Wondering if anyone knows of a widget to do what I need here ..

I need a cable joint ferrule / double-ended junction ferrule for 4mm gear cable. It needs to be short with a 45 degree bend in it, approx, and allow the cable to run smoothly. ie cut a gear cable, fit this to get a short, sharp bend in the cable.

No bike parts manufacturer makes them that I know of (searched the usual suppliers sites and part lists) so I wondered if it was something that someone may be aware of from other passtimes, DIY, RC models etc?

Like a rollamajig?

Yes functionally similar, but it needs to be a slim tube with a bend in it rather than anything bulky, no need for a roller.

A bit like a V-brake noodle with a brake cable ferrule on both ends – something I tried bodging briefly with some small Al tube sections but it’s scrappy.

v brake noodle? or use a short section of copper brake pipe?

Does it have to break the housing or could you just bend a thin pipe and side it over a piece of continuous housing?

TJ – brake pipe .. 4.5mm / 3/16″ .. is that OD? May just work, if I stuffed another tube inside to act as a cable outer stop.

Onzadog, that could also do it. I was hoping to get a ferrule so the outer cables could rotate relative to each other. Also, a cracked gear outer is a trip spoiler so a ferrule minimises that risk.

I’ve used a plastic widget from Ashima that does the same thing but through 90° for directing dropper post cables although I think it’s designed for v-brakes.

Scroll down, you should see the one I mean. I just cut the end off and passed the housing all the way through.

Do jagwire nor have something like this in their brakewire kits for road bikes. In this case it is for routing the cable round the bend on the bars?

Edit:reading your post again it sounds as though you are looking for something even shorter

How about a bit of nokon cable?

Leffeboy, they do, I use that under the bar tape for the brake cable. I have the catalogue here and a parts list and I didn’t see anything like it for gear cable. Nokon cable may do it, had thought of using that but hoping for something rigid – cable alignment fuss : )

Onzadog, that might be the best solution for now. You can get that type of noodle on ebay, haven’t used them myself, I didn’t realise it could be used as a pass-through.

Thanks everyone. Any other ideas welcome. Someone somewhere will make a small bit of curved nylon tube that does this, something with a small bore and ends that could be drilled out to ~4mm ID ..

Isn’t this what 3D printers are for 😉

Another thought – seatposts are sometimes shipped with short pieces of nylon fitted where the seatrails would be. Could you drill through one with a bench drill then heat and bend it?

I can’t help thinking that your widget will inevitably get stiff in use as the cable saws it’s way through the inner curve.

Ha .. yes. It is, but that would take more faff time than I have right now (having said that, an hour so so looking for this online .. maybe not).

Drilling plastic like that is what I was thinking, mainly as I have that to hand but not a 3D printer. I know a guy who does, and I have Solidworks. Just a bit old-school that’s all ..

SR – it would wear if it was plastic, it’s only for a trial set up though. A metal version would be ideal (that v-brake cable bender guide looks useful) but a compact size is also good for this use.

I know you discounted the nokon cable earlier – but I’ve got alligator I-link mini on one bike (due due to tight radius bends) and that shifts fine – but you could stiffen it up a bit by sleeving it with some heatshrink?

I’ve done that along the route of cable from shifter along bars on my roadie and it’s been fine.

Might be worth considering even for a trial fit?

Alligator kit can be a bit pricy – how much do you need?

A

alligator I-link mini

I have some of that and some heat shrink – that’s a good idea, worth trying 😀

Cool! Worth a shot if you’ve got it to hand!

A

I’ve used epoxy adhesive to glue nokon to lock it in to shape,

I’ve done that along the route of cable from shifter along bars

.. how did you join the I-link to the std gear outer, I guess it uses a straight junction ferrule?

Thinking std junction ferrule > sleeved/bent I-link or Nokon > small inline cable adjuster as second jctn ferrule may be best option here.

I used an alligator end stop into a ferrule taken off a v-brake noodle!

Then just heatshrinked the whole lot together when under cable tension.

A