Originally Posted by
Sullalto
Like the title says. Bike hasn't been shifting very well lately. So figured it was time for a bath and to clean&lube the chain. Rear shifts just fine, but front doesn't shift at all. When I feel the cables underneath the downtube while shifting, I can feel the rear cable contract&lossen with every shift. But the front cable doesn't move at all.
Does this mean spraying the bike with a garden hose? If so, you likely have rust inside every enclosed space, including shifters and cable housings. As others have said, you can restore operation by flushing with WD-40, but you should follow it with light machine oil. Tilt the bike so that cable ends point upward, and drip oil into the end of the housing. Hope that it eventually runs through the housing. Even badly rusted cables can be made operable this way. However, it's far better to keep water and detergent cleaners away from internal parts and chains.