Boardman Air Pro Internal Cable Drama

Proz · May 2013

Hello
As above I have just taken delivery of a 2 Year old Boardman Airpro C Frame which features internal cabling .
I can thread all cables through no problem except the one for the front derailleur .
I've been at it for hours and no matter which end I go through first it seems to get to the same place then stops .
Ive tried the fish gut and even just a couple of strands of cable but no joy ....
So the internal tube must be blocked or have something stuck in it . I wonder if a cable is stuck in it .
Any further tips or is it curtains for this frame and a waste of money .
Slightly depressed now as I think I've wasted my money and cant think of what else to try .
No I realise why the seller wanted to sell

Proz · May 2013

Problem solved ....Expensive lesson learned in that not to buy anyone's cast off's.
Nice looking frame thrown out in the trash .

lotus49 · May 2013

So did you actually solve it or did you just throw a good frame with a minor problem in the bin? I am curious to know.

Proz · May 2013

lotus49 wrote:

So did you actually solve it or did you just throw a good frame with a minor problem in the bin? I am curious to know.

At the moment its lying outside .... cant even suck a thread through with a hoover , cant blow through , just seems totally blocked . Im out of ideas as to what to shove down .... and out of the will to bother with it anymore really .
Cable goes down so far from either side then hits something down around the bottom bracket area .It can be heard I believe hitting something so there must be something stuck in it , piece of old cable maybe ? Maybe the guide tube is broken /loose although they don't feel like they are . Can see guide tubes just but doesn't help really.
Cant see it being minor problem if the cable for front derailleur wont go through from either side .
I'm bored with it now anyway .... 6 hrs last night and another 2 this morning and no joy. :x

Bozman · May 2013

I had a similar problem with an Izalco frame. The cable wouldn't push down the internal route, I tried to push the cable up from the FD end and it went virtually all the way up, I used a torch and noticed that the internal cable guide/plastic tube was crushed. I managed to open the tube up and it was fine.
This issue with the Air has been on here before, have a search.

richiebones · May 2013

ill take it of your hands....save the bin men a job

Garryboy · May 2013

I had exactly the same problem with my Road Team Carbon (2010) couldn't thread FD cable through frame (under BB).

Long story short, the internal plastic sleeve that sits in the frame was totally clogged with mud - ended up having to force that out (small bit of yellow plastic tubing) - then thread the cable through.

Was still tricky as it meant the cable wasn't guided through the frame (that's what the internal sleeve was for) - but it works.

Might be worth having a go at it with a long thin needle to see if you can dislodge any dried / caked mud.

Ben6899 · May 2013

I'll add £20 to whatever richiebones offers you for the frame.

Where are you located?

Proz · May 2013

I don't remember saying it was for sale lol ....I've had a second wind and now I'm still trying to find out why its not going through although im giving up .
Just tried a 2mm braising rod down it and it still gets stuck at the same place . Just at the tight curl round bottom bracket .
If the worst comes to the worst it'll be going back to the seller so I get a refund if I haven't smashed it into a hundred pieces by then .
If you's are making "offers" for it why are you's so confident you can fix it ?

Ben6899 · May 2013

Proz wrote:

If you's are making "offers" for it why are you's so confident you can fix it ?

Because I can fix anything. It's just a knack I have.

Proz · May 2013

Ben6899 wrote:

Proz wrote:

If you's are making "offers" for it why are you's so confident you can fix it ?

Because I can fix anything. It's just a knack I have.

Mmmm I wish I could ...
I've tried 1.5mm cable , 1.2mm cable ... just a few strands of cable ... compressed air to blow something out ... the welding / brazing rod at a size of 2mm... I.ve been to two bike shops today and all have produced the same result . My hands are in agony pushing / pulling stupid little cables .
I want this frame to work as it looks fantastic but nothing is working .
Its getting stuck around the bottom bracket area just where it curls round the bb .... nothing I have tried has been anywhere near getting round the curl .

dee4life2005 · May 2013

Different bike (BeOne Diablo race) but I had the same problem navigating the curve bit under the bottom bracket. There was a split in the "tube" and feeding the cable through it was catching this ever so slightly meaning it seemed like it was getting stuck. The tube was also slightly crushed/kinked which didn't help. I managed to persuade it round the bend by gently using a flat bladed screwdriver to manipulate the tubing to aid the cable round the bend. Worked fine since.

Are you able to shine a brightish light on that area so you can see if the cable is reaching the curve at the bottom bracket or not ?

dee4life2005 · May 2013

Sorry, just read you tried compressed air and that didn't seem to get through either ... hmm, doubt it's what I suggested then.

Is there no way that the tube can be removed and replaced ?

Proz · May 2013

It seems to be getting to the curve of the bottom bracket using the cable "depth "as a guide .
Going from both ends it stops at the curl .
I can see the guide tubes and the bits I can see they look ok but obviously cant see inside .... no matter what ive tried it just will not go another millimetre further down / round .
Its annoying me and I don't want to let it beat me lol .

Proz · May 2013

dee4life2005 wrote:

Sorry, just read you tried compressed air and that didn't seem to get through either ... hmm, doubt it's what I suggested then.

Is there no way that the tube can be removed and replaced ?

That's whats convinced me its blocked by something ... couldn't blow or suck anything ....

Proz · May 2013

I would think it would be impossible to have that tube removed and replaced but im willing to be proved wrong

keef66 · May 2013

Think about how they could possibly have installed it in the first place?

d4evr · May 2013

Hiya PAL. Have you tried water to see if it will dislodge anything that may be stuck in there?

Proz · May 2013

d4evr wrote:

Hiya PAL. Have you tried water to see if it will dislodge anything that may be stuck in there?

Mmmm no I haven't PAL .... not sure how I can get enough force into it though ...
The seller has not long informed me he still has the receipt and its under warranty till Sept 2014 .
I MAY end up with a repair under warranty or new frame but I don't think they have any more of these frames left .
Also because I wasn't the original buyer I don't know if that will affect it or not .
Just have to see what Halfords say when and if I get the receipt .... still slightly p****d of cause its a lovely looking frame .

d4evr · May 2013

Proz wrote:

d4evr wrote:

Hiya PAL. Have you tried water to see if it will dislodge anything that may be stuck in there?

Mmmm no I haven't PAL .... not sure how I can get enough force into it though ...
The seller has not long informed me he still has the receipt and its under warranty till Sept 2014 .
I MAY end up with a repair under warranty or new frame but I don't think they have any more of these frames left .
Also because I wasn't the original buyer I don't know if that will affect it or not .
Just have to see what Halfords say when and if I get the receipt .... still slightly p****d of cause its a lovely looking frame .

I'd imagine if its under warranty they will have to sort it out, hope so anyway.

Proz · May 2013

Hopefully they'll be able to sort out the cable tube guide thingy and I'll get to keep this frame as it is a lovely looking thing . I'm not convinced there will be may of these frames left in there stock however .

d4evr · May 2013

Proz wrote:

Hopefully they'll be able to sort out the cable tube guide thingy and I'll get to keep this frame as it is a lovely looking thing . I'm not convinced there will be may of these frames left in there stock however .

They may replace it with another newer model?

paul_mck · May 2013

fit a Di2 front mech

Proz · May 2013

If it does get replaced with a newer Air Series frame then that will certainly not be ruled out .

d4evr · May 2013

Proz wrote:

If it does get replaced with a newer Air Series frame then that will certainly not be ruled out .

Nah PAL, spend the extra it would cost on some lurvely wheels!

Proz · May 2013

d4evr wrote:

Proz wrote:

If it does get replaced with a newer Air Series frame then that will certainly not be ruled out .

Nah PAL, spend the extra it would cost on some lurvely wheels!

If I know my luck I'll get sent away with nothing .....

d4evr · May 2013

Proz wrote:

d4evr wrote:

Proz wrote:

If it does get replaced with a newer Air Series frame then that will certainly not be ruled out .

Nah PAL, spend the extra it would cost on some lurvely wheels!

If I know my luck I'll get sent away with nothing .....

Positive thinking PAL, positive thinking!

Proz · May 2013

keef66 wrote:

Think about how they could possibly have installed it in the first place?

I would assume the tubes would have been placed inside the mould of the frame when the frame was moulded ??..... I'm no expert but I would think there's no other way to do it and I certainly cant imagine how it would be replaced either .
I'd love to be told different though so maybe the frame can be saved .....

Ben6899 · May 2013

1. Pull the old tube out.
2. Thread gear cable into the cockpit-side hole.
3. Get a strong magnet.
4. Place magnet at chainstay-side hole.
5. Attract lose end of gear cable.
6. Pull gear cable through chainstay-side hole.
7. Acquire new tube.
8. Thread new tube onto lose end of gear cable.
9. Push new tube into frame via chainstay-side hole, along the cable until it comes out of the cockpit-side hole.
10. Get frustrated because it's a bit fiddly.
11. Sell it to Ben.
12. Drool over Ben's Boardman Air Pro build photos in "Your Road Bikes".

dee4life2005 · May 2013

Have you tried rotating the cable as you push it through. I've had new cables sometimes catch on bends etc., but rotating the cables as you push it through the guide tubes sometimes helps with this. I'm sure you've already tried this, but if not it's worth a try.

Proz · May 2013

Ben6899 wrote:

1. Pull the old tube out.
2. Thread gear cable into the cockpit-side hole.
3. Get a strong magnet.
4. Place magnet at chainstay-side hole.
5. Attract lose end of gear cable.
6. Pull gear cable through chainstay-side hole.
7. Acquire new tube.
8. Thread new tube onto lose end of gear cable.
9. Push new tube into frame via chainstay-side hole, along the cable until it comes out of the cockpit-side hole.
10. Get frustrated because it's a bit fiddly.
11. Sell it to Ben.
12. Drool over Ben's Boardman Air Pro build photos in "Your Road Bikes".

I cant see how this is done because all I can see is a small section of the tube through the cut outs in the bottom bracket and I can barely touch it with the tip of a finger ..... pity you were so far away or I'd have paid for your expertise to fix this lol .

Boardman Air Pro Internal Cable Drama

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