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I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips?
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I'm planning on widening a tiny FD cable exit hole for my Cervelo P2c, as it's making internal cable routing absolutely torturous - it's so small you cannot even fit a thin cable liner into it, nor will any tip of the Park tool internal routing kit fit into it. I'll prob get a wireless 1x etap system down the road to avoid this altogether, but in the meanwhile, I'm thinking of just drilling the hole wider.

Any tips/tricks and things to watch out for from the folks who have done this or similar?
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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Sounds like it is designed for bare cable to be run through it.
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]
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jimatbeyond wrote:
Sounds like it is designed for bare cable to be run through it.

Yes, likely. I don't plan on installing cable liner, I just want to have the possibility of using a cable liner to preserve the path before I pull out the cable, as well as having a larger hole target in case I have to start anew.
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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I think I'd frustrate myself a bit trying to get a cable through before drilling

If the existing cable is intact at both ends (maybe just old and frayed at the derailleur end?) couldn't you snip the head off, tape or glue the new cable as flush as possible and pull it through that way?

If you can't use the existing cable maybe try sucking cotton thread through using a vacuum cleaner?
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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As long as the cable is straight and not frayed, it's really not that hard. You also can run liner through that hole
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [imswimmer328] [ In reply to ]
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imswimmer328 wrote:
As long as the cable is straight and not frayed, it's really not that hard. You also can run liner through that hole

I've done this 5 times. It is friggin' hard. Even with magnets.

Again, you cannot even run a cable liner through that hole. I've tried several, none work.
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [OddSlug] [ In reply to ]
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OddSlug wrote:
I think I'd frustrate myself a bit trying to get a cable through before drilling

If the existing cable is intact at both ends (maybe just old and frayed at the derailleur end?) couldn't you snip the head off, tape or glue the new cable as flush as possible and pull it through that way?

If you can't use the existing cable maybe try sucking cotton thread through using a vacuum cleaner?

The best I've found is to tie and superglue thread to the cable, snip it under the BB, and the remove the cable leaving the thread in place. Then I have to re-tie, superglue that to the new cable that's threaded.

Unfortunately, it's still annoying to get the cable through since the hole is so small - half the time it gets stuck or the thread breaks/slides off.

I've been usuing tiny tweezers to grab the cable when I see it in that 2mm hole, friggin hard.
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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I still have one as my trainer bike.
I drilled out holes in the top tube to route shifter cables.
Tape it first then use a new bit. It should be fine but you have to be ok with ruining the frame if something goes bad.
It s a frustrating frame to route cables but I just quit and come back later if I’m struggling.
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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I did it a few years ago on my 2011 P3 to route di2 cable. No problem at all.

Tiago
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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I also own this bike. Never had any issues with routing that cable before. I also have a liner that goes to my FD that I believe came with the bike. It's basically just a super thin straw
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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I have found that a very small file works better to open holes in the carbon. The chance of a flute of the drill bit catching scared me which is why I went the direction of a file.
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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You should be able to fit a liner through the hole in that frame, if you can't then odds are the hole is smaller than it is supposed to be. In that case, yeah... I'd want to enlarge it a bit. Start with a small round file and see if you can just knock some overspray out of the hole that's making it smaller than the spec.

Cable routing on these... cut the head off the cable at the derailleur. Solder the butt end of the replacement cable to the end of the original cable. Pull the replacement cable back through with the original cable.

Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [imswimmer328] [ In reply to ]
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imswimmer328 wrote:
I also own this bike. Never had any issues with routing that cable before. I also have a liner that goes to my FD that I believe came with the bike. It's basically just a super thin straw

Tricks to do it? Source to get new liner?
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:
Tricks to do it? Source to get new liner?
It's typically sold in bulk, you can buy some here -

https://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Black-Housing-Liner-Cables/dp/B0029LF1XO


Alternatively, any good LBS should have some around. You don't need all that much.


Rout the derailleur cable first, then push the liner back into the frame over the cable.

Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [fredly] [ In reply to ]
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fredly wrote:

Quote:
Tricks to do it? Source to get new liner?

It's typically sold in bulk, you can buy some here -

https://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Black-Housing-Liner-Cables/dp/B0029LF1XO


Alternatively, any good LBS should have some around. You don't need all that much.


Rout the derailleur cable first, then push the liner back into the frame over the cable.

fredly wrote:

Quote:
Tricks to do it? Source to get new liner?

It's typically sold in bulk, you can buy some here -

https://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Black-Housing-Liner-Cables/dp/B0029LF1XO


Alternatively, any good LBS should have some around. You don't need all that much.


Rout the derailleur cable first, then push the liner back into the frame over the cable.

LOL NOPE!!!!

I have already tried that exact Jagwire liner and 2 other ones, all of which are almost 2x took large for that tiny hole on the p2c frame. It literally wn't even fit into the hole

But yeah, the whole point of me trying to widen the hole is so that I can fit exactly that through it as guide.
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:
LOL, blahblahblah


Yeah... so, read my previous post up-thread, then?

You might also give us a measurement of the hole on your frame, as it's clearly a shit-ton smaller than the one I wasted my time getting out of the basement to check in an attempt to help you out...

Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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Is it much smaller than the FD opening on a NP3? I just recabled mine, and I was pretty successful with a combo of a bent paper clip and a headlamp. Though it was a frustrating experience.

Next races on the schedule: none at the moment
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [alex_korr] [ In reply to ]
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This is my P2C from 2009 with the original cable liner in the frame. I've learnt the hard way to may sure the liner is poking out both ends of the frame before removing the old cable. Last time is was like the pic, the other end was inside the frame and had a bear of a time routing the new cable up from under the BB.

But to the OP, there seems to be a solid amount of carbon in that area so I wouldn't have a problem enlarging the hole a bit more with a drill. And for future cabling get a liner in there and leave it there.



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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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get a tungsten carbide bit the size you want, use the hole already there as a pilot, go slow.

My Blog - http://leegoocrap.blogspot.com
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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I can't help you with drilling advice, but if your recabling your p2c, I've had success with mine using waxed dental floss. Just tie a good length of it to the end of your old cable before pulling it out, retie to the new one and pull it back through, works like a charm. The waxed floss has good bite on the cable and won't accidentally come undone.
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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I think you've had this problem for years (I recall you complaining about this some time ago).

As others mentioned, this is not typical of P2 frames. I'd wager that you have some excess paint in the cable hole that's making it smaller than it should be.

The fix is simple; get a series of drill bits and open the hole one step at a time. Check out TriRig's instructions for drilling into carbon frames. Of course, your purpose is to simply expand the existing hole (not to create a new one). This process should take a few short minutes to complete (certainly less than the time to remove and reinstall the cable).

If the issue is just some 'over spray' of paint, you may not even actually drill into carbon, but rather, just clear out the gob of paint that is blocking the hole.

...get on with this and solve your problem once and for all!!
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Re: I want to drill/expand a tiny hole in my carbon P2c frame - tips? [makerr] [ In reply to ]
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makerr wrote:
I can't help you with drilling advice, but if your recabling your p2c, I've had success with mine using waxed dental floss. Just tie a good length of it to the end of your old cable before pulling it out, retie to the new one and pull it back through, works like a charm. The waxed floss has good bite on the cable and won't accidentally come undone.

Good tip will try that in addition to all the drill and filing tips above. I've been using thread but it slips off easily.
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