# Preventing cable rub on Madone frame?



## dave_gt (Jul 25, 2008)

I have just begun to notice a very slight amount of rubbing on the head tube from one of my cables, so I have temporarily taken some some camera foam and wrapped all three cables with it to provide some protection.

Anyone else noticed this and come up with a better solution?


dave


----------



## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

I have noticed it but haven't come up with a decent solution. I thought about rerouting right shifter cable outside the front brake cable, but I am not sure about the left. Honestly I hate how the cables poke out so much I am tempted to figure out how to get them under the bar tape or something.


----------



## shanabit (Jul 16, 2007)

Colored electrical tape works great


----------



## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/CA409Z01-Jagwire Tube Tops Housing Covers.aspx?SSAID=176195


----------



## Gimpy00Wang (May 28, 2006)

jsedlak said:


> I am tempted to figure out how to get them under the bar tape or something.


My buddie did that by moving to Nokon housing. A fairly tight bend at the shifter and you can get 'em under the bar tape. Still shifts great. I'll probably do the same before too long.

- Chris


----------



## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

Like shanabit I use colored electrical tape. Padding the housing really doesn't work as the cable is still going to rub against the clear coat/paint. I would be wary of camera foam, while soft, isn't it abrasive? The bikes are supplied with clear patches to stick on the frame but they don't stick very well. 

Run a piece of colored tape just above the fork crown on the Head Tube. That should take care of the derailleur housing. As for the rear brake, that should be okay...you may want to check that the housing is fully seated in the frame grommet, but a piece of tape behind it should solve any lingering problem.

The other thing you have to be mindful of is that bikes come built with extra cable and while it makes for nice easy bends, it also makes for a bit of cable slap over a wider range of the frame. You may want to cut the housing down to get tighter radiuses and to reduce the cable slap. But that is up to you. 

I run my cables as short as I can get away with and still not suffer shifting or braking performance. But I must say I recently swapped over to DA7900 and am enjoying the hidden cables immensely. 

EDIT: Just remember clear nail polish is you friend. If you scuff up your clear coat and are that worried about it, a thin coat of nail polish on the affected area and in 10 minutes you are good to go.


----------



## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

jsedlak said:


> I have noticed it but haven't come up with a decent solution. *I thought about rerouting right shifter cable outside the front brake cable*, but I am not sure about the left. Honestly I hate how the cables poke out so much I am tempted to figure out how to get them under the bar tape or something.


You could try that, but I think you'll find out quick why you shouldn't do that.


----------



## jtsk (Mar 6, 2002)

*Clear paint-guard stick-ons*

They come with new bikes...I've just installed them on my new Madone. You stick them on the head tube and they're not visible unless you look very closely (at least not on silver paint).

If you don't have any of those, just get some thick-mil clear packing tape available at any hardware store. Cut pieces to about 3/4" x 1 1/2" and place a piece where each cable comes into contact with the head tube. I suggest rounding the corners to help prevent peal-up problems with moisture. Works like a charm, inexpensive and is barely noticeable.


----------



## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

zac said:


> You could try that, but I think you'll find out quick why you shouldn't do that.


Why shouldn't I?


----------



## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

jsedlak said:


> Why shouldn't I?


If you do a slow speed left hand turn especially a counter balance sort of move (like when track standing, or just barely moving) the shifter cable could pull on the front brake cable causing it to close on the wheel. You will get some inadvertent braking.

When running it on the outside, the cable has the potential of interfering with the front brake, not really something you want to f with as your front brake supplies most of your braking power.

As I said, you can try it, you certainly aren't going to kill yourself, but it's fun to learn some things by trying sometimes too.

Trust me, on some late nights of wrenching, the cable has ended up on the wrong side.

zac


----------



## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

jtsk said:


> They come with new bikes...I've just installed them on my new Madone. You stick them on the head tube and they're not visible unless you look very closely (at least not on silver paint).
> 
> If you don't have any of those, just get some thick-mil clear packing tape available at any hardware store. Cut pieces to about 3/4" x 1 1/2" and place a piece where each cable comes into contact with the head tube. I suggest rounding the corners to help prevent peal-up problems with moisture. Works like a charm, inexpensive and is barely noticeable.


Yup, I have these on my bike. They came with it and it's awesome indeed.


----------



## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

zac said:


> If you do a slow speed left hand turn especially a counter balance sort of move (like when track standing, or just barely moving) the shifter cable could pull on the front brake cable causing it to close on the wheel. You will get some inadvertent braking.
> 
> When running it on the outside, the cable has the potential of interfering with the front brake, not really something you want to f with as your front brake supplies most of your braking power.
> 
> ...


Duh!! Should of realised... heh

I was thinking in my head that the opposite should be true, that the cable on the inside would pull when making a right turn. So I walk over to my bike and try it and of course that doesn't happen.


----------



## bigjohnson54 (May 31, 2005)

I used a piece of clear bra that they use on the front of cars and that works and it is hard to see that it is there.


----------



## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

bigjohnson54 said:


> I used a piece of clear bra that they use on the front of cars and that works and it is hard to see that it is there.


Clear bra????


----------



## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

uzziefly said:


> Clear bra????


Yeah! Look them up. They are invisible from most distances and usually only the line where they end is visible. It is a great way to protect the front area of a car if you do a lot of highway driving or live in an area where rock chips are bound to happen.


----------



## BLUEMEANIE (Mar 16, 2009)

I just used some white vinyl (on a white bike) from the end of a bumper sticker. 
I thought all Treks these days shipped with little clear stickers w/ faint Trek logos already in place for this exact purpose?


----------

