Re Routing Rear Light Cabling

[wiggydiggy]

On my Raleigh Motus Tour there are some lovely design choices, but they don't half make it hard to customize!

The rear light, wired to the battery, has had its cabling routed underneath the mudguard. Its a very tidy solution but it's also the source of my tyre clearance woes. I've managed to get a pair of Continental Contact Plus (42×622/28×1.6/700*42) in there but its very tight.

So I want to remove the wiring from the inside and route it over the top, in my mind I can do this by disconnecting it from the rear light end and pulling it clear. Then routing it over the top and back into the light.

Has anyone done anything similar on any bike?

This is the old tyre, new one is even tighter!

 

[mjr]

It wasn't a rerouting but my dynamo lights used to have the wire on top of the mudguard. Now I have some chromoplastic mudguards that use the chrome inners to conduct the electricity to small flyleads at the back that connect to the lights.

 

[wiggydiggy]

It wasn't a rerouting but my dynamo lights used to have the wire on top of the mudguard. Now I have some chromoplastic mudguards that use the chrome inners to conduct the electricity to small flyleads at the back that connect to the lights.

That's a really good idea, I don't want to change the mudguards yet as its virtually new but it's something to consider for the future

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

WOW - I have a Motus - but it is the basic one so doesn't have lights as standard - hence no wiring inside the mudguard

in spite of this I do have problem with clearance - especially if I am riding on even slightly muddy group - and mud at all inside the mudguard and it keep rubbing on the tyre and making a noise
so if there is a wire running in there as well can see it being a bit marginal!

 

[fossyant]

There is not much clearance to the chain stay, so you'd be better going slightly narrower.

 

[wiggydiggy]

WOW - I have a Motus - but it is the basic one so doesn't have lights as standard - hence no wiring inside the mudguard

in spite of this I do have problem with clearance - especially if I am riding on even slightly muddy group - and mud at all inside the mudguard and it keep rubbing on the tyre and making a noise
so if there is a wire running in there as well can see it being a bit marginal!

Yeah the mudguards are very much a bespoke design, the mudguard also acts as a support for the rear rack so there's a piece of metal inside at the top to help with.

Sks do a 29er MTB set of 'guards which do much better clearence, their also soft plastic so I'll be able to cut them to fit. One for the future after I've had my wear of these.

e is not much clearance to the chain stay, so you'd be better going slightly narrower.

I think so, these were the tyres I had though so I thought I'd try these for a bit a see how it goes.

 

[Espresso vecchio]

Yeah the mudguards are very much a bespoke design, the mudguard also acts as a support for the rear rack so there's a piece of metal inside at the top to help with.

Errm...it's more accurate to say that the rear rack (with its 3, or sometimes 4, strong supports and bolts that are intended to bear 25kg) supports the mudguard !

If you do re-route the wire how are you going to secure to the outside of the mudguard? I guess the wire is just about long enough not to need an extension, so you could secure it with cable ties onto the rear of the seat tube up to the rack, then along the rack to the light.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Errm...it's more accurate to say that the rear rack (with its 3, or sometimes 4, strong supports and bolts) supports the mudguard !

I'll have to take another picture if I've not explained it well enough but the rack is only attached in one of the normal mounting points near the rear axel. The upper frame supports can't be used as it has a Dutch style horseshoe lock there.