cable splitting question for bar swappers
Stuart Fletcher
itself in my mind and I can't shake it. But I don't necessarily want
to dedicate the bike to upright bar status, so I looked back through
the archives for advice on what others (at least 3 of you!) on the
list have done. Using cable splitters sounds totally doable and I
think I'll do it, but I have a couple questions for those more
experienced with, in particular, the DaVinci splitters (which seem to
be the most popular).
My main question is about the front brake. I'm running centerpulls,
so there IS a cable stop and bare cable running to the straddle wire
carrier. Can I split this cable? It's a 60cm frame, so I think
there's physically enough room for the splitter. I should have
measured before I left for work -- here's a photo showing the length
of bare cable (not the best photo, but it gets the idea across):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ratrocket/4665838398/in/set-72157624126974480
Is there a reason some handlebar swappers don't split the front brake
cable? Is it a safety issue? It seems a couple people don't split
the brake cables at all, but use linear pull brakes and swap the whole
cable + noodle with the bars. I'd like to avoid that because I don't
have an easy way to do it.
But, as a second option to splitting the front brake cable, someone
made a reference to using a straddle wire carrier where the brake
cable doesn't *bolt* to the carrier and suggested these were best for
cantilever/centerpull handlebar swappers... but I don't know of any
such straddle wire carrier -- anyone know differently?
My final question is probably a dumb one but I'll ask it: Is it really
OK for the longevity & integrity of the steerer tube to swap stems on
a semi-regular basis? Is it a concern, a non-concern, or a
non-concern with caveats?
(By the way the bike has downtube shifters, so those will remain untouched.)
Thanks in advance for any help!
Stuart Fletcher
Seattle, WA
William
In short, you don't have to use splitters. Your dia-compe (or dia compe style) carriers allow you to remove the straddle from the carrier without a tool. With your slotted cable guides everywhere, that means you can remove your handlebar assembly by disconnecting the cable carriers from the straddles, liberating the housing and such and loosening the stem bolt. Build your other cockpit with new cables and new carriers, and you'll just need to hang the straddles on the carriers without tools. I just swapped out my carriers on my Bombadil to dia compes to support exactly this. Just buy an extra pair of Dia Compe carriers and do it!
Seth Vidal
<stuart....@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> My main question is about the front brake. I'm running centerpulls,
> so there IS a cable stop and bare cable running to the straddle wire
> carrier. Can I split this cable? It's a 60cm frame, so I think
> there's physically enough room for the splitter. I should have
> measured before I left for work -- here's a photo showing the length
> of bare cable (not the best photo, but it gets the idea across):
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/ratrocket/4665838398/in/set-72157624126974480
>
> Is there a reason some handlebar swappers don't split the front brake
> cable? Is it a safety issue? It seems a couple people don't split
> the brake cables at all, but use linear pull brakes and swap the whole
> cable + noodle with the bars. I'd like to avoid that because I don't
> have an easy way to do it.
>
Your cable carrier - you don't have to split there - just have another
carrier on the other set of bars at the same length.
You have mafac racers on there from the picture - you just have to
disconnect the cable carrier and you're ready to go.
> But, as a second option to splitting the front brake cable, someone
> made a reference to using a straddle wire carrier where the brake
> cable doesn't *bolt* to the carrier and suggested these were best for
> cantilever/centerpull handlebar swappers... but I don't know of any
> such straddle wire carrier -- anyone know differently?
Sure you do - the one on yours - you don't bolt the straddle cable to
the cable carrier. It just sits in there by gravity/tension.
> My final question is probably a dumb one but I'll ask it: Is it really
> OK for the longevity & integrity of the steerer tube to swap stems on
> a semi-regular basis? Is it a concern, a non-concern, or a
> non-concern with caveats?
non-concern.
grease your stems when you take them in and out. Clean up any crap as you.
-sv
Stuart Fletcher
Geez.... this is one of those things where I needed to say what I was
thinking before I could see the obvious solution. I was thinking
about the wrong end of the straddle cable carrier -- obviously. Not
the first time that's happened.
OK, thanks again, case closed! I'll post photos when the switch happens.
Stuart
Seattle
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