bike building question

[Acotts]

So I built up my first bike this weekend. So far it is great. Except, the brake caliper hits the derailer cable and I can already see some wear on the derailer cable where it gets mashed up against the sharp edges of the derailer barrel adjuster. It also repositions my brake pads. The sucker just don’t seem right.

The two cable hit each other about 2 cm above the brake barrel adjuster and about 1 cm in front of the derailer barrel adjuster (the barrel adjust for my derailer is a part of the frame). Do I have incompatibility issues? Do I need a new type of front brake?

Anyone have the problem?

anyone, anyone?

[victoryfactory]

Usually, those cable problems can be fixed by adjusting the
housing length of the shifter and/or brake cable (usually longer)
to create more of an arc. This needs to be planned out before cutting
to avoid (ahem.....never mind)

I have seen some bikes, however where the placement of the shifter
cable stops are just wrong. This happens when the builder puts the stops
way up near or even on the head tube. If this is the case, you can look for
a caliper that has a different position. I've seen guys cris-cross the shift cables
to avoid the problem, but then you must re-cross them under the down tube to
maintain correct left/right shifting position at the brifters. Not optimum, IMO

One more thought, screw in the deraileur barrel adjuster all the way, and
put one or two spacers in between the brake and the fork. that might get
you just enough room to avoid the rubbing. Also what type of barrel
adjusing screw is on the frame? maybe you can replace it with a more low
profile one?
I hope this helps

VF

[Acotts]

yeah, I have already accepted the fact that I probably need to buy some more cables.

What is bothering me, is that the cables are hitting each other on the very ends, so it seems on first glance that no matter how long the cables are, they will still interfere with each other.

Anyone else ride a Fierte?

[victoryfactory]

Hmm. I had the same problem with a concours once.
The guy I sold it to brought it to a shop in SF who used the
cris/cross method.

See my edit above for a few more ideas

VF

[Acotts]

Those are great suggestions. Thanks. It looks like I will have to go to the LBS and do some brainstorming. I almost go through this build without their help. Dang!

However, It just seems wierd that I need to do stuff like this. Everything about the Fierte frame seems so well thought out and well executed. Nothing I am using here special here: a single pivot side-pull caliper brake (Ultegra) on an Ouzo Pro fork. Plane Jane parts. If the barrel adjusters where any place else, this would not be a problem. i would love to hear some bike builders comment on this. (do they ever post on here?)


Thanks for the help.

-A

[Kevan]

any help?

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=378436&postcount=1

Are the adjusters absolutely required? Just asking, I never touch mine.

[victoryfactory]

Honestly, your post brought back an issue that I had
forgotten about with the headtube adjuster placement on some Serotta
frames. Although it has not been an issue with my Atlanta or
Legend, It seems to happen on some of their frames. I wonder if
it is a real problem that can be resolved or something I'm not
understanding on the build, like what you encountered.

I wonder if there is a design "blind spot" here which is real, but not
prevailent enough to have been addressed yet?

VF

[victoryfactory]

Kevan;
Very interesting photos.
You can clearly see that that bike was set up with the
dreaded (by me) Cris/Crossing of the shifter cables to presumably
avoid the problem in question!
Are Serotta telling us that they consider this the norm? Or
are people just settling for this non optimum cable routing?

Am I nuts? Do they really want us to re-cross the cables under the
down tube?
There are many places they can mount the stops to avoid this.

VF
I am corrected by Kevan, see post below

[Acotts]

In regards to the design, is there someone I can ask? I would really be interested.

As for needing a barrel adjuster...well, I am using a Shimano 105 rear derailer and it does not have an integrated adjuster. There fore the adjsuter on the frame is pretty important.

[Kevan]

they do have extra housing so as to angle, or loop, the cable away from the brake.

I think this is what is needed to solve the problem, more housing to redirect the cabling slightly.

[Acotts]

Well, the problem is that the cables are hitting right at the caliper adjuster and the derailer adjuster. So no matter how much cable I use, they are still hitting in bad spot.

[Kevan]

posted here showing the detail from the shifters to the cables to the head tube and so on will help others better understand your plight.

[Kevan]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=33492

[victoryfactory]

they do have extra housing so as to angle, or loop, the cable away from the brake.
I think this is what is needed to solve the problem, more housing to redirect the cabling slightly.

Sorry, my eyes were tricked by the looping of the cables.
I think you are right, Kevan. The way to go is to loop the
shifter cables in that way to avoid the problem, but I still would prefer
a more direct route.

VF

[Steve Hampsten]

Afaik, it's only an issue with Ultegra calipers. It is one reason why many builders have gone back to down tube-placed cable stops.

[Acotts]

Its only a problem with Ultegra Calipers. Thats a big problem. They are the most common brakes found on road bikes.

[barry1021]

yeah, I have already accepted the fact that I probably need to buy some more cables.

What is bothering me, is that the cables are hitting each other on the very ends, so it seems on first glance that no matter how long the cables are, they will still interfere with each other.

Anyone else ride a Fierte?

and I honestly don't know what you are referring to :rolleyes: can you post a pix?

b21