Internal rear brake cable routing: how do you do it?
07-08-07, 05:06 PM
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Internal rear brake cable routing: how do you do it?
The Gazelle frame I recently acquired has internal routing for the rear brake cable. It looks like the entry tubes are the same diameter as the housing, so it looks like you need to install a ferrule at each end and route the bare cable through the top tube.
Is there some trick to this? I'm baffled just looking at it.
Is there some trick to this? I'm baffled just looking at it.
07-08-07, 05:16 PM
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Take the saddle with seatpost off, and (hopefully) find that the top tube is open in that direction. Use your finger to guide the cable up through the hole from inside, and push it through. Worked for me without much hassle. Good luck.
07-08-07, 09:29 PM
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Some are too small for housing to go through
I have had some frames (maybe an older Merckx TSX Century for one) that would not take the cable housing. I did just what you said: use housing to the hole in the top tube, use a metal step down ferrule at the entrance and exit holes, and run bare brake cable inside the guide within the top tube. Worked fine on every bike that had the step downs.
Originally Posted by caloso
The Gazelle frame I recently acquired has internal routing for the rear brake cable. It looks like the entry tubes are the same diameter as the housing, so it looks like you need to install a ferrule at each end and route the bare cable through the top tube.
Is there some trick to this? I'm baffled just looking at it.
Is there some trick to this? I'm baffled just looking at it.
07-08-07, 09:59 PM
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I have several frames that are similar, but none needed a ferrule. Hard to describe, the cable sheath just fits inside the opening & is stopped about 1/4" in where there is a smaller hole for the cable. You just feed the cable in (There is an internal guide tube) until it reaches the end of the guide tube, then wiggle the cable a bit until it finds the exit hole. Not really as difficult as I thought it would be.
Last edited by ollo_ollo; 07-08-07 at 10:07 PM.
07-08-07, 10:45 PM
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Originally Posted by frank121
I have had some frames (maybe an older Merckx TSX Century for one) that would not take the cable housing. I did just what you said: use housing to the hole in the top tube, use a metal step down ferrule at the entrance and exit holes, and run bare brake cable inside the guide within the top tube. Worked fine on every bike that had the step downs.
I wonder if this is a Benelux type thing. I noticed these on the Merckx Corsa too.
07-09-07, 12:54 PM
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Frank121: You're talking about something like this?
07-09-07, 01:45 PM
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It all depends.
can you physicaly get the inner cable (wire) feed through the frame? If you cannot place magnet at the hole to 'guide' the cable.
can you physicaly get the inner cable (wire) feed through the frame? If you cannot place magnet at the hole to 'guide' the cable.
07-09-07, 11:03 PM
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Yes, just make sure
Originally Posted by caloso
Frank121: You're talking about something like this?
Last edited by frank121; 07-10-07 at 10:43 AM.
07-10-07, 10:19 AM
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Originally Posted by frank121
it is the size you need. There are step downs that fit the rear derailleur braze-on stop on a drive side chain stay that look like this also. If you are ordering from Harris, just make sure and tell them you are reducing brake cable housing down to an internal guide inside a top tube and they should get you the right size.
03-13-14, 07:36 AM
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I'm sure you may not find it hard to believe that almost 7 years later, I came upon the same problem (having just bought a '90 Merckx). Just in case anybody still reads this thread: This thread made my week.
03-13-14, 08:13 AM
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If the cable housing fits snugly in the frame and the hole for the cable itself is sufficiently small the step-down ferrule is superfluous. The frame is the ferrule as ollo_ollo points out above.
Brent
Brent
