Inline Barrel Adjusters
 

I am going to replace cables/housings on bike with internal cables. I also want to replace barrel adjusters, not because they don't work, but b/c they are ugly.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8293/7...404ba1156f.jpg
XK8V6555 by Genna B, on Flickr

Are there any better, nice looking options? Are they different kinds for shifters and brakes? Anything special about internal cables replacements?


PS: The IM stickers are not mine, it came from previous owner.

Is the frame prepped for internal cabling? If not how are you going to make the provisions to run the cabling in the tubes? I cannot tell from the picture, the frame may well have the inlets and outlets for the cables installed. Not a flame or calling you out, I'd just like to know if you could do the work for internal cables. Cutting and drilling and brazing or epoxying in the fittings (the frame appears to be aluminum to me) would be pretty extensive. Best of luck with the conversion, regardless.

That frame has internal routing already he's just replacing whats their and wants to use another style of adjuster thats all.

What kind of brake is that?

Maybe a noodle from a V-Brake would be a bit cleaner? It's hard to tell from the single photo.

I have no idea what are the brakes. But I want to replace them too, maybe later
Here is another picture, the metal housing that runs from the barrel adjuster to brake: can it be replaced with regular plastic housing?

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8142/7...e9bee03d99.jpg
XK8V6550 by Genna B, on Flickr
Sorry, I do not have a better picture now

thanks! These are the shifters, I cannot find them for brakes

I've never seen that set-up on the seat stays before.

Is the brake threaded where the metal housing inserts into the arm? If so, what thread size/pitch?

If not, I might be tempted to tap it out to M5 and put in a barrel adjuster and run a regular housng to it. My only concern would be too sharp an angle from the housing to the adjuster causing drag but the only way to know that would be to physically try it.

Interesting project.

Thanks, that clears things up a lot. I've never seen that model brake, what brand/model are they?

No, the two bolts on right and left do not connect to the seat stays. They attached to the frame just like any other standard caliper brakes. You can see a gap between seat stay and "middle arm" The two bolts there I believe to adjust brake/rim gap. Also there is no "quick release" that is why the brakes are in open position all the time. This is the reason why I don't like the braking and planing to replace them with Tektros (or whatever can be found at the good price)

Bikepedia has them listed as "but there is nothing aero about them

http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/B...lite&Type=bike

The more i look at them, the more I want to replace them :)

That might be a better call.

IIRC the two bolts aren't for centering, they are for loading the springs in each arm?

I have no idea. :) I will know as I take them off, but not before I got new set of brakes.

The cable should release from the brake when the calipers are squeezed together. The procedure is no different to using V-brakes.

Personally I think it's clean and practical. How effective properly adjusted brakes like that would be is another matter. If they are like their MTB bretheren, then likely quite good. I'd have them on one of my road bikes just to be different.

This thread is notable for BobDop never having seen a component like that before (which is more of a compliment than it seems).

Yeah, I mistook those for the braze-on type that were usually mounted on the chainstays of late 80's Nishikis and the like. I honestly don't know if I've ever seen or worked on the type the OP currently has.

I agree on with you the current set-up. I think a V-Brake noodle might look a little better, though, but unless the current set-up is rubbing the OP on the inside of the leg this might be as good as it gets.

Those brakes are some of the strangest design I have seem. Granted I have not seem 1/100th of what BDop has seen they are different. I can understand why you want to change them out. Do you have a mfgr and level of components in mind? I got a set of 105 Shimano on eBay last year for a great price. Used but not that I could even tell they were. Best of luck in getting the cabling sorted out and new brakes installed.

Bill

That is an unusual looking brake! How good is it's action?

It looks like it would be really easy to set up after a cable change.

A little googling and it seems like these brakes are designed to be tucked away behind the fork and behind the bb/chain stays. That might explain why the cable comes in from the side like that; I guess you couldn't route the cable to a typical road caliper when mounted in those positions?

Maybe Specialized spec'd them on this bike to get them hidden behind the front fork but then just decided to use a matched set instead of having a different brake on the rear even though it is positioned on the seat stay brake bridge and not down low.

I am not really happy with the braking power. But I just got this bike and did not do any adjustments yet.
I still considering to change these brakes. Or should I? Maybe a little adjustment will do, who knows.

I do not have anything specific in mind about the new calipers. First thing cone to mind is Tektro? I am open for any suggestion. Shimano 105 are good, but I recently have replaced rear brake on my other bike with Shimano R450, and the only thing I do not like is that normal brake cable housing metal tip will not fit into barrel adjuster. I had to let the bare housing into it.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7227/7...86cbf9eaa0.jpg
XK8V6074 by Genna B, on Flickr

I believe the "conventional" Tektro calipers will not require metal housing, only inline barrel adjuster.

Or... I don't even need the INLINE barrel adjuster, b/c the regular calipers normally have adjuster on the arm.

My Shimano brakes (the 105 I got to replace the old RSX brakes) let a plastic ferrule on the end of the cable housing slip in with no problem. Come to think of it my Rival on my other bike have the same set up. Neither has the internal cable routing, though. And as you said the calipers have an adjuster on them already. I guess you should just evaluate what is available either through reading online or in magazines or talk with other riders about their brakesets and how they perform for them. It will come down to how much money you want to/can spend on the brakes.

1st for me also never seen these, I guessing you don't know who makes these either.

I think you will find even if you use Shimano Dura Ace cable outers, they don't have the ferrule to go on the ends and into the brakes. I don't think it's any great problem, just make sure the cable is cut square, or at least have a file handy to flatten out the "interface".

There are variables to making brakes of any design work as efficiently as possible. The ones in your previous pictures indicate they are cartridge types, so I would probably swap out the originals for something with a good reputation. Having said that, I haven't had any issues with the stock Shimano pads on my Ultegra brakes on several bikes.

Thats what came to mind when I first saw them. I.e. they look like brakes Ive seen tucked beneath the BB.

The new Madone uses this brake placement. The fad has come around again.

Seeing that the prior owner was a triathlete, I wonder if these were transplanted from another TT frame that actually used the BB brake location?

No, I don't think so. The previous owner did not do anything with the bike himself.