# Winter commuting question



## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

My winter commuter is a Shimano IGH bike , SG8R36.
Snow and ice is packing up in the shifting mechanism and freezes the system. I always had that problem with Shimano , anybody have a genius idea how to avoid this ? (beside buying a Rohloff)

I tried a couple of DIY "cover" over the system but they were either not good at isolating or rubbing against other parts .......


Ideas ?


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## Wombat (Jan 25, 2004)

Perhaps something like the wet weather cassette joint will help:
http://cascadeclimbers.com/gear/gen...s-Inter-8-Hub-Wet-Weather-Cassette-Joint.html

Tim


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## SpartyBiker (Mar 31, 2008)

When I started riding in the winter I had the same problem. Originating from a cold bike being moved inside at night, then in the morning the wet parts would freeze, affecting the cables. Before I purchased a nice shed for the bike I would carry a pocket-size bottle of WD40 in my pocket, spraying it before I rolled out and mid-way if the cables started to freeze. If you cannot displace the water with WD40 then you should cover the parts with a synthetic grease that covers the cable housing holes that water can enter. 

Now that I store my bike in the same temperature that I ride I have eliminated the problems associated with frozen cables and linkage; clean and properly lubed parts help tremendously as well.


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

Wombat said:


> Perhaps something like the wet weather cassette joint will help:
> http://cascadeclimbers.com/gear/gen...s-Inter-8-Hub-Wet-Weather-Cassette-Joint.html
> 
> Tim


Bingo !
I'll try that

SpartyBiker:
I can bring the bike inside at my place but not where I go.


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

From what I see  here  , the difference between the 20 and the 40 models is just the rubber thing over the exposed cable , it doesn't change the fact that the "system" itself is exposed the ice/snow. 
My problem is that ice is jamming the turning part , not necessarily only a frozen cable.

Back to the drawing board ........:madman:


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## SpartyBiker (Mar 31, 2008)

Sorry I can't help. I would have thought that internally geared parts would be sealed against water intrusion. I'm guessing you already tried to seal off the seams and holes? 

Maybe you can disassemble and grease everything on the inside?

Drill and tap the hub with a Zerk fitting to inject grease?


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

fokof said:


> ...My problem is that ice is jamming the turning part , not necessarily only a frozen cable....


I smear some grease on the inside of the cassette joint to prevent water intrusion. The actual mechanisim has a very strong spring, I'd be surprised if ice on the outside could freeze it up and stop it from moving.


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

All the snow has melted down , and it's over 0°C so problem solved :thumbsup: 

My problem happens when I leave the bike outside and it's really cold , the return spring doesn't have enough torque to make it move back. It only happens when it's cold but it's a drag when you get out of the job , a bit tired , and you're stuck in the 8th gear all the way home :skep: 


I'll try to keep it mega greasy ......


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## Moozh (Jan 20, 2010)

I've heard of some folks substituting the grease in the IGH for oil (not certain of the weight) and have reported great success and no performance/longevity issues at all with regard wear and tear. Hopefully some one or other that has more info about this will chime in.

Supposedly gets around the problem with the grease freezing up in subzero temps and gumming the works.


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

fokof said:


> All the snow has melted down , and it's over 0°C so problem solved....


It sounds like something outside of the hub is freezing up. I've cold soaked my Alfine 8 and Nexus 8R35, both with factory grease, down to -18*F (-28*C) and they shift fine. Canadians and Alaskans have reported shifting at -40* F (-40*C). I've since converted those hubs to Mobil 1 ATF, they shift quicker in the cold but they're a little noisier.


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

My problem is only with the external shifting mechanism/cable/ etc... I don't have any problems with the internals.
The ice jams the thing that turn wich is attached to the cable.
I try to find a way to isolate this turning part from the elements , like it is on a Rohloff.


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

Thousands of cold weather Alfine/Nexus users don't have issues, I would figure out where the water is and eliminate the cause.

Based on my experince in the Chicago elements, I doubt the rotary mechanism is freezing on the outside. I don't have the cold weather cassette joint and I've never had any freeze-up. 

- Did you remove the cassette joint and see if there's water under it? I smear grease inside the cassette joint to prevent water intrusion.

- The cause could be frozen water in the cable where the housing stops at the cassette joint. Did you remove the cable and check for water? I used no-turn washers that point the housing downward at the cassette joint so water doesn't drain into the housing.


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## thasingletrackmastah (Nov 15, 2005)

I used an Alfine hub (SG501) with the all weather cass.joint last winter.
No problems with snow and ice.

I too was afraid that the rotating mech behind the cass.joint would get wet and freeze up, so I sprayed some silicon on it, as some sort of prevention.
Worked fine for me.
However, the Alfine hubs are better sealed than the Nexus hubs.


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

thasingletrackmastah said:


> However, the Alfine hubs are better sealed than the Nexus hubs.


Maybe but they both come with the same cassette joint , sadly .

http://bike.shimano.com/publish/con...ownloadFile.html/04) Cassette Joint Units.pdf


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## thasingletrackmastah (Nov 15, 2005)

Yes, but as I said, the cass.joint has never caused a problem.
I used the winterproof type cass.joint.








So if you use that one (also fits Nexus 8 speed), and still have problems, it might just be due to moisture inside your hub freezing up.
Moisture can get in if the sealing is not very good.

One other tip for weatherproof shifting.
Use outhercable front to end, no exposed innerwire.


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

fokof said:


> Maybe but they both come with the same cassette joint , sadly ....


Before giving up, why not try some of the ideas given in this thread by experinced users? Granted it may take a little elbow grease, there are thousands of users with no issues....


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

I wonder how much salt and slush he's getting up there? I was out today in very cold ~20* F weather riding trails and the only thing that changed was a bit of sluggishness on a few of my shifts. I needed to back off the pressure a bit more and it was fine. We were riding in very fine, dry powder which is why we were seeing no ice buildup on anyone's bikes.

Drew


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

dru said:


> I wonder how much salt and slush he's getting up there?


:thumbsup:

Slush is my main problem.
I try to find a way to isolate the shifting mechanism , like I said two times earlier in the thread , it's not an internal problem or a cable problem.
I tried something this week , looks good so far , I'll post back some photos if it works.

I'm sure Shimano could de a CJ-40 with a kinda box "over" it to cover the whole thing from the element. Maybe a little inspiration from Rohloff......


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

Yea, no slush in Chicago, your conditions are unique in the world, good luck :thumbsup:


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## yxan (Oct 3, 2008)

not trying to derail the thread but has anyone tried putting lighter oil in the alfine 11? and if so which kind of oil did you use?


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## valo (Jun 18, 2012)

Old post but maybe someone finds this useful. Here in Finland the old trick is to pull out the cable shifting wire and simply dip it in gun oil. Then you're good to go for the whole winter.

As for the cassette joint one could try the same stuff that's called "lock melt" here.

I have to keep my bike outside in weathers ranging from +30 celsius to -30 celsius. Never had a problem with Nexus 8 with shifting. The spring is really, really strong. Maybe that's the culprit with your particular hub. I get slush and slush freezing on my bike to my bike getting buried in snow and ice. 

I've used the same hub for 8 years and never had any sort of grease problems, although now I ordered the newest model from Germany for 134 euros to replace the original from 2004, which is wore itself out..


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

Thanx for the tip , I'll try this next winter.


:thumbsup:


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