Hi all,

My FD cable rattles against the downtube every time I hit a bump, and it's driving me nuts. It's not the cable housing, but just the exposed wire that runs along the downtube before being routed under the BB and up to the FD.

The FD shifts properly, so I'm hesitant to try to increase the cable tension. It's as tight as I can get by pulling the cable.

The FD is Force, the cables are jagwire.

I've run a forum search, and haven't had any luck finding a solution; thanks in advance for your help.

You could use a rubber donut on the cable. (you can pick these up at your LBS ). just release the cable from the FD ,slip on a donut or two ,reconnect the cable to the FD and readjust . Or you can cross the cables under the down tube but going to the opposite holders on the frame ,cross to go to each respected dérailleurs.

Thanks for your help. I have some donuts on the cable, but they don't stay in place, and slide to the bottom where they don't do any good. Do you know if they come in different sizes? If so, I'll see if I can grab a smaller diameter size, but if not, any other thoughts?

I had the same issues with the rubber donuts. Tossed 'em years back. Now I use lengths of electronics heat shrink tubing as plastic sleeves on the cables. I don't shrink them though. Just leave them a sliding fit. This way you can use the same sleeve for years and multiple cable replacements. Cheap, come in various colours and easily fitted. The 1/16 size works for shift cables and the 3/32 for brake cables.

Thanks, cool solution.

Would it be a bad idea to try to increase the tension on the FD cable? I'm sure I'd have to readjust the FD, but that shouldn't be a big deal.

I had the same problem on my mtn bike. The donuts are a nice idea but in practice dont do the job. I use a short piece of electrical tape and wrap it around the bare cable a few times essentially making an elongated "donut" but with sticky glue inside. I sandwitched the existing donut between two of the tape donuts before with good results. This technique does leave glue residue but its unimportant in the middle of the cable and can be removed with isopropyl .

Awesome, I'm definitely going to do this.

Thanks everyone!

A little dab of clear silicone will hold the donuts in place.

If the low limit screw is adjusted properly you could try increasing the tension a small amount. But if that causes the derailleur to move it will cause unwanted chain rub. With the chain on the smallest chainring and largest cassette cog inside rail of the derailleur should clear the chain by 2 or 3 mm.

Use a dab of super glue to fix the donut.

If your f.d cable is loose enough to hit the frame, it's already improperly adjusted.

Huh? I've had many of my bikes with the FD cable running along the down or top tube that slapped the tube from hitting bumps. And I'm sure you have as well. Why would you post such a thing?

T.dub, the cable tension in the FD is what it is. The tension is set by the return spring in the FD. When you make it tighter it moves the FD and shifts. So you can't make it any tighter than it is already assuming that it is shifting correctly at present.

I'm getting fast, precise shifts both up and down, so I really don't want to mess with the tension. Thanks the the reassurance.

I've never owned or ridden a bike that had a shift cable slapping the down tube.

Every bike owner needs to know how to adjust derailleurs.

Same here.

Now the rear brake cable is another story.

That doesn't mean jack ****. It doesn't mean the cable tension is at the optimal max either.

Most of the pain in setting up a FD is in its height and angle, which you don't need to touch. I say go ahead and fix the cable tension.

What I do with FDs, is instead of allowing the tail of the cable to poke out where it's designed to, I wrap the cable all the way around the pinch bolt so it comes back out between the chainstays, and I haul on it with some pliers before tightening the clamp bolt and cutting off the excess. That usually avoids too much dicking around trying to get the cable tight enough, and is tidier as a bonus.

If you need to dick around, I find the best approach is to screw in the inner limit screw half a turn or so before tightening the cable - that way when you back it off again, hopefully the cable will grow taut at just the right spot and share the job of the inner limit screw. You can also loosen the cable slightly if need be, by carefully loosening the pinch bolt with hand tension on the cable until it moves with the bolt.

Familiar with Velcro, the kind with an adhesive back? Cut a small patch of the fluffy (not the hooky) velcro in whatever size you need, and stick it to the fame. Beats donuts. You can also stick patches wherever housing touches and chafes the frame also.