Internal Cable Routing Issue with 1990s Merckx
03-15-24, 11:34 PM
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Internal Cable Routing Issue with 1990s Merckx
I posted this in the general Bicycle Mechanic forum, but I though maybe I'd have better luck over here with the C & V crowd.
I'm putting together a 1991 Eddy Merckx Corsa Max and have encountered a snag -- the frame is supposed to have the rear brake cable routed through the top tube (only the cable, not the housing), but I have been unable to get a cable through the top tube. When I put a cable (just the cable) in through the hole/port near the head tube, it almost immediately runs into some type of obstruction and will go no further. When I do the same from the exit hole/port near the seat tube, I can push about 4 inches of cable in before it also meets an obstruction. Has anyone else encountered this? Any idea what's going on? I assume there is a small guide tube in there for the cable and the frame has been recently repainted (not by me), so maybe some paint found its way in there? I have tried to blow air through the tube, and nothing comes out the other end -- in fact, it all just blows back out the hole in which the air was introduced. It seems like a serious obstruction. Any suggestions as to what might be going on and how it might be fixed?
I'm putting together a 1991 Eddy Merckx Corsa Max and have encountered a snag -- the frame is supposed to have the rear brake cable routed through the top tube (only the cable, not the housing), but I have been unable to get a cable through the top tube. When I put a cable (just the cable) in through the hole/port near the head tube, it almost immediately runs into some type of obstruction and will go no further. When I do the same from the exit hole/port near the seat tube, I can push about 4 inches of cable in before it also meets an obstruction. Has anyone else encountered this? Any idea what's going on? I assume there is a small guide tube in there for the cable and the frame has been recently repainted (not by me), so maybe some paint found its way in there? I have tried to blow air through the tube, and nothing comes out the other end -- in fact, it all just blows back out the hole in which the air was introduced. It seems like a serious obstruction. Any suggestions as to what might be going on and how it might be fixed?
03-16-24, 11:16 AM
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Maybe a cable button/head might have been stuck in there? Or an insect died in there?
Can't think of what else can be causing that obstruction.....
Can't think of what else can be causing that obstruction.....
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03-16-24, 11:54 AM
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Try a straightened metal coat hanger..... Not ideal, but an alternative approach is to use cable clamps and run housing all the way from the brake lever to the caliper.
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03-16-24, 01:05 PM
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^this^ has worked for me but some stiff-but-flexible wire thinnner than a coathanger was my choice. It wasn't a Merckx but did require a struggle to finally get new cable pulled thru: used the wire to pull a string then used for pulling back both cable and housing...really more hassle than it was worth but the frame builder decided against brazing a full internal tube in the TT. Pound foolish!
03-16-24, 01:18 PM
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^this^ has worked for me but some stiff-but-flexible wire thinnner than a coathanger was my choice. It wasn't a Merckx but did require a struggle to finally get new cable pulled thru: used the wire to pull a string then used for pulling back both cable and housing...really more hassle than it was worth but the frame builder decided against brazing a full internal tube in the TT. Pound foolish!
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03-16-24, 01:58 PM
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A spoke might be better
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