# Zip tie as cable-guide trick



## GNR (Oct 16, 2004)

I CAN'T remember for the life of me where I saw this, but I'm wondering if anyone has seen how you can combine a couple of zip ties to make a clean-looking cable guide. I looks like one zip tie attaches to the frame and another makes a small loop through which the housing and cable passes. 

I've searched here and googled, bing'd and every other search to find it...come up empty.

I just usually just zip tie the cables right to the frame, but I've contracted with a buyer to build a bike and want it to look clean and neat. 

Any help would be great. Thanks.


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

I copied this picture from another thread a few years back and don't remember who the op was to give him credit.

I wonder if your 2-zip tie method replaces the small section of tubing with a zip tie.


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## GNR (Oct 16, 2004)

*That's the ticket*

Thanks...I've got them looking just like I wanted, and the picture helped. Cheers!


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

here's mine...


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## stumblemumble (Mar 31, 2006)

GMCTTR- Whats the piece of tubing you used? Shrink wrap?


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

stumblemumble said:


> GMCTTR- Whats the piece of tubing you used? Shrink wrap?


As I stated, the photos are not mine.

The tubing looks too thick to be shrink wrap. A hardware store should have a selection to choose from. I have used clear tubing a few times because I already had it.


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## pagey (Sep 26, 2006)

I use shrink tube on my exposed cables now. I used to run full cables but this setup keeps the crap out but also retains the crisp shifting with the cable stops.

I'll post the info later


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## neex (Mar 30, 2005)

GNR said:


> I CAN'T remember for the life of me where I saw this, but I'm wondering if anyone has seen how you can combine a couple of zip ties to make a clean-looking cable guide. I looks like one zip tie attaches to the frame and another makes a small loop through which the housing and cable passes.
> 
> I've searched here and googled, bing'd and every other search to find it...come up empty.
> 
> ...


Feeling like a fool here even after seeing the pics. Can someone expand a little? It looks like there's a piece of rubber or a small piece of hose between the frame and where the hose goes through the tie/hose in the tie?? Or is it electrical tape?? I played around with a tie on a frame and couldn't get it right. Again... feeling pretty thick today...

A.:madman:


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

neex...run a zip tie through a short piece of tubing, wrap it around the cable and back through the tubing. Wrap both ends of the zip tie around the fork/frame and zip together. Clear as mud right?

pagey...I have no idea what your post has to do with this thread.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

neex said:


> Feeling like a fool here even after seeing the pics. Can someone expand a little? It looks like there's a piece of rubber or a small piece of hose between the frame and where the hose goes through the tie/hose in the tie?? Or is it electrical tape?? I played around with a tie on a frame and couldn't get it right. Again... feeling pretty thick today...
> 
> A.:madman:


To everyone:
It is vinyl and/or acrylic tubing - NOT HEAT SHRINK!!
This tubing can be found at any decent hardware store - or even at a major aquarium store/supplier.( smaller stores carry smaller tubing - pumps/filters etc... - but it's the same idea).

The tubing doesn't have to be clear, but it HAS to be supportive.

- Cut a length of tubing to the height/ spacing you want.
-On the opposite side of the frame of the cable, feed the zip-tie around the frame and through the tube (opposite side).
-At the exit of the tube, where the cable is positioned, exit and wrap around and enter the tube again.
-Feed the zip tie thru the tube until it passes the frame and is connected w/ the 'locking' end of the zip-tie.
-Zip it up!!


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

i ripped off the idea too. used about 10mm of vinyl hose i had laying around. works good, nice and secure and looks better than just a crappy ziptie around your fork leg.


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## SteveUK (Apr 16, 2006)

neex said:


> Feeling like a fool here even after seeing the pics. Can someone expand a little? It looks like there's a piece of rubber or a small piece of hose between the frame and where the hose goes through the tie/hose in the tie?? Or is it electrical tape?? I played around with a tie on a frame and couldn't get it right. Again... feeling pretty thick today...
> 
> A.:madman:


It's clearer in this picture...









But here's how it assembles: (just ignore the piece of black tube on the three assembly pictures; that was an additionaI idea I came up with for running these guides on a triple-clamp fork and allowing the hose to move with the suspension. Normally, the cable tie would tighten around the hose/cable)...

Apart from the one posted by highdelll, ll of the pictures in this thread are mine; but I got the idea from MTBR member Whafe.


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

Thanks SteveUK...it's nice to know whose pictures I ripped off a few years ago.


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## [email protected] (Oct 17, 2009)

sweet! mini project for the weekend.


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## neex (Mar 30, 2005)

gmcttr said:


> neex...run a zip tie through a short piece of tubing, wrap it around the cable and back through the tubing. Wrap both ends of the zip tie around the fork/frame and zip together. Clear as mud right?
> 
> pagey...I have no idea what your post has to do with this thread.


gmcttr: Flawless explanation. Thank you. If would appear that some folks are getting carried away and 'threading' their brake hoses though a second piece of hose (which looks like it will fall out of the loop anyway). Great idea! I remember on a shxtbike I used pieces of a tube in strips to 'tie' the cable to the frame. Yup. That was a sexy bike. 

Thanks again for all the sharing and explaining.

A.:thumbsup:


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

Easy now..."some folks" is the guy that I got the idea from in the first place and he stated that the extra piece of tubing was for a very specific application that he also explained. Very useful info.


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## Dad Man Walking (Sep 7, 2004)

There was a thread somewhere around here a couple of weeks ago (maybe the Turner forum?) where the poster did the same think with a zip tie and a valve retaining nut (you know, that little threaded ring thingy you throw away when you install a new tube).

I'm pretty sure it wasn't on the weight weenie forum. All that extra metal...


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## SteveUK (Apr 16, 2006)

> If would appear that some folks are getting carried away and 'threading' their brake hoses though a second piece of hose (which looks like it will fall out of the loop anyway).


If you take he time to read instead of just looking at pictures, you'd have realised that the extra loop is for holding the hose on a triple-clamp fork. The reason for this addition is that it holds the hose entirely away from the both fork crowns/clamps, the upper stanchion and also the headtube of the frame, stopping it from wearing away the finish/paint.

If the cable tie is tightened as tightly as it would be for the normal set-up, the extra piece of tubing will not move. The whole point of using the little piece of clear tubing (on both set-ups) is that it works with the tension of the cable tie to grip whatever is pulled against it.

D- for comprehension. :thumbsup:


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## mntlion (Aug 30, 2005)

this needs a bump for spring


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## stumblemumble (Mar 31, 2006)

A follow-up here. For the spacer/tubing piece I used a small section of bic pen housing. Just snip a piece off using wire cutters, blue, black, or red. 
Looks very clean.


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## Dale1K (Aug 28, 2006)

I have a variation of this. I use two different size zip ties. Not quite as clean as the tube/tie method.


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## neex (Mar 30, 2005)

SteveUK said:


> If you take he time to read instead of just looking at pictures, you'd have realised that the extra loop is for holding the hose on a triple-clamp fork...D- for comprehension. :thumbsup:


You're absolutely correct and I meant no disrespect to any of the innovators.  My bad.

A.:thumbsup:


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## Uncle Six Pack (Aug 29, 2004)

Dale1K said:


> I have a variation of this. I use two different size zip ties. Not quite as clean as the tube/tie method.


That is exactly what I was just thinking... I actually like it better than the tube/tie.


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## GDubT (Apr 13, 2010)

Very nice...me likey.


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## bmwjnky (Mar 5, 2009)

This is a sweet idea. I wanted to get my cables out of the way and this will do the trick till my stick on hose guides show up.


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## Canon_Addict (Jul 11, 2007)

SteveUK said:


> It's clearer in this picture...
> 
> View attachment 512324
> 
> ...


Nice, I like the looks of that a lot, great article.


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## JG_CAAD (Jul 24, 2009)

Very nice.
I used it today in my CAAD4.


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## What&son (Jan 13, 2004)

For the plastic, I use left over shimano bleeding hose bits. Transparent, flexible...and free.


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## dansMTB (Aug 12, 2004)

Just wanted to add that this is a great thread. Big thanks to everyone who has added to it!!!


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