Front mech cable routing issue

bigmat

Hello all

I am having a spot of bother re-cabling my Viner Gladius. The front mech cable routes through the carbon bottom bracket shell (fairly standard on carbon frames I would have thought). Unfortunately, having removed the old cable I am now unable to get the new cable through - it goes in about a centimetre and there is then a blockage. It is the same from either end. I have tried removing the chainset / bottom bracket but there is a fixed metal tube preventing access to the internal cabling. Does anyone have any suggestions how this can be resolved? I am wondering whether I might have to drill a bigger hole or look into re-routing round the back of the bottom bracket (although due to frame design this doesn't look viable).

Thanks

Mat

TommyEss

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T DRILL IT!!!

bigmat

TommyEss wrote:

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T DRILL IT!!!

Seriously though, what are the alternatives? Ideally I would get someone else to drill it so I could blame them when it all went horribly wrong - have emailed Viner UK but not entirely convinced they even exist anymore...

TommyEss

Heh - I meant don't do it yourself...

Um - it sounds like that tube that's in the way really should have been taking the cable, although it's hard to judge without pictures. The mechanic at my LBS hates internal routing, and normally tries to tie the new cable to the old to kind of pull it through, if that makes sense? Not helpful in your case.

Is there something narrower than the cable you can try and thread through? You might be able to use that to carry through the new cable perhaps?

Failing that, sounds like a job for the shop.

bigmat

What I mean re the bottom bracket is that there is a fixed metal tube that the axle goes through so you can't get to the cable routing - I had hoped I'd be able to reach through and remove the blockage / guide it by hand. Have already tried one bike mechanic who had no idea how to deal with it so I'm starting to get a bit worried!

TommyEss

Have you tried/can you get access to an air jet?

bigmat

TommyEss wrote:

Have you tried/can you get access to an air jet?

What's an air jet? I'm open to any constructive suggestion!

TommyEss

I'm not sure of the exact name, but I'm thinking of the air hose connected to a compressor - delivers a narrow jet of air, might blow out whatever crap might be in there.

Thinking it through - the blockage is most likely either the liner to the cable guide snapped and got trapped, or dirt from the road that's got caught in there and solidified - so I guess you could also try degreaser/muc-off or something, see if it'll dissolve whatever's in there?

barrie h

Try a length of old outer brake cable with the plastic outer stripped off and pull the first few coils out to form a hook,
and push it in the hole and turn to try and get coil biting into the blockage
blowing 100psi air in might work
but without seeing it in the flesh it is hard to come up with an answer

Barrie

desweller

Are you just trying to push it through? You can sometimes get results by twiddling the cable between finger and thumb as your push it.