Avoiding cable rub damage?

Michael Green said:

This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed
significant paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing
this should I consider? Ta.

I use to stick a small piece of electrical tape on the area of contact.
If you use the same color of the frame and cut it nicely you don't even
see it.

Francesco

Francesco Devittori frenkatfrenkdtcm said:

Michael Green said:

This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed
significant paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing
this should I consider? Ta.

I use to stick a small piece of electrical tape on the area of contact.
If you use the same color of the frame and cut it nicely you don't even
see it.

Another is this stuff right here: http://snipurl.com/e3da

"Bike Saver Protective Tape." Six bucks buys you enough to do your
bikes *and* mail me some ;-)

Michael Green said:

This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed
significant paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing
this should I consider? Ta.

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/cables.html#crisscross

Sheldon "X Marks The Spot" Brown
+----------------------------------------------+
| Music expresses that which cannot be said |
| and on which it is impossible to be silent. |
| --Victor Hugo |
+----------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

(Michael Green) said:

This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed
significant paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing
this should I consider? Ta.

Titanium.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

"Michael Green" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed
significant paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing
this should I consider? Ta.

I use the cushiony/hairy side of one-sided velcro tape.

Basjan

"Sheldon Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Michael Green said:

This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed
significant paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing
this should I consider? Ta.

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/cables.html#crisscross

Sheldon "X Marks The Spot" Brown

I"m having trouble visualizing what you are describing, Sheldon. Any
chance of some pics of a bike laced up this way?

Mucho Danke

"Basjan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"Michael Green" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed
significant paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing
this should I consider? Ta.

I use the cushiony/hairy side of one-sided velcro tape.

Basjan

Could you clarify please. Thanks.

I put electrical tape on the housing at the contact area. It sticks
better than putting it on the frame.

Many bikes come with clear stickers to prevent this from happening. I
suppose you could get some of those from a decent LBS.

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 21:11:19 GMT, Neil Brooks <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Francesco Devittori frenkatfrenkdtcm said:

Michael Green said:

This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed
significant paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing
this should I consider? Ta.

I use to stick a small piece of electrical tape on the area of contact.
If you use the same color of the frame and cut it nicely you don't even
see it.

Another is this stuff right here: http://snipurl.com/e3da

"Bike Saver Protective Tape." Six bucks buys you enough to do your
bikes *and* mail me some ;-)

Back when I lived in New Jersey, my LBS (Danzeisen & Quigley) was also
a ski shop. Turns out there was this clear protective plastic that
came in widths of about four inches and lengths in feet that was used
as a protective coating on the tops of skis. They always seemed to
have random lengths left over, which they would give to cyclists
(thanks Joe!).

I moved to Illinois in 1995 and I'm still using the tape I got at D&Q.

My girlfriend just bought a new bike at The Bike Rack in St. Charles.
I was talking to Hal (the owner) about putting some protective plastic
on the head tube and he said he hasn't been able to get that ski
oriented product for years. Since I still have some left over I didn't
pursue it, but you might try a ski shop and see if the stuff is still
available.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

Snip

My girlfriend just bought a new bike at The Bike Rack in St. Charles.
I was talking to Hal (the owner) about putting some protective plastic
on the head tube and he said he hasn't been able to get that ski
oriented product for years. Since I still have some left over I didn't
pursue it, but you might try a ski shop and see if the stuff is still
available.

Motor cycle shops carry adhesive backed clear plastic flim. It's a little on the thick side but works fine if heated with a hair dryer during application to help it conform.

Steve Shapiro

Steve Shapiro <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

My girlfriend just bought a new bike at The Bike Rack in St. Charles.
I was talking to Hal (the owner) about putting some protective plastic
on the head tube and he said he hasn't been able to get that ski
oriented product for years. Since I still have some left over I didn't
pursue it, but you might try a ski shop and see if the stuff is still
available.

Motor cycle shops carry adhesive backed clear plastic flim. It's a
little on the thick side but works fine if heated with a hair dryer
during application to help it conform.

What's wrong with heavy-duty clear packing tape? The stuff's very
tough, VERY clear (you can read the fine print on the cardboard roll
through an inch or two of the stuff), and let's face it - we should
all live long enough to use 50 cents worth of it on our bike(s).

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

Michael Green said:

This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed
significant paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing
this should I consider? Ta.

Another option for tough, clear, plastic tape is the kind used to seal
up windows in the winter. When you put the plastic over the entire
window to keep the wind from coming through. Try Home Depot, Menards,
Lowes, etc. in the fall and winter. They all have plastic window
coverings areas when the cold season starts. But its gone in the
spring/summer when its bicycling time. And if you happen to live in an
area of the country that does not have a winter season, then tough.

Mark Hickey said:

Steve Shapiro <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

My girlfriend just bought a new bike at The Bike Rack in St. Charles.
I was talking to Hal (the owner) about putting some protective plastic
on the head tube and he said he hasn't been able to get that ski
oriented product for years. Since I still have some left over I didn't
pursue it, but you might try a ski shop and see if the stuff is still
available.

Motor cycle shops carry adhesive backed clear plastic flim. It's a
little on the thick side but works fine if heated with a hair dryer
during application to help it conform.

What's wrong with heavy-duty clear packing tape? The stuff's very
tough, VERY clear (you can read the fine print on the cardboard roll
through an inch or two of the stuff), and let's face it - we should
all live long enough to use 50 cents worth of it on our bike(s).

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

That's a great idea. I'll try it on the underside of my down tube where my crossed shifter cables rub lightly. The tape will work when it is applied to simple curves. I think it will wrinkle on compound curves, but I'll try it. I like the thicker film on my fancy head lugs. It actually went on, stayed on, and with a little heat, conformed to the compound curves without any fuss.

The reason I needed protection is that my back brake cable rubs the left side of the head tube because it's actuated by the left hand, Ergo lever. So the cable run is a little cramped. (That statement it is not meant to start anything about brakeing and handedness.)

Steve Shapiro

Steve Shapiro said:

Mark Hickey said:

Steve Shapiro <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

My girlfriend just bought a new bike at The Bike Rack in St. Charles.
I was talking to Hal (the owner) about putting some protective

plastic

Quoted message said:

on the head tube and he said he hasn't been able to get that ski
oriented product for years. Since I still have some left over I

didn't

Quoted message said:

pursue it, but you might try a ski shop and see if the stuff is still
available.

Motor cycle shops carry adhesive backed clear plastic flim. It's a
little on the thick side but works fine if heated with a hair dryer
during application to help it conform.

What's wrong with heavy-duty clear packing tape? The stuff's very
tough, VERY clear (you can read the fine print on the cardboard roll
through an inch or two of the stuff), and let's face it - we should
all live long enough to use 50 cents worth of it on our bike(s).

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

That's a great idea. I'll try it on the underside of my down tube
where my crossed shifter cables rub lightly. The tape will work when
it is applied to simple curves. I think it will wrinkle on compound
curves, but I'll try it. I like the thicker film on my fancy head
lugs. It actually went on, stayed on, and with a little heat,
conformed to the compound curves without any fuss.

The reason I needed protection is that my back brake cable rubs the
left side of the head tube because it's actuated by the left hand, Ergo
lever. So the cable run is a little cramped. (That statement it is not
meant to start anything about brakeing and handedness.)

Steve Shapiro

I was replacing my rear brake cable just yesterday. Upon removing the old one I
discovered that its plastic cover had worn through (rubbing against head tube),
eons ago apparently. The cable housing in that spot was heavily rusted except a
small spot that was continuously polished by the rubbing. So before installing
the new cable I put a 3" piece of heat shrinkable tubing over it where it would
rub, shrunk that, repeated it two more times. We'll see how that works.