Internal cable routing problem

[Alex321]

I have internal cable routing on my bike (Cube Attain GTC Race 2021), with Shimano 105 R7000 drivetrain.

I've been having issues with the front change to the large ring recently, and after a bit of fiddling around, though it was most likely the cable, so went to change that today.

But there seems to be an issue, in that I believe the outer sleeve is supposed to be attached to the inside of the hole in the frame, so you can just push the inner through. It appears to have become detached (which may be what caused the whole issue in the first place), soo I can't push the inner cable through the hole, which is too small to be able to see through, never mind stick anything in to try and snag it.

I think I'll be taking it to my LBS tomorrow, but how can this issue be fixed? Can you get at the sleeve and that hole form the inside if you take the Bottom Bracket out (press fit, so I can't just do it to have a look). I have neither the tools nor expertise to deal with a press-fit bottom bracket.

And is there likely to be something inside the hole to attach the sleeve to, or will it be a case of something like superglue? It is a Carbon Fame if that makes any difference.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Carbon frame, internal routing, press fit BB, 11 speed. Living on the (CycleChat) edge!
Are you considering admitting to disc brakes, thru axles and tubeless tyres to be taken into account when the sentence is considered.

 

[Alex321]

Carbon frame, internal routing, press fit BB, 11 speed. Living on the (CycleChat) edge!
Are you considering admitting to disc brakes, thru axles and tubeless tyres to be taken into account when the sentence is considered.

I don't have tubeless at the moment, I did try them but they weren't really working for me. I may try again

I certainly have disc brakes and thru-axles.

 

[jowwy]

No the outer cable is never attached within the frame, you would need to build the frame with cables attached first and then you wouldnt be to change the outers at all.

what normally happens is clips or cable ties are attached to the outers and slid into the frame to stop them rattling around, then the frame bungs are put in place to give it a clean finish. You would need some very long thin fingers to get the cables attached within the frame. Quite a lot of bikes dont even have outers going all the way through the frame, just the inner cables, with cable stops on the outside of the frames.

maybe post a picture of the issue, so we can see what you mean.

You can get a park tool cable routing kit to help change the cables, i have one and its a god send.

 

[Alex321]

I've just been down to my LBS, and you are right, there is no internal sheathing on the front derailleur cable. It seems that what my problem actually was is that the plate it is supposed to route around at the bottom bracket has gone missing.

What he has suggested as a stopgap measure until I can get hold of a new plate is a piece of sheathing to go around where the plate should be.

The hole it comes back out of after that is thoroughly clogged up though, so I need to take off the mudguard to get at it and clean it before I can finally get the cable fully routed.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Hurrah @Alex321 You have sorted it, and by admitting "mudguards" your sentence will be suspended.
Think this "piece of sheathing" will actually be a length of outer routing round the BB.

 

[jowwy]

I've just been down to my LBS, and you are right, there is no internal sheathing on the front derailleur cable. It seems that what my problem actually was is that the plate it is supposed to route around at the bottom bracket has gone missing.

What he has suggested as a stopgap measure until I can get hold of a new plate is a piece of sheathing to go around where the plate should be.

The hole it comes back out of after that is thoroughly clogged up though, so I need to take off the mudguard to get at it and clean it before I can finally get the cable fully routed.

Strange how that could be missing, its normally screwed to the frame and if the cable fitted correctly it would also hold it place through the tightening of the cable

a few different pictures of how they work, the last one is a trek and doesnt use a guide, but thin tubing around the bottom bracket.

 

[Alex321]

Very strange indeed. Simon (owner of Simon's Cycles in Cowbridge) couldn't understand it either. He wondered if it could have worn through or split, then come loose due to vibration from the rough roads I ride on regularly.

He also agrees with many on here that internal routing is a daft idea. I tend to agree, but when I bought this bike 18 months ago, there weren't any mid-range road bikes available without it. Certainly not if you wanted hydraulic disc brakes, which I very much did.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I once worked on an 80s Peugeot steel frame with internal routing (rear brake cable along the top tube IIRC). It was a real fiddle and I invented a super cunning method, but I'm afraid it wouldn't be applicable here.

Pleased to hear you have it sorted @Alex321

 

[Alex321]

Hurrah @Alex321 You have sorted it, and by admitting "mudguards" your sentence will be suspended.
Think this "piece of sheathing" will actually be a length of outer routing round the BB.

Yes, that is exactly what it is.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Strange how that could be missing, its normally screwed to the frame and if the cable fitted correctly it would also hold it place through the tightening of the cable
a few different pictures of how they work, the last one is a trek and doesnt use a guide, but thin tubing around the bottom bracket.

How about a picture of the bottom of your internally routed cable bottom bracket, @jowwy ?
Initially I was dead impressed how clean your bike was

 

[jowwy]

How about a picture of the bottom of your internally routed cable bottom bracket, @jowwy ?
Initially I was dead impressed how clean your bike was

I have trek domane disc in the man cave ajax, that hasnt seen an inch of tarmac….its brand spanking new and two years old now.

This year im going to convert to a single crankset 1x11 and 650b wheelset and 47mm horizon tyres, it will work well over the bombtrack roads we have up here in the welsh valleys.

until then i will keep using the E Bikes

 

[boydj]

When I re-cabled, I fed an old inner cable the wrong way through the down tube , attached the new cable to this with some thread and pulled the new cable through. It did take some figuring out before this was achieved. I also had to find a couple of cable stops which fitted the cable holes for the outers at the top of the down tube.

 

[Alex321]

Well I got it fitted in the end, but still no joy. I now think the problem must be in the shifter after all that hassle with the cable. It just won't pull on the cable when I try to change to the big ring.

The cable pulls through easily when not attached to the mech, and the mech moves easily enough by hand, but the big lever just won't push far at all with the cable in.

But, this is what the area where the plate should be looks like (before fitting the sheath and routing the cable through the round hole, up the seat tube and out of the little hole near the mech).

 

[jowwy]

Well I got it fitted in the end, but still no joy. I now think the problem must be in the shifter after all that hassle with the cable. It just won't pull on the cable when I try to change to the big ring.

The cable pulls through easily when not attached to the mech, and the mech moves easily enough by hand, but the big lever just won't push far at all with the cable in.

But, this is what the area where the plate should be looks like (before fitting the sheath and routing the cable through the round hole, up the seat tube and out of the little hole near the mech).
View attachment 672588

There woudnt be plate there, as there is screw hole for the plate…..it wouldnt screw directly into the carbon from, it would have a tapped insert in there for the screw