Just received some shiny Middleburn cable oilers for my gear cables as been getting some bother with less than silky-smooth shifting through the crud of winter and thought these might ease maintenance a bit. However, looking a them they seem to be nothing more than a fancy back to back cable ends. I thought they would have a wee port in the side to allow you to attach the think nozzle from a can of GT85 or similar to skoosh directly into them , and hence lube cable outers from the midpoint – but they don't. How should they be used? What is the point in them?

They do, you have to roll back the rubber o-ring in the centre.

what he said —–^

Yeah, wot Solar said!

As said above, if they have been made correctly there is a black "O" ring at the widest part of the oiler. You roll it off and find the hole that the GT85 (other spray lubes are available) straw fits in and away you go.

If the hole and ring are missing you got some duffers, send them back.

…they are indeed pointless. Unless you use them properly.

There's a hole in the side (under the rubber o-ring), that enables you to squirt GT85 in.

They also (apparently) need to be mounted in the middle of the cable run, i.e. you need to snip your outer cable in two pieces and mount the oiler in between both bits.

If you don't do this, you'll just find oil sprays about all over the floor and not on the cable.

Some folk swear by them, but I've never found them much more useful than the ol' disconnect-the-cable-shuffle-shuffle-with-the-oil method. They do look pretty though.

doh! thought I was pretty good at finding the hole too but there you go. 😉 Ta!

Must actually spray something into mine later 😆 they are good (when used on a regular basis).

What they said, but don't bother, I found that the gt40 just sprayed back out at me, I guess a bit went in but any claims you can 'flush' the crap out of the cable inner is a load of cobblers.

but don't bother, I found that the gt40 just sprayed back out at me,

I always find GT85 coming out the mech and shifter end, personally. So do bother.

What they said, but don't bother, I found that the gt40 just sprayed back out at me, I guess a bit went in but any claims you can 'flush' the crap out of the cable inner is a load of cobblers.

mebbe your lacking in pressure when you spray your load in the hole ? 😯

just sprayed back out at me

Sorry have to say it – did you push your nozzle far enough in? 😯

I have two on my rear mech cable one about 6 inches from the shifter and the other about 9-12 inches from the rear mech. When I connect to the rear mech one the aerosol sprays out the end of the outer and the front one sprays out into the shifter. Full length outers BTW.

Nick – Member
What they said, but don't bother, I found that the gt40 just sprayed back out at me, I guess a bit went in but any claims you can 'flush' the crap out of the cable inner is a load of cobblers.

I was able to on mine, the only time I couldn't was when the cables were too cacked up and needed replacing anyways or unless you using full lengh cables (where I can't see the point fo the MB cable oilers), where it doubtful you have enough pressure to "spray" out of the ends [probably dribble a little though].
Just to clarrify I think MB cable oilers are ace on normal short cables but a bit of a waste of time on full length runs.

I've used them on full length outers with a Rohloff and they work.