rami_arna

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A quick question for the mechanics here. This is the photo of the compartment below the bottom bracket. Am I missing the cable guide? Or the cables are supposed to go naked directly on the frame ?

I am worried the cables will saw through the frame. There is no bolt to attach a cable guide. The silver “nut” is for the bolt that holds the compartment cover.

CliffordK

I'm wondering if the frame is designed to have full length cable housing.

rami_arna

Not sure to be honest. It’s a no name Chinese frame who I promised I would build for a friend but I was expecting a cable guide.

tyrion

Maybe the cables go inside the frame. Are there holes in the frame by the head tube to route the cables into?

MugenSi

Is it a brand new frameset? Is it possible that its a Di2/EPS only frame? If you contact the manufacturer I'm sure there is probably a cable guide that bolts onto that cover.

Does the cover come out? Is that single hole at the back where the RD Di2 cable goes into?

rami_arna

Yes it is an internal route frame. This is actually inside the frame. There is a small “door” that opens to this and when I place the cables Into the frame they get routed into this compartment.

tyrion

Looks like you need full length cable housing.

rami_arna

It is a new frame and it is di2 ready. But it has both holes for di2 and cables. There are two holes near the FD one for a di2 and another smaller one for a normal cable.

rami_arna

Seems like the most plausible solution. I think I might do with this one. I never knew some bikes were made to take full housings internally.

rami_arna

How about using inner sleeves to reduce the friction just for the section below the bb.

tyrion

Any cable that is not in housing must be bracketed by 2 solidly attached stops to maintain tension.

dsbrantjr

If you want to install a cable guide you could use a longer bolt and pass it through both the guide and cover.

CliffordK

If you get "shift" cable housing, it has longitudinal wires, and a liner to help reduce both friction and compression.

It is also slightly smaller in size than brake cable housing.

If I was you, I'd start with a piece of cable housing and shove it into the holes to verify whether you have cable stops, or if it just keeps going (full length cable). Or, perhaps cable stops in unexpected locations.

DaveSSS 

The cover plate that you removed has no grooves in it? Usually there are grooves to keep the cables in the correct position. My Colnago has a removable door, but it has grooves in it, for cable liner housing liner (not housing). This keeps the dirt off the cable. That's the only area where the cables are exposed.

rami_arna

Nope. No grooves at all. I guess it’s best to run it with housing inside the frame. At least roll it passes the bottom bracket area.

bitpuddle

What is under that cover? It wouldn’t be usual to have guides on the back of that cover. Full-length housing would be a little unusual.

Also, what is going on with the paint on the bottom bracket at the upper-left of the photo? Is there damage, or is it just an odd reflection?

WizardOfBoz

I see a big hole in the front for cable housings. Are there small holes in the back for the cables themselves? Like this:?

Andrew R Stewart 

What I find interesting is the marked out number (serial number?) sticker. This could turn out to be a buyer beware bike. Andy

bitpuddle

I assumed the OP crossed it out, but, yes, if it came that way, it is weird.

Looking at that cover, the simple explanation is that they forgot to include the cable guide, but who knows. Any cable guide would work.

Andrew R Stewart 

I seriously doubt this. Or every bike having both carbon molded construction and internal routing aspects, that I have worked on, had their specific guide. Andy

rosefarts

I'm personally interested in these open mold bikes so I'm interested.

My immediate thought is the intent is to use a short piece of housing just under the bottom bracket. There would be cable stops that would allow this or not that should be obvious.

It could also be that the cable won't rest on the frame at all, like a mm or two away. You'd need to be concerned about the material reinforcing the holes but that could work.

I personally wouldn't be opposed to building a little barrier for the frame out of a soup can.

If it really is designed for full length housing, that's crappy. I've never gotten a bike with that to shift well.

Maybe find some used Di2?

rm -rf

The marker over the serial appears to be a photoshop edit, to avoid posting the SN.

I assume the brake cable is internal on the top tube? And the rear derailleur runs through the top tube? Three holes with stops for housing at the head tube end of the bike? Or designed for disk brakes, allowing hydraulic housing?
This frame has one hole for cables at the bottom bracket. Otherwise, it's the same method as the 2-cable frame. Not full housing inside the frame.

I assume there's a cable housing socket at the head end of the frame? To use full length housing, it would need a single housing run from the shifter, through the down tube, then terminated at the socket in the image (if the housing actually fits into the socket and can make the bend down there -- test it first. A housing stop at the head end of the frame would have to be drilled out or removed if it's a fitting, not molded in.



one socket. There's a slot for a cable guide's wire. If there's a housing stop at the head end of the frame, it really needs a guide.