Rear brake cable bind

[stephenmarklay]

I ran into this the last time I built his bike so I wondered what I am doing wrong. The routing is under the top tube (not internal and not on top). When I turn the bar to the extreme left it binds to the point that at 90 degrees from the head tube it stops moving. The cable gets pulled turning past about 45 degrees and then just gets worse.

Now I realized that if I turn the bar this much I will fall down and I won’t notice this riding but I wonder if I need more housing length at in front or what?

Thanks as always.

[Cicli]

More housing length will fix it but........ does it really matter?

[Hindmost]

Trying to picture your cable routing...right lever=rear? Is the cable routed to the left of the head tube or right?

The cable can be routed to the opposite side of the head tube from the lever and with a little curve of cable it is tidy and you get full travel.

[stephenmarklay]

More housing length will fix it but........ does it really matter?

No it likely won’t. I just wanted to know what actual experts do rather than what Hacks do like me :)

[stephenmarklay]

Trying to picture your cable routing...right lever=rear? Is the cable routed to the left of the head tube or right?

The cable can be routed to the opposite side of the head tube from the lever and with a little curve of cable it is tidy and you get full travel.

It is opposite so the left side. I will take a pic.

[Hindmost]

It is opposite so the left side. I will take a pic.

I imagine there are some derailleur cables in the mix... routed in front of or behind the brake cables?

In front of works best to avoid tugging.

To clarify, I meant brake cables in front of derailleur cables is preferred.

[Ralph]

When I cable my bikes, I don't worry about being able to turn the front wheels 60-90 degrees, or so. More interested in having a smooth transition thru the housing.

As mentioned above, if I have cable adjusters on the head tube, and low enough to clear the down tube, sometimes I will cross them in front of head tube (for a smooth transition), then cross them again under the down tube. Then a year later, when I do a tear down, I can shorten up the cable and housing (use it again....different wear spot on wire on BB) and run it normal way. But that depends on how frame is made....and what mood I'm in. Maybe use RD cable on FD, and put new wire on RD, stuff like that.

[Dude]

Trained (US) mechanics will turn bars all the way to the right (driveside) until handlebars touch top tube. Assuming shifters are in correct position, they will then size the rear brake housing to that distance. Why do it like this?

1. because if you crash
2. if you put it in the car
3. if your child knocks it over
4. something else turns the handlebars all the way around.

You will likely rip something apart if you don't have enough slack in the housing if you crash, turn bars to get it into car, yada yada.

Hope that helps.

[stephenmarklay]

Trained (US) mechanics will turn bars all the way to the right (driveside) until handlebars touch top tube. Assuming shifters are in correct position, they will then size the rear brake housing to that distance. Why do it like this?

1. because if you crash
2. if you put it in the car
3. if your child knocks it over
4. something else turns the handlebars all the way around.

You will likely rip something apart if you don't have enough slack in the housing if you crash, turn bars to get it into car, yada yada.

Hope that helps.

Thanks. I have plenty of slack for that. My binding happens turning left and the angle to the cable stop changes.