ideas for internal cabling.... technical...

[37ccmflyte]

Ok. I want to run internal cables on a custom bike I am building. I want basically no visible cables around the bars at all.
I know, it's a waste of time, but I happen to HAVE time and a engineering workshop at hand.
So here is some background.... It's an old 1930's steel frame. It's a road bike.

Cable 1. Goes from the inside of the right handlebar (reverse levers) and down to a cable operated disc brake on the front wheel.
Cable 2. Goes from inside the left handlebar end and to the rear disc brake on the left side of the rear axle.
Cable 3. Goes from a thumb lever on the right bar, into the handle bar and ends at the left side of the rear axle. (7 speed rear hub.)

In the frame I can do. In the fork leg I can do. In the handle bars I can do.
It's getting from inside the bars to the frame for cables 2 and 3 and at the bottom of the stem for cable 1 that I am having to think long and hard about....

But I have an idea.....

The idea is to make a new shaft for the forks that has both the threads for the threaded head bearings and a extension that comes out the top for the stem from a thread less bike to clamp to. This would leave the inside clear. I could take the cables from the inside of the bars into the stem then into the new vertical shaft...... and down.
Going that far sorts out cable 1 and it gets it to the bottom where I can go into the fork leg out if sight and down to the brake.

But cable 2 and 3 need to go out of the stem and head down the lower frame tube to the BB and beyond..... my idea it to make a slot in the tube for the cables to come out the back of the tube and re enforce the tube to take the strain by building it up inside (could be practically solid with passages for the cables at that point)...and outside it as room allows.... then as it is just a road bike, restrict the handlebar movement to stop the "slot" going past a certain point where the cables would tighten or get damaged.

Thoughts? What am I missing??

 

[us56456712]

How about some sort of modified or hidden cable detangled like on trick bikes? If you want it hidden then you would have to work with modifying the concept.

 

[37ccmflyte]

yeah it does get you thinking. If it was just one cable you could have it turning a circle on a rod at the top, that rotated in the stem and then a cable coming from the bottom of the rod on a similar circle.
At this stage I am thinking of a old style quill with a different way of holding it to the bike. Around the outside of the top of the fork not inside... making it clear down the middle. While still having the look of the old classic quill stem....

 

[us56456712]

yeah it does get you thinking. If it was just one cable you could have it turning a circle on a rod at the top, that rotated in the stem and then a cable coming from the bottom of the rod on a similar circle.
At this stage I am thinking of a old style quill with a different way of holding it to the bike. Around the outside of the top of the fork not inside... making it clear down the middle. While still having the look of the old classic quill stem....

I have had the idea of doing this but gave up because I couldn't figure it out in my mind. Surely someone somewhere must have also had this notion and worked it out. If you accomplish this I'm sure we would all like to see pictures of your solution. The slot with stops would be some fine work, especially on a one inch gooseneck. How about this idea to hold the fork?

I have made several of these. I used a chrome plated seat post clamp, a top race, slotted washer and a stem nut. The fork tube is long and is split where the lock washer goes.

 

[37ccmflyte]

Thanks for the input.
Interesting idea. I read it a few times but I could not get my head around the slotted washer bit? I can you explain it for us thickies?

I was learning towards a "seat clamp" solution for holding the old style quill stem to the fork. With a vertical cut in the top of the tube above the thread to match. This would allow fine adjustment of the quill height.... at least until cables lengths are finalized. Then moving the quill up and down would require different cable lengths.

Yes, it's all in the design of the fork tube. It's "easy" to cut away material to allow the cables to pass from the inside of the fork tube to the (in my case) lower frame tube... the hard part is to keep it strong enough and to allow maximum handlebar turn side to side.

I will have to make up some prototypes when I get back to my workshop in the middle of Feb.
Latest thought was that rather than have the cables come out of the fork tube at the height of frame tube they are going to go down.... let them out higher so the slack will allow more steering movement. Might involve making a smaller OD tube to give cable clearance in the frame.
Thinking thinking... I think I can make it work if I tinker around long enough.

 

[us56456712]

Thanks for the input.
Interesting idea. I read it a few times but I could not get my head around the slotted washer bit? I can you explain it for us thickies?

I was learning towards a "seat clamp" solution for holding the old style quill stem to the fork. With a vertical cut in the top of the tube above the thread to match. This would allow fine adjustment of the quill height.... at least until cables lengths are finalized. Then moving the quill up and down would require different cable lengths.

Yes, it's all in the design of the fork tube. It's "easy" to cut away material to allow the cables to pass from the inside of the fork tube to the (in my case) lower frame tube... the hard part is to keep it strong enough and to allow maximum handlebar turn side to side.

I will have to make up some prototypes when I get back to my workshop in the middle of Feb.
Latest thought was that rather than have the cables come out of the fork tube at the height of frame tube they are going to go down.... let them out higher so the slack will allow more steering movement. Might involve making a smaller OD tube to give cable clearance in the frame.
Thinking thinking... I think I can make it work if I tinker around long enough.

Sorry, it's just the lock washer beneath the cap nut on a head set. The one with the tab that goes into the grove on the fork tube. Here is a better picture of one of the fake ones I made. Perhaps you can use a similar idea but I don't know if this will help?

 

[37ccmflyte]

Sorry, it's just the lock washer beneath the cap nut on a head set. The one with the tab that goes into the grove on the fork tube. Here is a better picture of one of the fake ones I made. Perhaps you can use a similar idea but I don't know if this will help?View attachment 112617

Got it!! thanks.

 

[Grant]

Some steel frames are internally routed.

Motobacane Mirage 2




1964-1965 Puch

I know the person who owns this singlespeed Puch. He knows Greg Lemond and Eddy Merckx. He is also friends with Lemond's wife.