# 2008 Madone Bottom Bracket Cable Guide



## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

Ok Madone owners, what does your BB shell look like on the cable guide side choices are

A) 









OR

B) 









The first pic is my ride, the second is from pez. I am curious as it looks like a change to the length/position, to prevent saw through of the front derailleur cable as it enters the BB shell.

zac


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## bleed_oil (Mar 6, 2008)

mine looks like B


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

bleed_oil said:


> mine looks like B


bleed you have the 6.5Pro too right?

I am thinking since mine was an early build, they changed the part. I am waiting to hear from my LBS on this one. I have been concerned about it, but didn't bother with it, since it appears pretty stable, but I have seen a couple of newer Madones and they all have the longer guide.


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## bleed_oil (Mar 6, 2008)

*guides and spacers*

Hey zac, yeah, I've got the 6.5 Pro with the longer guide. Shouldn't be too much of a problem if you replace it. If you don't the friction between the cable and frame will start to cut the frame.

Just as an aside, how many spacers do you have under the crane creek carbon spacer? I noticed that mine sits high enough that there's a pretty big gap (3 mm) visible. I'm just worried about road grime getting into the headtube from the gap.


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

bleed_oil said:


> Hey zac, yeah, I've got the 6.5 Pro with the longer guide. Shouldn't be too much of a problem if you replace it. If you don't the friction between the cable and frame will start to cut the frame.
> 
> Just as an aside, how many spacers do you have under the crane creek carbon spacer? I noticed that mine sits high enough that there's a pretty big gap (3 mm) visible. I'm just worried about road grime getting into the headtube from the gap.


You just got me going out...That gap is normal, but I would put it more at only 1 to 1.5mm. If in doubt, pull it apart and reassemble, just make sure it is squeaky clean when you put it all together again.

EDIT: I just measured it at 2.1mm


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## epicxt (Apr 26, 2005)

Zac-

The cable guide on my 6.5 pro is the long one as well, and mine arrived at the shop in December. Get it changed!

Also, do you have the little rubber donut guide for where the cable exits on the other side? I suspect it serves a similar function.


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## 08Madone5.2 (Dec 25, 2007)

This was in response to a concern I had regarding the plug that protects the frame from the cable passing through the bottom bracket through the frame to the front derailleur. My Madone came with a plug that was unseated and then disappeared entirely:

"Greetings Andrew, I apologize for the delayed response. Your trek dealer can order and install a new 'plug' for you at no charge. Please have them call their inside rep at trek if they have any questions.

If you desire to, you can ride your bike without the plug , any minor contact/ cutting of the cable to the frame will not affect the structural integrity of the frame."

Thanks,

Steve Swenson 
Trek Bicycle Corporation 

I didn't even bother putting a new plug on after getting this assurance from Trek. I figure if the frame gets damaged as a result, its under a lifetime warranty. To date, I have seen no damage to the frame as a result of the cable rubbing it. Also, my BB cable guide is the longer version as well, and I purchased my 5.2 in Dec.

Hope this helps


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

Thanks guys, yeah I am going to have my LBS get the long guide part. 

As to the "donut": yes I have the grommet (long story on that one though) won't go into details other than that it was given to me at delivery and my LBS didn't know it was for that. Took me about an hour to figure it out. You know these things come cabled from Trek, so it should have been factory installed and it wasn't. As I said I think my 6.5 is an early build. I ordered it before Trek was producing them. In that vein has anyone decifered the serial numbers yet?

Mine arrived in the shop sometime before Christmas, I took delivery first week in Jan. I wasn't in any hurry to pick it up as I don't ride after the first week in December (I always end my year with my birthday ride, and if I recall correctly it came in the following week) I know those December delivered 6 series frames were some of the first in the Northeast.


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## skiph (May 11, 2007)

Zac:

That purple cable guide in your picture is a MOUNTAIN bike cable guide.

You should have the longer black one.

The front der cable WILL cut into the frame over any period of time.

I have an '07 Pilot 5.2. It had the black cable guide, but since the bottom bracket area is fairly big and the front der cable does not go through a hole in the BB, it was rubbing on the frame where it curved up towards the front der cable attachment.

Some other Pilots in my area had a metal cable guide that were longer and curved up the back of the seat tube more.

I pointed this out to my LBS and after about 3 months, he got Trek to cough up a metal cable guide for me. In the interum, I put a couple of layers of black electrical tape on the frame where the cable was rubbing and it was OK until finally I replaced the cable guide. I had to do some minor bending/twisting on the new metal guide to get it to lay smoothly up the back of the seat tube.

However, mine was just barely laying on the frame, not making a 90 degree turn under constant tension like yours is, so it's good you are going to get it replaced.

You can cut the cables free on the purple one where the cables run under those small retainer strips, but you will still have to remove the little caps on the ends of your front der/rear der cables to feed them through the new cable guide, which of course means your shifting will be messed up until you get it dialed back in.

So, depending on your wrenching skills, it might be a job for your LBS, especially since the bike is new.


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

Thanks all, it is all set. What happened is that the cable guide snapped and the LBS mechanic replaced it, albeit with the best one he had on hand. I think he is going to get and earful from the owner (whom I am friendly with). It's all good now. FWIW the cable guide on the 5/6 series with the 90mm shells is the "long" version. The 4 series has the short version, as the cable hole is situated differently. 

Thanks again
zac


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

skiph said:


> Zac:
> 
> You can cut the cables free on the purple one where the cables run under those small retainer strips, but you will still have to remove the little caps on the ends of your front der/rear der cables to feed them through the new cable guide, which of course means your shifting will be messed up until you get it dialed back in.
> 
> So, depending on your wrenching skills, it might be a job for your LBS, especially since the bike is new.


Thanks, my wrenching skills are pretty good, The first thing I do when I get a bike is to strip it and rebuild it. (That is how I discovered the rubber grommet issue on the top.) what I did at the bottom was to run some inner sleeve from the guide through the hole, but it kept working out, so I abandoned that. I tried tape, but that was messing up the shifting and was cutting through too. I was going to mold a small wooden part to hook inside the shell, but then I came across that "B)" picture on the pez site and thought...hmmm...Trek has already solved it.

That being said, I am going to have the LBS do it, cause I want them to document any cut through on the frame...

Instead of ordering a new one they have pulled one off a stock 5.2. 

We tried a Specialized one, as they also have a long reach guide, but the radius is smaller due to the smaller BB shell on the Specialized.

The other thing is mine is bolted on, and the standard is a plastic push in grommet, so I want to see how that works. If it is a one shot deal, I am going to stick with the bolt with the new guide.

zac


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## chadjodi (Nov 27, 2006)

Was the bolt threaded into the BBshell? I have a 6.9 and am installing a SRM. The new sensor fits under the cable guide and is suppose to be secured with the cable guide bolt. The black rivet doesn't seem to be an acceptable fit.
Chad


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

chadjodi said:


> Was the bolt threaded into the BBshell? I have a 6.9 and am installing a SRM. The new sensor fits under the cable guide and is suppose to be secured with the cable guide bolt. The black rivet doesn't seem to be an acceptable fit.
> Chad


Chad, hey no. The bolt was fixed with a nut. I would go to a good hardware store and get one of those vinyl or plastic bolts/nut sets and use that. The stock part is a push rivet. 

HTH
zac


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## chadjodi (Nov 27, 2006)

So the nut was in the BBshell. Any washers? Was it a typical hex nut?
Thanks


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

Yes, yes and yes. The mechanic shouldn't have done what he did by using the bolt. But it was only finger tight with threadlock. That guide really only needs to held from moving around, as you know the cables pretty much hold it in place. 

The SRM sensor is not hefty, that is why I suggested using a vinyl bolt. It won't rust, is light and somewhat pliable, and a rubber washer under the nut will work.


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## habitat (Mar 30, 2008)

Mine look's like picture "B" Thats a good thing. 
Never buy early production date.


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## kneejerk (Feb 2, 2007)

The BB cable guide needs to be the "B" pictured above and with the plastic clip holding it in! 

At the headset spacing issue: Trek supplies the bikes with extra thin spacers installed under the first contoured spacer. These 4 (or so) spacers can be removed on 99% of frames to give a sleeker look up there.


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