I have a friend with a Klein road bike, which has front + rear derailleur and rear brake cables that pass directly though the frame. Are there internal cable guide tubes or does one have to (somehow) fish the cable through those little holes? If so, is there some special technique to doing this?
Thanks in advance,
-d
Replacing Internally Routed Cables on a Klein
There are several ways to do this. With a Klein, since the frame is aluminum and the cable is steel, you might be able to guide the cable thru and fish it out with a magnet.
Or try to fit a cable housing over the cable starting from the back, pushing it 'til it comes out the front, then using it as a guide to pass the cable thru and pulling out the housing when done.
If all else fails try feeding in heavy thread and sucking it out with a vacuum cleaner, then tie the thread to the cable and pull it thru. Dental floss is a last-resort alternative to thread, since it leaves a sticky residue - probably a bad idea to use it.
fishing line, used as an electrician pulls wire and/or cable through a conduit.
http://www.ecpzone.com/publication/article.jsp?id=3&pubId=1
Or better, if you know an electrician, ask to borrow one.
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I think I'd try putting an old cable through the new housing an extra few inches, loop the end of the cable and hook the loop with a straightened wire hanger. Lubricate the outside of the housing.
When you get the housing through, wire tie the end to the frame and push new cable through.
tape fishing line to old cables. When you pull them out, the fishing line will follow. Then attach the line to the new cable and reverse. It may not be necessary. I'd be shocked if there was not some sort of internal guide– they didn't build the frame around the cables.