Bicycle Mechanics - mystery plastic piece screwed into BB shell

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noahjz
08-28-07, 09:13 PM
I recently bought a frame and I was wondering if anyone knew what this plastic piece is all about...

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/noahjz/Library-510.jpg

thanks!

nitropowered
08-28-07, 09:14 PM
its the cable guide for your front and rear derailleurs
comradehoser
08-28-07, 09:16 PM
that is where you route the cables for the front and rear derailleurs from the downtube shifter braze-ons.

JanMM
08-28-07, 09:21 PM
If the screw that holds in in place is too long, it can mess with the BB installation.
noahjz
08-28-07, 09:37 PM
I guess I should have been able to figure that out :)

Anyhow my follow up question is, since I plan on building this frame up into a single speed is it ok to remove the plastic guide? Would I be able to find something to plug the hole up?
Steev
08-28-07, 09:40 PM
I guess I should have been able to figure that out :)

Anyhow my follow up question is, since I plan on building this frame up into a single speed is it ok to remove the plastic guide? Would I be able to find something to plug the hole up?

It's not necessary to plug the hole. In fact, some people drill a hole there to allow any water that gets into the frame to drain out.
operator
08-28-07, 11:58 PM
I plan on building this frame up into a single speed is it ok to remove the plastic guide?

Yes.
mtnbk3000
08-29-07, 12:07 AM
I recently bought a frame and I was wondering if anyone knew what this plastic piece is all about...

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/noahjz/Library-510.jpg

thanks!

is that the nashbar reynolds steel frame
masiman
08-29-07, 06:28 AM
It's not necessary to plug the hole. In fact, some people drill a hole there to allow any water that gets into the frame to drain out.

Then you are left with the age old question, is it better to try to seal it or to have a place where water can get out and in.
operator
08-29-07, 07:16 AM
Then you are left with the age old question, is it better to try to seal it or to have a place where water can get out and in.

Well if the water can get in, it can certainly get out now without the hole plugged.
GV27
08-29-07, 08:13 AM
And gravity's gonna insure that it does just that. I vote for leaving the hole.
tellyho
08-29-07, 07:25 PM
Getting back to the Nashbar question, it sure looks like the signature frame, but the site says it has top tube cable routing. I'm confused. And obviously have too much time.
noahjz
09-03-07, 06:50 PM
it's a soma fabrications "smoothy"
their newer ones don't seem to come in this orange color, i don't know what year it's from

i am a bit unsure of the steel, the decal is mysteriously painted over. anyone want to take a guess what this says? the guy i got it from said reynolds 853, but it sure is hard to read...
what are the relative values of the reynolds steel grades? what do those numbers refer to anyways?

thanks for the help :)

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/noahjz/IMG_2454.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/noahjz/IMG_2455.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/noahjz/IMG_2457.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/noahjz/IMG_2462.jpg


is that the nashbar reynolds steel frame
nitropowered
09-03-07, 07:03 PM
Its 853.

and leave the hole. Water mysteriously enters the frame from every nook and cranny (seatpost, headset) and its good to have a drain.

I've seen many destroyed bottom brackets because there was no drain hole in the BB shell (more often on mountain bikes since they usually dont use under shell cable routing)