# Rohloff: Streamlining with 3 Cables in 1 Cable Stop?



## BOHICA (May 13, 2005)

I'm in the process of putting a Rohloff and Monkey Bone on a Santa Cruz Blur. Obviously, the 3 cables I need to run to the back of the bike are collectively quite bulky, and won't sit in the cable stays together. If possible, however, I wish to use the cable stop sites on the Blur frame to attach the 2 Rohloff shift cables and 1 disc brake cable. 

Is there some sort of device, other than zip ties, that will both attach to the cable stays and keep all 3 cables bundled?

Also, in running the cables, I'm wondering if it is okay to run one of the Rohloff shifting cables around the right side of the head tube, and the other around the left side, prior to bundling them under the bottom of the top tube?

By the way, for those of you who have a Long-torque arm who are considering a Monkey Bone or Speed Bone, Neil at Cycle Monkey offers remarkably prompt service when sending out the Monkey Bone and the device is very nicely made.


----------



## rockyuphill (Nov 28, 2004)

BOHICA said:


> Also, in running the cables, I'm wondering if it is okay to run one of the Rohloff shifting cables around the right side of the head tube, and the other around the left side, prior to bundling them under the bottom of the top tube?


Zip ties are inelegant but that is about the only useful way to do it. I found it was easier to attach the brake hose to the hose guide and then zip tie the Rohloff cables to the hose, that made it easy to cinch the brake hose down tight and then attach the shift cables with less zip tie tension to avoid increasing cable drag by squeezing the shift cable casing. Oh yes, and make sure you use a flush cutting tool to trim the zip tie ends to avoid leaving razor edges on the cut zip ties.

I'd avoid running one of the Rohloff shift cables through the middle of the frame triangle, if you keep both cables outside the triangle it becomes very easy to remove the hub and shifter for service or to transfer to another frame without having to re-cable the shifter. I made the mistake once of running one cable on one side of the head tube and one on the other through the triangle and went to move the hub to another frame one day only to realize I would have to release one cable from the shifter box to get it off. So much for fast and easy. :madman:


----------



## finger51 (Jul 21, 2006)

I have an upcoming rohloff build that I'm struggling with the same issue. I plan to get some heat-shrink wrap tubing and putting all 3 cables into it. Once that is done, shrink it up and nick a couple of holes into the wrapping to slide the zip tie onto one of the cables to complete the loop to the cable stop. Seems like it would be a light-ish way to go ? I'm a few months away from realization of this project but I'll certainly post pics when I'm done.
1/2" diameter shrink tubing ought to do the trick.


----------



## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

finger51 said:


> I plan to get some heat-shrink wrap tubing and putting all 3 cables into it. Once that is done, shrink it up and nick a couple of holes into the wrapping to slide the zip tie onto one of the cables to complete the loop to the cable stop.


Full length heat shrink? That will be an interesting project. Please do post pics upon completion.


----------



## itsdoable (Jan 6, 2004)

The hose guides that consist of a grooved channel and a slot for a tie-wrap can hold all 3 cables in a triangular clump, that's what I use. I've done the shrinkwrap thing too, Magura use to have a shrinkwrap kit to install their hydraulic hoses on cable stops. I have no issues running the shifter cables through the frame, ease of removal is not my main concern, I'd rather have the cables routed as cleanly as possible. I bought an extra shifter & box so I could move the hub from one bike to another, but I find I don't use it, and just leave the hub on the one bike.


----------



## finger51 (Jul 21, 2006)

Speedub.Nate said:


> Full length heat shrink? That will be an interesting project. Please do post pics upon completion.


Hi Nate~

Finished the tubing project tonight. What a pain! There is a lot of process involved with doing it:
measuring
trimming the cable housing
trimming the shifter cables
cut shrink wrap to length
unplugging the brake hose
threading shift housing and brake hose (in opposite directions mind you)
hooking up the cable box
trim hose
bleed and attach brake
mini-torch to the shrink wrap

tips: 
>do the brake hose first. undo the banjo at the lever and slide it in 'backwards'
>talcum powder helps to get the shift cables to slide nice and easy
>before shrinking, try to get the _thread_ of all three to not cross over. when they cross, it creates flat spots- doesn't look as good. I missed a few spots. This was the hardest part.
>be careful not to break the housing ferrule on cable #1like I did. To replace it I have to do it all over again. :madman: 
Still have a few more things to finish up on- chain, rear disk etc. But this is what I've got so far


----------



## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

Whoa... nice work. I can see where all the measuring is necessary to keep the exposed ends all fairly uniform.


----------

