I'm not not normally worried about having the latest fad or technology but .......

[Abradable Chin]

A Middleburn Cable Oiler is exactly what you describe.

Excellent. What a responsive company. Did they 3D print them?

I think I'll buy a few. I've had my rear brake and my rear derailleur freeze up in snow, and at best they can be made to work for a few minutes before the same thing happens again. It's hard to believe that a bit of ice can completely resist the mechanical advantage of the brake lever, but it did for me.

Edit: On investigation, I can't seem to find any. There are ugly cuboidal ones with a set screw, and that can be used on motorbikes, but none of the neat Middleburn ones. What a shame.

[Brucey]

Hi Brucey,

In your message you talked about a 'Scandinavian spec' cassette joint and is it this one:-

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/hub-spares/ ... y74y98140/

But you also need the rubber bit that's on the picture on the following link?

http://365cycles.com/components/cables-housing-service-parts/shift-cable-housing/shimano-alfine-nexus-cj-8s40wt-8-speed-wet-weather-cassette-joint-unit.html

Compared to the standard cassette joint what is the difference on the CJ-8S40 version or is it the compatibility with the extra rubber housing/seal?

Thanks,

John

yes you need both parts, they work as a matched set. Compared with the standard CJ-8S20 cassette joint, the CJ-8S40 arm is longer (to accommodate the length of the bellows) and has a fatter receptacle (because the ferrule/bellows unit that fits the CJ-8S40 unit is larger diameter where it fits to the cassette joint arm).

cheers

[andrew_s]

On investigation, I can't seem to find any. There are ugly cuboidal ones with a set screw, and that can be used on motorbikes, but none of the neat Middleburn ones. What a shame.

Middleburn went bust a year or so ago. I did hear a fairly recent rumour that someone (same people that took over BETD/Goldtec?) was taking over, so they may reappear.

[hamster]

Here they are...bottom of the page:
http://www.rjcx-treme.co.uk/acatalog/co ... ORIES.html

[Abradable Chin]

Here they are...bottom of the page:
http://www.rjcx-treme.co.uk/acatalog/co ... ORIES.html

Good find. Thank you for doing the leg work for me.

[Bmblbzzz]

Here's an idea. Why doesn't someone make a rigid ferrule with a rubber orifice (like in a football) in the wall of the ferrule to accept a straw. The ferrule could be spliced in half-way along each Bowden cable to allow lubrication to be forced in. In winter, this could be done before each ride to purge the cable housing of any moisture.

A Middleburn Cable Oiler is exactly what you describe.

But if you have to force in lubrication before each ride, you have turned a low-maintenance hub gear into a high-servicing item.

[Phil_Chadwick]

Here's an idea. Why doesn't someone make a rigid ferrule with a rubber orifice (like in a football) in the wall of the ferrule to accept a straw. The ferrule could be spliced in half-way along each Bowden cable to allow lubrication to be forced in. In winter, this could be done before each ride to purge the cable housing of any moisture.

A Middleburn Cable Oiler is exactly what you describe.

But if you have to force in lubrication before each ride, you have turned a low-maintenance hub gear into a high-servicing item.

quite

I've followed a trajectory of derailleurs -> hub gears -> fixed.

Hub gears should be (but in practice really aren't) almost maintenance-free and reliable. They're almost as much a delicate flower at the top end as a derailleur. A basic Shimano Nexus 3 is about as close as I've found to bomb-proof, but it is still requiring of more faff than I can usually muster. So fixed it is, and has been for several decades.

[hamster]

Here's an idea. Why doesn't someone make a rigid ferrule with a rubber orifice (like in a football) in the wall of the ferrule to accept a straw. The ferrule could be spliced in half-way along each Bowden cable to allow lubrication to be forced in. In winter, this could be done before each ride to purge the cable housing of any moisture.

A Middleburn Cable Oiler is exactly what you describe.

But if you have to force in lubrication before each ride, you have turned a low-maintenance hub gear into a high-servicing item.

I doubt if every ride - probably a bit of oil to displace the water once a month should suffice. After all, the cables are nowadays lined with PTFE so don't need lubrication in the strictest sense.

[Abradable Chin]

But if you have to force in lubrication before each ride, you have turned a low-maintenance hub gear into a high-servicing item.

I thought that the thread was about freezing cables, which is a high risk on how many days of the year? Plus, the squirt of GT85 or whatever is a low-skill, no tools, quick job and is in a different category to removing inners or fiddling with adjustment barrels. Since frozen cables could occur on a derailleured bike as much as an IGH equipped one, your argument is not far off being as odd as complaining that you have to routinely put air in the tyres of your IGH bike so IGHs are clearly not low maintenance.

[Bmblbzzz]

"In winter, this could be done before each ride," is what you said. Any maintenance that has to be done before each ride – particularly bearing in mind the OP uses this bike for commuting – is too much in my view, no matter how quick and easy it is. As for putting air in tyres, this certainly isn't necessary every day let alone before each ride. Such finickiness might be acceptable in a racing machine but not in a daily ride, IMO.

[mig]

A Middleburn Cable Oiler is exactly what you describe.

But if you have to force in lubrication before each ride, you have turned a low-maintenance hub gear into a high-servicing item.

quite

I've followed a trajectory of derailleurs -> hub gears -> fixed.

Hub gears should be (but in practice really aren't) almost maintenance-free and reliable. They're almost as much a delicate flower at the top end as a derailleur. A basic Shimano Nexus 3 is about as close as I've found to bomb-proof, but it is still requiring of more faff than I can usually muster. So fixed it is, and has been for several decades.

this is pretty much my experience since racing. i would love to have a crack at a good hub gear though. even a three speed would be okay. i just don't have the information as to what would work the best / which are serviceable within reason.

[PH]

Hub gears should be (but in practice really aren't) almost maintenance-free and reliable.

Until you get to Rohloff and then they really are.
How much are the Shimano hubs? last time I looked they were peanuts, I'm more amazed at how trouble free they are for many people rather than them not being perfect.

[Phil_Chadwick]

Nexus 3s seem to be pretty reliable. The 8s and 11s need fuss over cables and rotary couplers and protection from ice...and oil baths.

I've used most of them over the years, broken many of them, and never found one that is genuinely minimal maintenance and reliable in the way that fixed is

Unless you actually break a chain or tear the sprocket apart, it just works. Always. In all weather.

[hamster]

That's not exactly surprising is it? Something with zero components being more reliable than one with (say) 100.

[John_S]

Hi All,

Following the above has anyone ever bought the 'Scandinavian spec' Shimano Alfine/Nexus CJ-8S40 Wet Weather Cassette Joint Unit including the all important rubber bellows bit from a shop in the UK?

http://www.ajsbikes.com/product/alfine-nexus-8-speed-hub-wet-weather-cassette-joint-sku-hu7879-qc209.htm

I did a google search but it only turned up shops in the US. I also searched Rose Bikes because they sometimes have more in the way of utility bike parts so I thought I might have some luck there but they don't do it either.

I will do another search when I have the chance but I just wondered if anybody has already bought this part from a UK shop before and if so what the shop was?

Thanks,

John