Carbine cables eating frame

Anyone had this happen: basically, where cables exit chainstay and make their way up to hole in downtube they pass over the bottom pivot rockers, and have been rubbing, resulting in a groove half way through the carbon bearing housing. Back to LBS tomorrow: ExtraUK being informed.

Unfortunately it happens on lots of bikes – its always worth making sure that the cables/hoses don’t rub, or if its unavoidable, then using a decent frame protection film under them.

A mate managed to almost wear through the seat stay of his Salsa with a Reverb hose. It’s a shame that a some companies don’t put a bit more thought into cable routing, but I’m afraid I don’t think you’ll get anywhere with a warranty claim.

Enduro bike magazine had to have the front-triangle replaced on their test bike due to the same problem. They got a replacement promptly, but I did wonder if that would be the case for anyone else.

It always make me wonder about stuff like this. Do the manufactures think the bike will not be ridden? How hard can it be to ensure a cable run doesn’t destroy a frame. Whether by routing or hardware, like grommets etc.

The answer Jamie is that cable runs are less of a priority than BNG’s, smooth looking frames, loosing a 3 gramme cable guide or preparing for the Enduro edit at product launch.

My SX Trail had notches in it that looked like they’d been done with an angle grinder. But compensated by having a BB shell so massively thick that it didn’t matter. It’d have cut right through the frame on most bikes though.

The obvious solution is to make bikes out of cable outer, it’s indestructible. But there’d be a risk you crash and accidentally abrade through a tree

Must admit, I don’t know why manufacturers don’t pay more attention to areas prone to cable rub. With carbon frames in particular it can be a major problem but I’ve had it cause issues on metal too.

I recommend checking any bike you ever get for cable rub, before you spend much time riding it. I’ve just bought a new Cannondale and used up a a fair chunk of captor tape protecting it. Nip it in the bud early and it won’t ever cause a problem. Leave it and it can often end up becoming one.

I must admit, it’s a pet peeve of mine whenever I am looking for a second hand bike/frame, and the advert says a bit of cable rub. It’s a bloody sticker, you could have prevented it with a sticker! A lot of frames/bikes even come with a couple of patches these days to protect the headtube etc. SO WHY HAS IT GOT A BIT OF CABLE RUB?!?!?!

…aaaand relax.

Yeah….I know it’s more my issues than theirs 😀

Hard to tell how bad the damage is in that pic. Keep us posted on how you get on.

I know Trek and Wheelies were disgracefully uninterested in dealing with a similar problem on my old bike so I hope you have better luck.

I wonder how many of these internally routed frames have some movement / rub going on inside from suspension / bars tunrning that you’ll never see.

If a cable rubs in the woods, and there is no-one around to see it, does it actually happen?

Jamie – Freeloader!

I must admit, it’s a pet peeve of mine whenever I am looking for a second hand bike/frame, and the advert says a bit of cable rub. It’s a bloody sticker, you could have prevented it with a sticker! A lot of frames/bikes even come with a couple of patches these days to protect the headtube etc. SO WHY HAS IT GOT A BIT OF CABLE RUB?!?!?!

I think most people find out that cable rub’s a thing, when it happens to their bike. I spend ages with helicopter tape etc but even then you can get caught out- sometimes cables move or change shape over time and end up on a different bit. Especially with the specialized style baggy under-bb-shell cables.

All bikes are prone to cable rub to varying degrees, so you should deal with it from the start as others have said. Just installed a complete Invisiframe protection kit on my new carbon frame and there is literally nowhere for cable rub to manifest itself now. Well worth a bit of TLC up front to protect an expensive frame from the obvious.

Especially with the specialized style baggy under-bb-shell cables.

Yeah, I’ve got my eye on those already 😉

New front triangle on the way: I emailed Intense in the States as well ExtraUK AND MY LBS.
(I did similar when it took,7 weeks and 3 wrong parts delivered, to get a rear mech hanger)

The frame was invisiframed with the specific Carbine kit; don’t know how you’d tape up the rocker.

Any way all appears to be progressing in a good way (LBS has even asked for some assistance with rebuild costs)

Coincidentally, my mate,on the island, bought the Enduro mag’s Carbine on eBay; how spooky is that;that’s probably why I checked and why I was reasonably confident of a result ( or a good scrap)

It is difficult to see from photo how bad it is, but it is nearly half way through.

Just thought I’d post in case any other Carbine owners are ignorant of this issue.

Thanks for all input.

Hi pipiom,

Thanks for the heads up.

I noticed the potential for cable rub, when building mine up. I’ve used a spare p-clip from the reverb routing and added as an cable guide to the ISCG mount to hold the gear cable away from the frame.

Not finished the build but hoping it’ll help.