Most frustrating bike DIY maintenance?

[Jon George]

After this fun-filled afternoon: no argument, please, but trying to thread a rear derailleur cable through an integrated lever mech, just to get it to the first outer cable housing on the handlebar, must qualify. Even after advice from my LBS, it took me the better part of an hour. Perhaps two. I lost track. (Of course, sliding the cable through from the other direction to ascertain the route was extremely easy and seemed to generate some cosmic raspberry.)
I was genuinely mentally fatigued and needed quite a few Friday Night beers to recover.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I learned, man many years ago, that it was better to take the bike to someone who knew what to do.

 

[MrWill]

Heh first time I did it it was a bit baffling at first!

 

[Dayvo]

You probably nees glasses.

 

[Matthames]

I found a way of doing this that makes this job a breeze. The secret is to tin the ends and apply a bit of light oil, the cable should follow the guides with ease.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

After this fun-filled afternoon: no argument, please, but trying to thread a rear derailleur cable through an integrated lever mech, just to get it to the first outer cable housing on the handlebar, must qualify. Even after advice from my LBS, it took me the better part of an hour. Perhaps two. I lost track. (Of course, sliding the cable through from the other direction to ascertain the route was extremely easy and seemed to generate some cosmic raspberry.)
I was genuinely mentally fatigued and needed quite a few Friday Night beers to recover.

Yes, I had the same problem several weeks ago, and had to use a pair of tweezers to coax the cable through the last bit of integrated lever. The remainder of cable threading is easy, compared to that!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Fortunately I haven't had to tackle this task yet.

 

[Dragonwight]

All I do is change it down and have the lever open the cable goes straight through. If you don't change it down then you have the aforementioned antics. Works for me anyway.

 

[TheJDog]

I once threaded mine through in 2 seconds, then took it out to trim housings to length, etc., then proceeded to take about 25 minutes to get it through the same damn hole.