have ever used. Some people will grease the gears but use oil on the internal shifting mechanism. I tried this last year. This helps with sifting but the oil thins out the right side bearing grease destroying the grease seal I try to maintain. The result was severe corrosion of the right side bearing and hence the need for a new hub after this year. I might also add that a single speed isn't really an option for me. My ride is a hilly 5.5 miles one way. I may be an extreme case for an internal hub. I ride through anything and I ride hard. However, I have talked to a number of bike shop mechanics who have seen the same sorts of problems and I have read many accounts on-line detailing the same corrosion problems not only in winter riding but also in the rainy Northwest. Hope this helps and good luck. Mark Shahan On Fri, Jan 24, 2014 at 12:35 AM, Hans Noeldner <[email protected]>wrote: > Just finished lowest-temperature ride thus far in my life: -8 degrees > (OK, that’s probably kinda wimpy for some of you…) Only 8 miles – from > Fitchburg Library to V Oregon (it was 4 deg and sunny on my ride there). > Main problem was that the rear derailleur cable got sticky so it wouldn’t’ > shift to smaller gears on rear cluster. So every now and then I’d get off > and wiggle it and then it would shift OK for a while. Plus the usual > problems with fogging and difficulty of getting facemask to cover cheeks. > No manufacturer has that worked out yet. Sinuses feeling a bit raw now > that I’m home. Heat Holder socks inside Rocky winter boots = warm feet! > And I just love my Canadian Shooter’s Mittens – my hands actually got > sweaty. Without Moose Mitts. > > > > All in all, a good ride – I feel like I am still “manly”. > > > > Any thoughts on the cable lubrication business? I usually use T9 on > them. Also wondering whether any of you have experience with internal gear > hubs in cold weather like this. > > > > Hey! It’s good to be alive! Keep crankin’. > > > > Hans Noeldner > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org > >
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