installing bb cable guide on steel frame

photocodo
photocodo Posts: 6
edited November 2015 in Workshop
I have an old steel trek that I am in the process of turning into a gravel grinder. My brother, who gave it to me, most recently used it as a fixed gear to ride around town and cut a lot of unnecessary parts off the bike. There is no BB cable guide on it right now and I am looking at how to put one on. looks like I can pick one up for a few dollars but my question is how do I actually install it? Looks pretty simple and my guess is that I can drill a hole in the bottom of the BB and just screw it on. Do I need a threaded hole or can I just use a self tapping screw? thanks for the advice.

Photocodo

Comments

  • arlowood
    arlowood Posts: 2,561
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736314#p19736314]photocodo[/url] wrote:
    I have an old steel trek that I am in the process of turning into a gravel grinder. My brother, who gave it to me, most recently used it as a fixed gear to ride around town and cut a lot of unnecessary parts off the bike. There is no BB cable guide on it right now and I am looking at how to put one on. looks like I can pick one up for a few dollars but my question is how do I actually install it? Looks pretty simple and my guess is that I can drill a hole in the bottom of the BB and just screw it on. Do I need a threaded hole or can I just use a self tapping screw? thanks for the advice.

    Photocodo

    Drilling and tapping a threaded hole would be much better than using a self tapping screw. Although the positioning is not that critical it would be better to buy the cable guide first and offer it up to the BB shell to ensure that you get the hole in the best position to give you good routing for the cables.

    Also remember that the screw you buy to secure it must be short enough so that it doesn't foul the sleeve of any BB that you install eg Hollowtech II
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,345
    match the guide size as close as possible to the diameter of the bb shell

    then run the cable through and tension it, wiggle things until you have the guide in the position that results in least tension, that's the position in which you want the guide fixed

    if you prep the surfaces correctly you could just glue it
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny

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