Internal cabling grommet lost inside bike

[Christineab]

On unscrewing the outer cable guide I have lost the innter cable guide, which I wasn't expecting to pop out on the back. It's now rattling around on the inside. Anyone had this issue on a cube nuroad? I suspect easiest way to retrieve it and fix back in place is to remove the crank and BB to reach inside the down tube. A fiddly job! I'm tempted to remove it and not put back in with how fiddly it is

[Brucey]

can't you fish it out eg with a piece of bent spoke?

cheers

[fastpedaller]

if that's a steel nut integral with it, can you use a magnet?

[Des49]

Another possible way to retrieve such items can be to use a vacuum with a stocking fitted over the end of the hose.

Generally you just need a lot of patience and preserverence, I recently had such an experience getting a spoke nipple out from inside a rim.

[Christineab]

Thanks all!

After 30 minutes with the combined effort of a hoover and pair of tweezers the cable guide is out.

Any thoughts on getting it back in? I can only think it would need to be pushed back in from internally.. which would mean getting into the down tube.

I'd need to test ride to check for rattling/noisy internal cables to see if it's an issue not having the internal cable guide.

I'm tempted to just secure the outer cover/guide for now and see if it creates any issues. The cables are fixed into the exact same cable guide at the entry at the top of the down tube so they are held in place somewhat. Alternatively I could hunt for a cable guide which does all the guiding from the outside for the exit! Cube has created quite a fiddly piece, surely a guide which sits externally is easier to work with! the joys of internal cabling.

Thanks for the tips!

[Jdsk]

Can you loosely assemble the two parts, then wiggle the internal one into the frame, then tighten?

Jonathan

[Christineab]

I've tried wiggling in, the inner one is larger than the outer.

No success yet but looks like with luck I might get it at the right angle!

Thanks

[Brucey]

I would suggest that you explore the possibility of

a) using a much longer screw of the correct thread (is it M3?) as a tool to help hold the backplate as you refit it and
b) using something like blu-tac as a temporary bond between the frame and the backplate on the inside, to keep it in place.

If you figure out where the backplate touches the frame, and apply a thin 'sausage' of blu-tac to it, then pull it into position, it may hold quite well.

It also occurs to me that, once fitted with a suitably long screw, it may in the future be possible to disturb/replace the cables without removing the screw and frontplate entirely, so the backplate can't be lost inside the frame again. The extra length of the screw will just poke harmlessly into the frame void once the screw is done up.

This may perhaps allow you to refit the backplate without too much difficulty, and make maintenance easier in the long term.

cheers