Stuff you learn(t) the hard way by being your own mechanic

[David Marshall]

Couple of tips from a backyard mechanic on internal cables 

Use a vacuum cleaner to pull a thread through the frame and pull the cable through with it. You may have to tape closed some of the other holes in the frame to get good suction.

To dampen the rattle from internal housing get hold of some NERF darts from a toy shop. R100 for 20. Cut the tips off and thread on. If the cables/hoses are already in place split and tape as Droo suggested.

[MORNE]

44 minutes ago, droo said:

 

Split the foam tube and tape it back together over the cable while feeding it in through the cable port.

You're welcome.

I know this trick, doesn't make it any less of a ball ache though. Especially if there are internal ported sections that wont take foam. Anyway, i got mine quiet after 3 weeks of it sounding like a sack of bolts. And it sounds so much worse inside carbon. I also just still don’t like the fact that i have to cut a brake hose if i wanted to tinker with parts (which i do a lot)….or bleed the rear brake property without mounting the bike in some kind of akward position😅

[droo]

2 minutes ago, MORNE said:

I know this trick, doesn't make it any less of a ball ache though. Especially if there are internal ported sections that wont take foam. Anyway, i got mine quiet after 3 weeks of it sounding like a sack of bolts. And it sounds so much worse inside carbon. I also just still don’t like the fact that i have to cut a brake hose if i wanted to tinker with parts (which i do a lot)….or bleed the rear brake property without mounting the bike in some kind of akward position😅

The second part of this trick is to put a bit of SRAM butter on the cable before you start.

But I agree, internal cable routing is a massive hack. You probably haven't even encountered the handlebar to stem to headset version yet, so the best is yet to come for you. New headset bearing? Cheers, you'll be replacing a brake hose and gear cables too.

But it looks cool, so it sells. Most people don't think of the increased cost of maintenance when looking at these things, so they just buy the one that looks best (all other things being equal-ish)

[MrJacques]

4 minutes ago, droo said:

The second part of this trick is to put a bit of SRAM butter on the cable before you start.

But I agree, internal cable routing is a massive hack. You probably haven't even encountered the handlebar to stem to headset version yet, so the best is yet to come for you. New headset bearing? Cheers, you'll be replacing a brake hose and gear cables too.

But it looks cool, so it sells. Most people don't think of the increased cost of maintenance when looking at these things, so they just buy the one that looks best (all other things being equal-ish)

Which is why I like what GG did with their frames and routing. The only place I prefer internal is for dropper posts.

[MORNE]

2 minutes ago, MrJacques said:

Which is why I like what GG did with their frames and routing. The only place I prefer internal is for dropper posts.

Thats nice. I imagine that's a faceplate sitting in a  channel in the frame? As in when removing you are not just looking at the i side of the downtube. Then on the back it, or in the channel you would have clips holding the hoses/cable housings in place. Thats how i would do it anyway. Best of both worlds. 

[MrJacques]

1 minute ago, MORNE said:

Thats nice. I imagine that's a faceplate sitting in a  channel in the frame? As in when removing you are not just looking at the i side of the downtube. Then on the back it, or in the channel you would have clips holding the hoses/cable housings in place. Thats how i would do it anyway. Best of both worlds. 

Yes. Would probably be a little more difficult to do with an alu frame.

 

[MORNE]

1 minute ago, MrJacques said:

Yes. Would probably be a little more difficult to do with an alu frame.

 

This gives me an pseudo-OCD fuzzy feeling in my naughty place…

Edited March 7, 2024 by MORNE

[MrJacques]

In a few years it might all be wireless (at least for top end specs), so problem solved

[droo]

4 hours ago, MrJacques said:

Yes. Would probably be a little more difficult to do with an alu frame.

 

That's quite tidy. Canyon had a similar thing where all the cables clipped in to the cover over the down tube that was an absolute pigdog to work with.

[Robbie Stewart]

On 3/6/2024 at 2:44 PM, droo said:

Leave it out in the sun for an hour, that should do the job.

I'd be remiss not to report back. I left the deflated wheel in the sun for half an hour and it came off with some gentle persuasion. I managed to peel it off and flip the tube and reinflate in under 10 minutes. 

can I say I'm STOKED? 

Thanks

[droo]

16 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I'd be remiss not to report back. I left the deflated wheel in the sun for half an hour and it came off with some gentle persuasion. I managed to peel it off and flip the tube and reinflate in under 10 minutes. 

can I say I'm STOKED? 

Thanks

I think the biggest achievement in that whole story was finding half an hour of sun to leave it in.

Glad you got it sorted.

[Steady Spin]

On 3/7/2024 at 10:10 AM, David Marshall said:

You may have to tape closed some of the other holes to get good suction

That's what she said.

[Steady Spin]

On 3/6/2024 at 4:51 AM, RobertWhitehead said:

I've learnt that I feel like a poephol regardless of the tyre width every time I do that 😂. Sometimes the feeling is so bad that I pretend to not notice my mistake until the new owner points it out and offers to fix it 

Did exactly that last night on the 4th tyre I fitted.... I made the neighbours blush with my choice of language.

[thebob]

Never assume the handlebar width markings are correct or even the same on either side of a handlebar. Just checked my 3 Burgtec bars and all 3 had different centre to outside edge measurements in spite of all being cut to the indicated 780mm

Edited April 19, 2024 by thebob

[love2fly]

My son just bought a MTB and I noticed something rattling around in the read tyre.....turned out to be like a panel pin, yeah, go figure.

My point is, I started by popping the bead and removing the pin, and then the **** started. Flippen tyre was behaving like Velcro and after 2 trips to the petrol station for air, I decided to do it properly - removed and washed tyre and rim, let tyre dry in the sun and started dry but with soap and it was a breeze (not the soap).

Lesson - on an old tyre that's prone to velcroing rather just do it properly.

On a new tyre I can do it without spilling a drop of sealant or shedding any tears yet today I was at my wits end. Took a lunch break and had a rethink.

[The Ouzo]

CO2 bombs dont hold CO2 for ever.

 

I've been carrying a couple of bombs on the bike for a long time now, on Sunday I got my first puncture in a very long time (remember to top up your sealant people).

I tried both bombs, neither of them had any CO2 left in them. 

Lesson learnt