Should I lube cables?
 

I've heard lubing some cables is not recommended, that they have a teflon (or something) coating/liner and the dirt attraction of lube is a net negative. But I wonder if that's the case for my cables, which are the stock cables. They're Jagwire cables but probably a lower grade (not the Pro line).

Lube cables or no?

I use Jagwire Lex shift housing. It has some sort of slick liner. At less than $1/foot, I cant imagine its the best they make. I havent ever lubed it.
For brake housing, I use generic Sunlite housing with a liner. Havent lubed that either.

Cables are simple stainless cables. Not the slick type.


Shifting is always quick and accurate. Braking is easy.

I have seen older unlined housing get the lube treatment before, but I havent ever seen the need for lined housing...at least what I have.

I lube.
Some cable housings come with a heavy shot of grease inside. I clean that out, and put some BreakFree CLP on the cable.
It's really a light lube and safe for plastics.

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

If I'm using unlined cable housing, perhaps trying to breath some life into old, abused equipment, then I'll lube.

I do, you can make your choice .. Zn Treated steel I especially do for my own bike , (Zn steel solders easier)

Shop repairs thats Optional ... they get cut and capped.

You'll probably find us divided on the issue. I run stainless cable and lined housing, and no lube.

I'm on this side of the divide. I do the same.

Consider Sail Kote, a dry lube. It's compatible with and works very well with lined housing and coated cables.

It all depends. On my beach cruiser I lube. On my dry pavement road bike I don't lube.

Finish Line makes Extreme Fluoro grease which is repackaged DuPont Krytox, in a needle syringe applicator which fits nicely in the end of cable housing. This is basically pure PTFE dry grease so shouldn't attract dirt.

I only rarely use it for lubing cables, however Krytox is about the best stuff you can get for lubing o-rings and threads in some applications such as bike lights and handheld flashlights, so I keep a syringe around. It's the only way I've found to get it in small quantities.

I lube. I dip the cable into a tub of Slick Honey and go with it from there.