Planet x RT 58 inner cables

bikeit65

Anyone here change the rear derailleur cable, is it an easy job putting the cable inside the frame.

Hugues

Yes I've done it.
Maybe I was unlucky, but it was probably the most time consuming and frustrating cable routing job I've ever done (and I do lots).
Normal technique is to feed from back to front a very thin tube (I.e. the liner from a gear outer cable, or thinner if you can find it) over the existing inner cable until it comes out at the down tube entry hole. Then pull out the existing inner, fit the new inner through this tube and the pull the tube out from the back.
In the case of the RT58 the thin tube was getting stuck at the point the cable (appears) to route under the bottom bracket shell. Tried it from back to front and front to back with no joy. I suspect that if there was an internal liner or cable guide fitted when the frame was made, it had probably worn through.
Eventually ended up just pulling out the existing cable, feeding the new one down the down tube and then trying for a number of hours to get it to route past the bottom bracket shell. Finally succeeded more by luck than judgement. I did also try removing the bottom bracket, but the shell it screws into is solid, so that was no help.

bikeit65

The inner sleeve must have been broken because when i took the old cable out the new cable would not go the whole way back inside the inner sleeve, got an old cable fed it in from the front it goes all the way inside the frame but does not come out the exit hold at the rear, fed the cable also in from the back exit hole it too goes all the way in but does not come out the front exit hole, tried a strong magnet to fish the cable along the frame but no use. spoke with Planet X three times to see if they could offer any help and they are useless, never again will i buy Planet x.

Hugues

That was exactly my experience. I think I spent around 4 hours before striking lucky. Another thing to try would be to get a cheap USB endoscope/borescope, remove the forks and feed it in via the steerer and down tube. That way at least you might see what was going on.

The other issue I've seen with these frames, is that the front mech cable emerges out of the down tube through what appears to be an aluminium insert bonded in to the carbon fibre tube. This insert corrodes and either disintegrates, or expands and starts pinching the gear cable. Swapping the front cable the becomes an issue, but nowhere near as bad as the front.

bikeit65

What did you use to get the cable through? or was it just the cable itself?

Hugues

Just the cable itself. Also removed the forks so I could get to the cable on the inside of the down tube to try and direct it. That and lots of patience / swearing.

bikeit65

Did you put something down the downtube?

scottishgeek

With 4 bikes in the fleet that are internally cabled, including an RT-58, I ended up buying the Park Tools IR-1 kit.

I had previously done the RT-58 with a length of PTFE tubing (placed it over the length of the old cable before pulling it out then feeding replacement back over it) but it was still a bit of a faff.

Did the RD cable on Mrs SG's Synapse this afternoon in a couple of minutes with the kit.

bikeit65

great kit the IR-1 , the bike shop tried it but no room to get it in, im thinking the only way around this is to get some cable outer and attach it to the frame somehow, not nice to look at but im sure it will work ok.

Hugues

Bikeit65 - Nothing, just cable and fingers.
ScottishGeek - Also got the IR-1, but not much help in this case.

scottishgeek

I've used an IR-1 cable in 'the wrong way' then taped the end of the gear cable to it to pull it back.

bikeit65

Hugues when you removed the forks what was inside the frame?

scottishgeek

Can't comment on Hugues removing forks but when I had the bottom bracket out there was so sign whatsover of any cable guides or internal sleeves.

bikeit65

I took the bottom bracket out its a totally sealed unit no sign of any cables, does your Mrs like the Synapse? looked at one yesterday but the boss said not a chance.

scottishgeek

There are cutouts in the BB shell on mine to chainstays, downtube and seatpost, small but possible to get a look inside

Mrs SG loves her Synapse. Only downside is BB30 but I adapted it for her to Hollowtech II.

bikeit65

So your not a fan of BB30, it was on my last bike a Cannondale, thought it was ok as long as it was serviced regularly.

scottishgeek

My CAADX (now deceased after being hit by a car!) creaked for fun after about 6 months and no amount of 'servicing' would keep it quiet long. Mrs SG's Synapse was the same so the KCNC adapter and crank from the CAADX went on the Synapse and there has been blissful silence (from Mrs SG that is!) since.

bikeit65

Update, so i spent the last three hours trying to get sorted, removed the forks to have a look inside, so i fed different grades of stiff metal wire into the back and front cable holes but no amount of fiddling will let it find its way through the frame to an exit or entry point, most of the wire was about three feet long, i will get some outer cable and attach it to the frame somehow it wont be pretty to look at but it will work okay,
Thanks guys for all your help and advise.
Now to find some way of attaching the outer cable to the frame.

Hugues

Bikeit65 sorry to hear you've not been successful. I think I just got lucky. Don't recall any liner for the rear mech when I did it.
What about trying something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/DBPOWER-Boresco ... B00KV669US
Might help see what's going on.
If it had been my bike rather than a customers, I'd have been tempted to get the dremel out and try to grind a couple of holes in the bottom bracket shell opposite the down-tube and drive-side chain stay junctions.

bikeit65

Super wee inspection gadget, i thought about drilling a small hole in the frame at the junction where the downtube and drive train are, but i was afraid that it might weaken the frame.

Hugues

I'd be inclined to go for a hole in the BB shell, before touching the tubes.

bikeit65

Ok an update.
Bike has been with four different bike mechanics and they all say this is the worst routing system they have ever seen, they tried all different tricks, magnets cables or in most cases welding wires but the problem is getting a cable or welding wire to come out through the front hole, i have it set up now where outer gear cable casing is attached to the frame with cable ties it looks crap but it work fine.
MY last try before i give up is to try and get a 2mm in diameter round piece of rod with a strong magnet at the tip and try and fish the cable out through the front exit hole.