Originally Posted by
Bob Dopolina
You can't lube the cables from the shifter lever. If you want to lube them you need to unbolt the cables from the derailleurs and brakes and then remove the cables from the housings. If you aren't having shifting issues, don't bother because when you re-attach the cables, you will have to re-adjust your brakes and derailleurs.
You also need to be careful which lube you use. Some lubes can cause the lining inside the housing to expand which will actually increase the friction.
Nuhuh! Shift the front and/or rear derailer to a tightened cable position (high gear in front, low gear in back).
Without pedaling, shift the shifter in the opposite direction (low gear in the front, high gear in the back).
This will release the tension on the cable
and allow you to pull the cable housing from the stops...assuming that you have slotted stops and noncontinuous cable housing
Now you can apply a
light coating of lubricant to the cable. Just reverse the process to put it all back together