Hey y’all. So I’ve got an fd with an integrated cable stop like this one. But my frame has over the top cable guides, and thus no need for housing or a stop. I believe the stop is in the cable’s path so the cable will either need to go through it or employ some trickery to avoid it. So how should I route the fd cable? Through the guide naked? (Would this cause unwanted friction on the cable?) Try to wedge a small piece of housing into the stop? File the damn thing off (ugh.) Just get a new fd (ack.) Thanks.

First run the cable directly from the BB guide to the anchor bolt and see where the cable needs to be as it passes by the der's stop. If there's a lot of interference then run the cable through the stop. If the cable clears the stop then run the cable direct. let the cable's path determine the route WRT the stop. Andy.

Over the top of Where? Top Pull? down the back of the seat tube?

Buy a roller to put under the FD Right above the BB shell down and back up

Or you can Make the housing stop the cable anchor and the current Cable Anchor as the Housing stop, for a top pull FD conversion.

or just look for a top pull FD.

Sounds good to me Andy, thanks. Assuming the cable route needs to go through the stop -- which I believe it will -- should I run the cable naked? I assume this will create some friction between the cable/stop but that it wouldn't be especially problematic (i.e. poor shifting or cause cable fraying.)

The cable guides on the frame are on the top of the bb shell.

Let's see.

1- the stop is unnecessary
2- you don't plan t use it
3- it's in the way
4- it serves no other function, and it's loss wouldn't create any problems

So you have a useless, easily removable feature that is causing problems now, but wouldn't cause any if gone.

I think this argues pretty clearly for sawing it off, and wonder why you'd even think about it.

Important question --- you mention "over the top" cable routing. If you mean the cable is coming down from the top, how will a bottom pull derailleur work with or without the stop?

Over the top of the BB would have been easy to type? No?

I'm sure it'd be easy for some to remove, but not for me. The only power tools I own are my hands. (Heresy, I know.)

My understanding was that "over the top cable guides" referred to this configuration. I stand corrected.

It sounds like it might be best if I found a new fd without a stop. Oh well, back to the ISO drawing board.

Somebody may pay a fair price for that InTact FD, to use with a bike that has no Brazeon guides.

[QUOTE=FBinNY;17610752]Let's see.

1- the stop is unnecessary
2- you don't plan t use it
3- it's in the way
4- it serves no other function, and it's loss wouldn't create any problems

So you have a useless, easily removable feature that is causing problems now, but wouldn't cause any if gone.

I think this argues pretty clearly for sawing it off, and wonder why you'd even think about it.

BTW- cutting the guide off is exactly what Campagnolo did when it segued from using a housed cable system to bare wire routing like yours. You can still see where the leg for the stop used to be.

If you own a hacksaw, you could cut it off hand held (why you have two hands), or nibble away at it with diagonal cutter then file it cleaner. Or you could go to a gas station or wherever and ask for a small favor. Or you could file away at it for a while. It's saw or file easily enough because it's butter soft aluminum.

It seems to me that OTT FD routing was a standard term used in the bicycle industry and didn't have any issues reading that it was over the top of the BB rather than OTB. One would have to assume the OP was a complete idiot to read it as a top-pull routing.

Easiest thing to do would be to just slide the cable through the cable stop. It doesn't look like it is threaded for a barrel adjuster so even if it didn't line up 100% perfectly with the braze-on or bolt-on OTT cable-guide it shouldn't cause much friction on the cable. The amount of friction on the cable guide will be orders of magnitude more friction so any misalignment of the integrated cable stop would be inconsequential -especially in a friction-shift setup, which I will assume the OP is going with probably, using this ancient FD. I don't think it would be an issue with an indexed system either, if the FD's pull is compatible.

If the OP is worried about chaffing on the cable as it rubs the stop with a more radical angle, a little bit of smoothing with a needle file or a taper reamer should fix that easily.

FWIW- Back in the era when Campagnolo transitioned from using housing there to bare wire with a guide clip (or braze in) they continued making FDs with the stop for a year or two, as bike companies phased in the change. Those of with a stop in the way, generally simply ran the bar wire through it, without any special measures or concerns.

Yeah, I'd prefer not to modify it if possible. But I'd very much like to use this particular model fd. A dilemma indeed.

Interesting, thanks FB. This is just the sort of thing I come to bf to learn. Helpful terminology ("housed" vs "bare wire") too.

I'd be nervous that I'd botch the job, but I get that it's not brain surgery. Anyway it's good to have and know some options.

Same One Was also made W/O the Housing stop. as the one in My Parts Bin Testifies .

Is that you uncle Randy? But seriously, thanks Amesja, this is good info. All of your assumptions are correct. I suppose a little trial and error couldn't hurt. I guess I was just trying to make sure there wasn't a "DO NOT DO THIS!!!" wrt this particular cable routing scenario.

Thanks again everybody.

You're a tease, fietsbob.

There is a lot one can do with a hacksaw and a file. Even with a zillion power tools, I still drag out the hacksaw every once in a while, and that might be a task that I would have used the hacksaw on anyway.

But...
I think I'd just route the cable, and see how the bike shifts, then modify as necessary.

You could add a piece of cable sheath or PEX, but then where would you anchor the other end? And that might add more friction than just going through the stop, assuming a reasonably straight path.

Glue is good... up until the time you have to disassemble.