Originally Posted by
El Gato27
Prepping a bike for my son for campus use at a major college (~55,000 enrollment). The bike will be parked on campus, outdoors. Thinking of switching out the working brake and derailleur cables for stainless to keep the cables from rusting. Was wondering if stainless eventually rusts? Bike will be used ~3-4 miles per day.
Do it. I will not state it as being fact but stainless will eventually rust. I'll base that 'claim' on the fact that it comes in various grades...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_steel_grades
You will probably end up buying 302 or 304 but they will not state it is anything beyond 'stainless'. The other one of note is 316, aka Marine Grade, which has better corrosion resistance in Salt Environments... when the Gritters get out on the roads. 302/304 is going to be twice the price of normal/galvanised so you might have to budget for four less tins of beer, four cables, on one weekend.
You can get nuts/bolts and other stuff that is Marine Grade/316 which is more or less twice the price of 302/304. Again the difference is beer money.
I have not as yet used such stuff for long enough to see it rust but I have some faith and there is a feel good thing about it. I also know that a Manufactured Down to Cost BSO bleeds rust from all of its orifices after experiencing its first rain shower or two days of humidity above 70%.
Just Do It.
Oh and keep the exposed stuff clean. Wipe with thin oil. Same applies to inside cable outers with the caveat that the liners might be sensitive to the sort of lubrication you use.