Most flexible outer gear cable? Cable round BB for dropper post content…

Got a nice new Band-X dropper post here to go on my 2010 vintage Marin.

Obviously the frame has no internal routing for its cable actuator.

I can get the cable out through a drain hole in the BB but it will be a mission to get it around the GXP bottom bracket. Well, the plastic tube part anyway.

I’m using some cheap outer at the moment and it’s like trying to bend a rock!

Would jagwire or another brand be easier to bend around the bottom bracket?

Cheers guys!

I’ve just compared what I have to hand. Jagwire and Shimano SP41 are similar. Goodridge is much stiffer.

That tight bend will likely cause problems though. The inner will cut into the outer and it’ll become stiff to operate.

SP41 bends pretty well but it doesn’t like it much ime, if you bend it too tight it’ll often crack in the longer term

(facing the same issue, I drilled a hole in the frame. I can’t recommend it exactly but it’s worked out for me on 2 frames)

In typical STW fashion – not what you asked, you could go for that wireless dropper instead?

But yes, try sp41.

Nokon style cable outer beads will bend to a very tight curve.

V brake noodle for the bend, then use SP41 either side ?

Nokon style. The jagwire equivalent is better.

Thanks for the info guys!

Will check out the cable suggestions and yes, way well drill out a hole in the frame in the end.

It’s a 2010 Attack Trail and built like a tank so shouldn’t be a problem.

Wow, that Nokon cable is expensive. I’m sure it’s great but will try some jagwire I think and go from there.

The noodle idea is a good one but I think the diameter of it would be too big unfortunately.

Could also try the alligator I-link stuff

I’ve got some of that on the roadie for the internal bar routing.

There’s a guy on eBay who sells bits and bobs of it rather than buying a whole kit:

Alligator

A

Use brake housing like Thomson do. Much more flexible. You don’t need the non compressability of gear housing.

Thanks guys, never seen that alligator stuff before but wonder if it’s diameter is too wide…
The brake housing idea? Never thought of that. Again, diameter might be a bit big but the flexibility may well compensate for that.
Will have a muck around over next couple of days.
Thanks again all!

Alligator stuff is either 5mm (standard) or 4mm (mini)

I’m using mini stuff and it’s same diameter as regular gear outer.

Can get some quite tight radii with it!

A

+1 for brake outer. The larger diameter also makes it less likely to pinch the inner when routing round tight bends.

Thanks Andi, will hand a second look at that then.

pdw – Member
+1 for brake outer.

+1 again

The larger diameter also makes it less likely to pinch the inner when routing round tight bends.

Eh?

Damned if I can find some brake cable but will get some tomorrow to give the idea a try.

Big thanks again for all the help and suggestions.

Far prefer to use brake outer but the hole in Spesh frames seems to small on the newer ones

The larger diameter also makes it less likely to pinch the inner when routing round tight bends.

Eh?
[/quote]

If you bend gear outer round a tight bend it eventually pinches the inner, massively increasing friction. If you put gear inner in brake outer, it’s a pretty loose fit so this doesn’t happen.

pdw – Member
If you bend gear outer round a tight bend it eventually pinches the inner, massively increasing friction

Interesting. 10 years working in lbs and never saw this, I’d expect the outer to split first.

Well…. having no patience at the moment I went to ASDA today to buy some el-cheapo (Bell)brake outer to experiment with.

The quality is appalling, with no inner lining, the gear cable rubs against the *rusting* inner coil of metal!

Glad Im just using it to mess around with and not use on a V brake or such! 😯

Anyway, the good news…..

Cheap as it is, the brake cable goes round the BB pretty well. Tight to fit the plastic tube that goes in between the GXP cups but not too bad at all. With the accompanying *gear* cable in the brake cable outer there is quite a lot of friction BUT this is with a crispy dry/ rusty outer cable as mentioned above. The inner gear cable is rubbish too… again, branded “Bell”.

Im pretty confident that with a good inner and outer fitted it should work well.

Only down side to making a few sharp curves to get out of the BB drain hole is that I wont be able to move the post up and down much at all for fine adjustment in the frame as after the BB is fitted the outer wont be budged.

Not too worried about that as will adjust the height before fitting the BB back in.

HUGE thanks to everyone for all the suggestions and help on this. Would never have thought of using brake cable. Doh!! 😮

😀

If it’s not a huge length you need I can send you some slr.

Very kind of you cynic but ordered some decent stuff right after I saw that it would work earlier.

Huge thanks though!