[mtbdirteater]

Anyone here ever drilled a brake boss stop on your frame top tube out to go with 5mm brake cable housing straight through or a hydraulic brake line to the rear brake? Just looking for tips before I do this.

This is on an aluminum frame. See, there is not enough room against the top tube for a regular drill chuck to get at it straight, but looks like I could do this with a bit in a pin-vise and with a small round file.

I know there are little housing guide brackets available to screw into the cable stops to route cable around them, but I don't care for that option, too many little parts and too sloppy for my liking.

Straight through brake cable/less open cable and ferrules = less dirt and grit and water washing the lube out of my rear brake cable as I see it, not concerned about the additional weight of another 12" of cable housing. Using Avid mechanical disk on the XC bike now, but I keep eyeing those Hope Mini hydraulics!

Regards,

Dave

 

[oldfart]

I've done it many times. I always thought open runs on the stays for the rear derailleur were particularly ill designed. Mud and water will inevetably be thrown on the cable where gravity and shifting action will take the crud into that final loop pretty damn quick. I think I used a drill with a small bit at an angle followed by a round file and some paint to finish it off. On my old titanium bike I got some of those rivet on cable guides and did it from scratch. I cut and filed off the original ones which were really poorly done. The rear brake noodle was so tight a bend you could barely install fresh cable.

 

[gorgechris]

I recently drilled out the stops on two of my alum bikes. I used a cordless 3/8" drill, which has a narrow chuck diameter and a narrow drill body, so I was able to get in pretty close. It runs at a slight angle, but the distance covered is so minor (what about 1/8''?), so it functions fine.

Place some electrical tape or other low-profile barrier on both sides of the boss, so you don't scratch your frame with the bit or chuck. Of course, use a high-quality bit, and put a drop of lube on the metal. I drilled the stops out from whichever side was accessible, so it doesn't really matter. To maintain maximum flexiblity, I used a bit only large enough to accommodate the cable housing, which left enough of a lip in the stop in case I want to build the frame up with sectional housing in the future (not likely).

Clean up with small files and/or high-quality, cloth-backed sandpaper, and a used toothbrush to get out the metal flakes.

 

[htrdoug]

I used a Dremel on my Kona,but be carefull,If it gets away from you it'll buzz right across the paint.


On my Stinky it farted with the shifting of a shimano derailluer due to the loop I guess,suspension travel jacked the derailluer around more,switched to Sram,perfect shifting now.

 

[kidwoo]

I've done this on every bike I've owned in the last 5 years. Like the previous, a dremel lets you get a little closer. Continuous housing on cable lines works way better than all that high dollar gortex etc kit setup. I managed to find a bit that allowed shifter housing through but still stopped the ferrules if you wanted to leave open cable. It was on a downhill bike that I knew I would sell and was worried about it being an issue.

Go for it. Works great. You just have to cut your brake line to do it.

 

[fonseca]

I've tried about every method, and prefer the round dremel bits because you can use them without needing to keep the dremel tool directly parallel, and it eliminates the need for a flex shaft.

I posted a brief guide on the MTBR Brake Time forum a while back.

 

[Repack]

Too lazy to read all of them, sorry if already said. I used a ball shaped bit on my Dremel. Specialized makes these "clips" that wedge in around the hydro line to keep it in place. Want to get me some o them. I opened up the guides on my bike and it worked well. Careful about the warranty though.

 

[mtbdirteater]

Cool, great ideas, thanks guys, and excellent article and pics fonseca! And with a background in photography, I can appreciate the tonal range of your B&W images. I'll tape up the frame areas and get the Dremil and files out. I do have some of those little Specialized cable wedge things, but I'll just drill and file for a snug fit on the housing.

Regards,

Dave