Hi Soul owners…..have just swopped new XTR enclosed gear cable set from old frame to newly acquired Soul frame (latest vintage)…..just cable tied alongside standard single open cable guide under top bar temporarily at the moment, but considering drilling out the x4 stays for the gear cables to avoid faff now and in future….

Yes? (and if so how you would advise going about it apart from carefully!)

No? (why not? Not worried particularly about “resale” concern as this is a keeper!)

Thanks!

If you open them out to 4mm, cables will pass through, but ferrules won’t if you want to go back to interrupted outers at any time.

Cheers coatesy….top tip. Any more thoughts out there?

Best way to “open them out”?

If it was me i’d be drilling them out with a electric hand drill, steadily working my way up to 4 / 4.5mm.

I would definately be putting masking tape or some such on each of the drill bits to act as a stop so i couldn’t drill too far. You probably don’t need much more than 5-10mm of the tip of the drill depending on the angle of the drill to remove the bit you want.

I would also be putting some tape round the top tube of the frame so that if the chuck of the drill touches it it doesn’t leve a mark.

As it is a steel frame i am presuming the cable eyelets are also steel so i would want to re-paint them once they are drilled to prevent rusting. Due to this i’d also be thinking about taking the hole out another 0.5mm so i could get some enamel paint on the bare metal and still get the outer through.

I originally thought about doing this, but in the end went with an interruped outer – it was just easier to do.

I would be interested in how it works if you do decide drill the stays.

I would guess you’d have trouble getting the head of the drill near enough to the frame to get a good straight angle through the guide. Possibly have to resort to round files and that…

Get the gore cables with interupted outer but sheathed inner cable, works a charm

Get the gore cables with interupted outer but sheathed inner cable, works a charm

Just done this. 🙂
Ok, they are a lot more money,but should last a lot longer ( and I think they work smoother).

No need to drill, just use these. Just slot into the current guides and they hold the cable outer in place.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=28123

Get some XTR type ferruls with the little tube at the end and some narrow heat shrink from maplin/ebay for a couple of quid. continous cables, no drilling, and cheap.

First thing did when I got my Ti Voodoo D-Jab was take a Dremmel to the cable stays. Use a little pointy grinder bit and worked a treat.

Needed to do it as the Rohloff uses full length cables. The bottom stays aren’t used, so if I ever were to fit front or rear mechs to it again, I still can, whilst using full length cables. Why would you not?

Transfil waterproof kit for £3 delivered from Wiggle – use it where you have breaks in the outer and works just fine.

Why drill them? Why not just hacksaw off the end bit?

I drilled an aluminium frame about 10 years ago and it’s a bit of a faff but worth it on a cheap old frame. As mentioned above the tricky bit is getting a good angle to get the drill bit or dremmel grinder where you want it. Ideally you want a thin piece of metal near the eyelet and near the chuck to prevent wear and drill bit kick from chipping the paint.
Gently does it etc etc… don’t be in a hurry!

Almost certainly easier to run Gore or Transfil Mudlovers cables… which is what I would do now. With the guides drilled out it’s difficult to make the cables look nice as they tend to droop (unless they are clamped like Ragley/On-one etc).

EDIT – seems a shame to do that to a Soul

Thanks all…..good range of suggestions….will now mull over options and will feedback on decision/results….