There are so many types to choose from when it comes to selecting a grease for cable lubrication. The ester base fluid, lithium, and lithium complex might work.
But if the washout is what you’re concerned about, you can rely on the calcium sulfonate grease. Polyurethane might suit your brake cable as well.
How to lubricate bicycle brake cables?
Indeed, we’ve found not much difference between bicycle cable and bike brake cable lubrication. But you have to make sure you use the right lube to fix the issues of your bicycle.
Talking about lubricating brake cables, it’s essential to get yourself the bicycle cable lube tool. Teflon-coated lubes, grease, and oil-based lubricants can work pretty well.
Can you use chain lube on cables?
Speaking frankly, you won’t get any results if you use chain lubes on cables. There are some models designed specifically for the cable. You should use these types.
Also, a couple of lubes out there are made for both chain and cable. You can pick this up if you’re looking for an all-purpose lubricant.
Best Lube for Cables Reviewed
Bike brake cables need lubricant, true. However, not all the lubricants out there can meet the needs of your bike. You need something that can keep the brake cables of your bike smooth, protects it, and prevents rust and corrosion.
Well, guess what? That’s what we’re here for. If you’re tired of searching for the best lubricant for bike brake cables, maybe you’ll find it over here. We’re reviewing some of the top-rated lubricants available in the market.
Let’s get to it.
1. Motion Pro Lubricant 05098
Applying adequate amounts of lubricant is the key to keeping the bike brake cables quite smooth and jam-free. In that case, you can get your hands on the Motion Pro 05098, which takes the front position on our list.
This particular lube is formulated with Teflon, enabling the cables to work way more smoothly. It delivers the cables a better treat.
Thankfully, the lubricant equips no CFC&rsquos, making the lube environment-friendly and compatible with all users. But it’s easily flammable, so you have to make sure you keep it far away from extreme heat or hot temperatures.
For user convenience, the 6 oz spray comes with a nozzle tube that ensures maximum precision. Even you won’t have to deal with a mess while lubricating bike cables.
Speaking of drawbacks, we’ve found nothing; it’s just a bit steep!
Pros
- Keep brake cables smooth
- An environment-friendly lube
- Equips a nozzle tube for easy applying
- Contains zero CFC&rsquos
Cons
- A little pricey!
2. Protect All Cable Life 25006
Whether it’s your bike, motorcycle, snowmobile, boat, or anything else, this one from Protect all is highly capable of extending cable life and fixing rust issues within minutes.
Protect all; the lube ensures optimal protection by keeping out moisture, corrosion, and such issues, the name speaks for itself! Thanks to its ultra-thin film.
Compared to other models, it’s so convenient to use, and most interestingly, you won’t have to take your vehicle’s cable away from the housing while using it.
Unlike the typical lubes out there, it suits both humid and high temperatures. And guess what? It can work just fine even if the temperature is less than 0°F.
Besides, the 6.25 oz spray protects the cable from snow, freezing, ice build-up, and such issues, making it the best brake cable lubricant out there in the current market!
Pros
- User-friendly
- Protects the cable from rust, corrosion, and moisture
- Much more convenient than the typical choices
- Capable of tolerating both humid, hot, and cold temperatures
Cons
- There is no specific straw included with the spray can!
3. PJ1 44531 1-12 Cable Lube (Aerosol)
The cable lubricator from PJ1 is an excellent solution for those who’re hungry for quicker and smoother cable operation. With a can of about 11 oz, it comes with a specific straw, so you can provide the lube in a pretty easy and hassle-free way.
It penetrates within no time. Besides, the lube is capable of displacing moisture and preventing corrosion at the same time. Needless to say, it can extend the life of throttle, brake, and clutch cables to make sure ultimate longevity.
Not only the cable lube provides better protection, but it also minimizes slop and cleans the cable with its advanced formula. Amazing!
But keep in mind, the chemical it comes with causes discomfort to the eyes. So putting on safety goggles might help you to get rid of that problem.
Pros
- Ease of use
- Compatible with a throttle, clutch cables, and brake
- Increases protection
- Keep cables away from rust and moisture
Cons
- Irritates the eyes at times!
4. Liquid Wrench L711 Chain & Cable Lube
Our next lube is brought to you by Liquid Wrench. Specially designed for bike brake cables, it’s compatible with other such vehicles as well, including bicycles, ATVs, farm equipment, and so forth.
The advanced formula it gets makes it fast and super-efficient. It penetrates too deep and dries pretty early.
Once the lubricant gets completely settled, it starts offering its highest protection straight away against rust, corrosion, and moisture.
Capable of preventing oxidation, it’s designed to increase the cable life. Besides, the lubricant is equipped with synthetic moly and anti-wear additives, ensuring superior and optimum performance.
The size it gets is about 11 oz. Along with it, you’re getting a specific straw that lets you reach in tight parts to fix the issues permanently. And guess what? The lube also packs a reasonable price range.
When you apply it, you’ll see the lube stays firmly where it requires — credit goes to the anti-sling properties it comes with.
There is a drawback that we’ve found to it. It offers a strong oily smell, which might be a bummer. But hopefully, wearing a mask can save you from that situation.
Pros
- Friendly with multiple brakes and vehicles
- Able to penetrate very deep
- Delivers a straw for easy applying
- Ensures superior protection and performance
Cons
- Comes with a strong oily smell!
5. Tusk Cable Luber with Champions Choice Cable Lube
Bike cable lubrication should be done with an amazing lube to get the maximum benefit from it. In that case, we don’t think choosing the Cable Lube from Tusk won’t be a house of cards!
Purchasing an extra cable lubrication tool is not necessary if you get your hands on this model. Along with a 6.25 oz bottle, it delivers cable luber to let you apply lubes on your bike brake cables in the best way possible.
Users will be able to inject the lube without much effort. Plus, it lubricates, purges, and cleans within seconds, making you capable of fixing every single issue concerning brake cables.
With a non-drying super-thin film, the aerosol cable lube can penetrate much deeper, displace moisture, and last but definitely not least, protect the brake cables from rust, corrosion, and stuff like that.
Pros
- Penetrates too deep for optimum functionality
- Prevents corrosion, rust, and such things
- Displaces moisture within a short period
- Offers an additional cable luber
Cons
- Not the best option for large clutch cables!
Final Verdict
Hopefully, now you’re capable of picking up the Best Lube for Cables. If you’re still confused about which one to get, we can give our thumbs up for Motion Pro Lubricant 05098. This one is great if the smoothness of your bike brake cables is your prime concern.
Things to Consider Before Buying
Before you buy a specific lube for your bike brake cables, it’s a must to consider a couple of things. Why? Because the current market equips over 100 models. And unfortunately, all of these are not compatible with bike cables.
So, to keep yourself away from selecting the wrong one, make sure to follow this buyer’s guide which is all about core factors. After giving a complete read, we hope you’ll be able to pick the best lube for cables.
Consider the Lube Type
This is the first thing to consider when you’re in the shop to get quality lube. Indeed, there are various types to choose from, including dry, wet, and all-purpose lube.
So, depending on the vehicle you have and the environment, ensure to pick the right one to solve the problem of your bike brake cables way too smoothly.
Application Process
Spray or paste, which one suits you best? Well, both of these are pretty much effective in terms of displacing moisture from your brake cables. Just the way of applying will be a bit different.
Make sure to think about which one seems more convenient for you, and then invest your dollars in the right one.
Ease of Use
Whether you choose solvent-based or water-based, make sure you choose the one which is much easier to apply. Nobody wants to spend hours in terms of lubricating brake cables.
So undoubtedly, it’s necessary to have a user-friendly lube that lets you make your job done within a short period of time.
Efficiency
One of the main purposes of buying a lube is to cast rust, corrosion, jam, or these types of issues away from the brake cables.
So it’s useless if you get your hands on the one that is not unable to solve those MAJOR problems. As a result, efficiency is the key when we talk about purchasing cable lubes, bear in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
It all depends on the usage. But if you want to keep the cables out of rust, corrosion, moisture, and such issues, it’s better to use lubricants every 250-300 miles.
Yep, these are very toxic, and without proper use, you’ll have to end up with eye discomfort or skin irritation. So you should put on gloves and safety glasses before applying them to your bike brake cables.
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