DIY internal cable routing

[Letum911]

Hey guys. I currently have an Ali singlespeed roadbike. Is it possible to drill two elongated holes in the toptube to run the cable through?

 

On the interwebs there is various theories on wether it weakens the frame or not. Many say it will end in castration by bike, others say it'll do nothing to the integrity of the frame.

 

Has anyone here done it?

[Grebel]

I reckon you'll be fine....

 

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/general-discussion/486862d1254537624-professionally-drilled-frame-drilled.jpg

Edited June 17, 2014 by Grebel

[Matchstix]

That's a holy bike

[droo]

If you make sure you file everything out neatly after drilling so there are no sharp edges, you should be ok. Sharp corners will cause stress risers which will cause cracking.

 

The rivnuts that keep your bottle cage on are just drilled and riveted in, don't see how cable routing would be any different.

 

You'll have fun getting the cables through unless you've got a few tricks up your sleeve though - a vacuum cleaner and a piece of string should help.

[Shebeen]

i'm confused. what singlespeed bike needs a cable?

 

are you gearing it?

[TK-Sp3cialiSt]

i'm confused. what singlespeed bike needs a cable?

 

are you gearing it?

 

Brakes?

[Letum911]

It's for the brakes. I have a SimpleSam frame, they don't come with any mounts (for if you want to run it brakeless fixie)

[David Marshall]

I reckon you'll be fine....

 

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/general-discussion/486862d1254537624-professionally-drilled-frame-drilled.jpg

 

Does it whistle?

[AdrianDJ]

Does it whistle?

not only........ It actually whistles a melody while you ride, different melody's at different speeds

[Letum911]

 

here's where I drilled the frame. It still needs to be smoothed out a bit but I'll do that during the preparations for the new paint job

[Grebel]

Does it whistle?

 

Only over really big gap jumps.

[Goodbadugly]

Does it whistle?

Chitty Chitty Bang bang 1968?

[Shebeen]

Brakes?

It's for the brakes. I have a SimpleSam frame, they don't come with any mounts (for if you want to run it brakeless fixie)

ahhh, there was me thinking fixie, which doesn't need a back brake.

 

singlespeed def does.

[J trailx]

Where can a person buy the plastic housings for internal routing?

[Letum911]

ahhh, there was me thinking fixie, which doesn't need a back brake.

singlespeed def does.

Ooooh singlespeed without brakes should be fun . Haha yah, I tried the whole fixie thing but I don't like it

 

Where can a person buy the plastic housings for internal routing?

 

I just used normal shimano brake housing. It works like a charm. PS: If you're doing this make sure you know which way the cable should go so that you can slant the hole to the correct side (front to back or back to front), I almost screwed it up . Bend an old spoke a bit to catch the hose as it comes by. Took me about 2 mins to put the hose through and catch it on the other side

[Fire Engine]

I reckon you'll be fine....

 

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/general-discussion/486862d1254537624-professionally-drilled-frame-drilled.jpg

Holy crap