Front Cantilever Cable Routing OK?

[tabze3]

Hi,

After putting it off for a few years until my feeble resistance collapsed and my savings built up, I recently received a great Bob Jackson World Tour frame which I have been in the process of building up with new components. Generally build has been going well and been enjoyable apart from the few hours it took me to get the mudguards fitted properly, a bit fiddly to say the least!. Anyway, nearly done now, but I have never fitted cantilever brakes before so being a bit slow with this part.

Having grabbed any opportunities to look at bikes I have seen locked up here and there to get an idea of front cable routing for Cantilevers, most seem to have the cable/housing curving below the bar down to cable stop. I tried this on this frame but the gap between cable stop and underside of bar is pretty small and the curvature on the cable as best as I could get it was tight with a steep bend/angle where it entered the cable stop. I was worried about friction. I happen to work not far from a Condor Cycles sho, so went down to their basement to have a look at the few touring bikes/canti fitted bikes that they have to see how they do it. I noticed that all of their canti equipped bikes routed the housing going over the top of the bar, then down the back on the left hand side (from seated position). This seems to give a bit of a better route, I have tried it/taped up and seems the only real option I have. Has anyone else tried this/is this a common way of doing it? Can anyone foresee any problems at all? The inner seems to run fairly smoothly with this set up but can feel some friction.

I did try to put the cable hanger/stop think sandwiched in the headset to the lower position which would give a bit more room but, unfortunately, I can't use it in this lower position as it interferes with the headset lock nut adjustment when I tighten it. I did get one of those cable stop hangers that clamps around the bottom of the stem but when fitted, it really only ends up with the stop about .5 cm lower than the one currently fitted and I just don't really like the look of it (could only find a black one) so would like to stick with the one I have. The routing as it is won't get in the way of a bar bag bracket that I plan to use (Klik Fix) and does not impinge on hand position so functionally seems OK. Do you think it is OK? Any other options at all? Now for the fiddly and scary (for me) job of attempting to set up the cantilevers - I know there is anothe recent thread on that so will have a look at that again. See pics hopefully explain better than my text.

Thanks in advance.

[Brucey]

you could fit one of these



pretty they ain't, but some folk swear by them for reducing judder too

cheers

[johnb]

I have never seen cabling done that way before, it looks all wrong to me.

Looking at your pics, you have at least an inch more space between bar and hanger than what I have and I don't have any problem with friction.

Edit. Have a look on SJS cycles website I think they do a canti hanger similar to yours but it has a longer drop.

[cycleruk]

I don't see anything wrong with the set up.
But another option:-
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tektro-tektr ... prod18060/

"noodle" could replace the last few inches of outer into the cable hanger and then the cable could under the bar?

How it would look or effect cable friction ??

[CREPELLO]

I've no doubt that your arrangement is sound. An alternative would be an uphanger, mounted to the fork crown...
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... 2b17s101p0 (pictured upside down). This means you can have a smooth cable run down to the fork crown. They are a bit klunky IMO, but if it does the job.

Alternatively there is a deep drop hanger...
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/BSTKFCH/tek ... at1_silver
This might give you the clearance you require. They are only available in 1.1/8" now, but you just need to shim it to fit a 1" steerer.

[CREPELLO]

Good idea that, cycleruk. You could bend it to fit perfectly.

[Malaconotus]

Good idea that, cycleruk. You could bend it to fit perfectly.

Noodles are made from quite brittle alumium, and will snap if bent much. DAMHIKT.

[CREPELLO]

Good idea that, cycleruk. You could bend it to fit perfectly.

Noodles are made from quite brittle alumium, and will snap if bent much. DAMHIKT.

Noodles I've used are made from nickel plated steel, because they always rust. And I've bent noodles to get an ideal cable line.
If you know of any made of alu, I'd be interested, because of this (rust).

[CREPELLO]

Check out Cycleruk's link. It looks like the rusting variety - contrast the noodle with the white metal. But the rust is no problem, simply fit electrical shrink wrap over the noodle. The inside is nylon lined, so no issue there.

[gaz]

I've no doubt that your arrangement is sound. An alternative would be an uphanger, mounted to the fork crown...

I fitted an uphager to my Claud Butler to overcome the same problem but I started with zero space to bend the cable in. The cable on my Galaxy Twin Tandem bends in a much smaller space than you have.

The fork crown on my own Bob Jackson World Tour (531St edition) isn't drilled at the front, so there's no way to fit an uphanger to it. My cable is routed under the bars as shown below (sorry it's not a clear shot, cropped off another pic rather than taken for purpose).

Cable routing.jpg

Personally I reckon you'd have enough room to put the bend under the bars but I see nothing wrong with your solution.

As for aesthetics, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I'm far too busy drooling over all the shiny metal, clean paintwork and lug-lining to notice the brake cable routing at all.

[Audax67]

I did my LHT in similar fashion to Gaz's, with a tight curve and a long drop. It works, although it's difficult to disengage the cable from the adjuster on the hanger. No judder problems now, with everything new, but I wonder how it'll be after a few downpours. An uphanger (lovely word) would make life easier, although stacking it with mudguard and light bracket on the same screw would be a bit of a pachel.

[BigG]

you could fit one of these



pretty they ain't, but some folk swear by them for reducing judder too

cheers

I recently fitted one of these to an old touring frame in place of a traditional hanger in order to get more rigidity into the front brake system. It works beautifully. I thoroughly recommend it. Fitting a light bracket required only a longer (100 mm M6) mounting bolt and two more nuts and washers. I did, however have to file a small notch in the back of the hanger to clear my headset bottom race.
Sorry about the quality of the picture - it is a small part of a much larger one. I will take a better one if anyone is sufficiently interested.

[rich100]

Look at all that bling! Very nice, need more pics. Nitto bars? And are the mudguards Gilles Berthoud?

Back to subject, I've got my cable going from a cross bar interrupter brake straight into the hanger, so quite a tight curve but seems ok, although my stem is shorter so is a bit closer, maybe makes the curve easier. That's on a ahead hanger though and thes seem to have a deeper drop than the 1 inch ones.

My only question over the up hanger is how do you incorporate a brake adjuster if there is none on the brakes, I think my interrupters have adjusters but I don't think all levers do, do they?

[gaz]

My only question over the up hanger is how do you incorporate a brake adjuster if there is none on the brakes...?

In line adjusters such as, jagwire mickey.

I've bought some since fitting the uphanger on my Claud and once the blocks have worn down a bit I'll fit them. Too much faff to do it sooner.

[Brucey]

some have an adjuster built in


not sure how widely available these are though

cheers