Swapped out my cable housing and suddenly everything shifts smooth

I used to just spray lube on old dirty cables and call it good for months at a time, especially on my winter commuter. Then last November I finally pulled the whole cable and housing off a customer's bike at the shop and saw how much grit builds up inside those cheap stock housings. Has anyone else noticed a bigger difference from fresh housing than they expected compared to just cleaning the old stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

daniel_rivera7d ago

Wait, you actually SAW the grit? I bet it was DISGUSTING inside there.

leeknight7d ago

Like finding a forgotten sandwich in the back of the fridge, huh. Nothing like that visual to make you reconsider your whole maintenance routine.

victor_butler506d ago

I once rolled into a shop with 3 years of road grime packed so tight in my housing that the mechanic pulled it out like a solid black worm and held it up for everyone to see. Name a more humbling bike moment, I'll wait.